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Post by Jack Malone on Sept 24, 2011 10:01:23 GMT -6
"California Bound" To be honest, the genre of drama is incredibly difficult for me to sit back and "read". Often at times characters fall flat, and episodes lack an exciting plot, yet somehow manage to run on for 50+ pages. As long as I'm being honest, I can say that Winchester actually surprised me with its fantastic premise, and managed to entertain me with its little group of characters, primarily, Blake Garrett. There were some elements of the pilot that I'd like to touch base upon and discuss, but overall, I enjoyed it. And that's something I'm glad to say, as, drama being a genre I'd rather watch than read about, I was incredibly happy with the turnout of this series premiere.
The cast of characters are easily distinguished between, and that's another great thing I have to praise you for. While I'm on this, I think Blake Garrett has a lot of potential in leading this series, however, I would have liked to see his more personal voice come to the forefront of the series, possibly through the use of voice over at the beginning and ending of each episode - think One Tree Hill. I just didn't establish much of a connection with this character, other than just appreciating the story revolving around him. Other characters that should be mentioned, that I thought were well-written, would have to be Charlie - although I got the feeling his voice changed towards the back half of the episode - and Lucy. These two were need-to-be-mentioned characters I just had to bring up. They had some great one-liners in there.
I feel like there are some flaws in people seeing Blake as the guy that pushed Warren. First of all, people already saw that Warren was about to jump, and that he was actually going to do it. Secondly, Blake talked with others prior to going up there to do something. And thirdly, those that spoke with Blake could have easily proven Blake's intention, as they are witnesses to it. I think some of these were overlooked in creating that aspect and baggage of Blake's character. But I'm willing to look past it.
Overall, this was a pretty good series premiere. The premise, and characters were well-written. Most of the episode spent the time introducing each and every character, their relationships with others, and an insight into how we might see them interact with one another. I felt the pace sort of shifted into overdrive once Blake arrived at the new school. It felt a touch rushed in a couple of areas, and I felt Blake's personal voice was lost during that. But, ultimately, I did enjoy it.
8/10.
I do hope that this series continues to deliver strong plots, and doesn't turn into a drama series that just has a bunch of characters talking about life, in general. With Blake holding a strong story on his shoulders, that could definitely branch out into a lot of different episodes, I'm excited to see that unfold. And yeah. Well done! xD
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Post by Jamison on Sept 24, 2011 10:10:30 GMT -6
Amin, Jack, It's awesome that you two enjoyed the episode! The obvious flaws, I too hope will be improved in the coming episodes. Anyway, I'll let Matthew respond to your individual reviews
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Post by Matthew James on Sept 24, 2011 14:12:10 GMT -6
Wow, thanks so much I loved that you guys loved the episode. I'm so glad we managed to convey exactly what we were going for with each of the characters. I'm glad Charlie and Lucy are coming out strong and that Pete is even coming off how we wanted him too. Now too get to your individual points AMIN: In a cast of eight main characters it's hard to flesh out each in the pilot, and some had to suffer. Here it was Maya, Eve and I find even Shane a little too. Each have a much larger role in the next episode as it centers on our siblings. With Tracy that was the question we wanted to ask was what does she see in the douchebag, she will begin to see who he really is in the next few episodes. And as for Pete himself, well you havent seen anything yet as far his jackassness goes. As for your girl Lucy, well we wanted to give her that upbeat positive energy because we are going to tear this character down. Things will get bad for Lucy before they get any better, than they get even worse. JACK: Thank you also, for liking the pilot. Both Chris and I plan to do voiceovers at the begining and end of the episodes and I think it would help greatly. For what you were talking about in terms of the rooftop scene, those issues will be addressed in the next episode. As for Blake's character he isn't so much struggling with the fact that he's being falsely accused, for him it's more that he failed. And yes even having read the story back a few times I see how Blake's story was more lost among the characters as there story got bigger his got smaller. To the point where -- SPOILER ALERT: Highlight!Originally it was Blake who knocked out Pete, but as we were doing the drafts we changed it to Shane more to give him some story line other than being kinda of a dick to Lucy. hopefully the next few episodes you'll see Blake having a stronger voice So thanks again for your review and we hope to keep doing storylines that make everyone happy.
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Amin
VPN Community Member
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Post by Amin on Sept 24, 2011 14:45:27 GMT -6
Oh, my love for Lucy will continue nonetheless, I am sure. xD
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Jay Paterson
Episode 4 - "There's Something About Leila" - Out Now
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Post by Jay Paterson on Sept 27, 2011 20:36:02 GMT -6
"California Bound"
With drama's like this you can pretty much go anywhere with them, that's what i love about them. But it is pretty easy for people to lose interest in the stories if they start to get dull and repetitive which tends to happen in long running drama's. so i'm hoping that 'Winchester' keeps pulling me in each episode.
As soon as i read the teaser i was hooked, it was a very interesting opening to read. I like the back story of Blake but i do agree that the story does have some flaws, like Jack said there where people there that witnessed Warren about to jump before Blake had even got there so as for the parents trying to open back up the case i feel like that story line may run into a dead end.
The characters in this series are remarkable, my favorite would have to be Charlie, i don't know why yet but i just love his sarcasm. His personality comes across quite strongly in the pilot i think which is great and i can see a great friendship happening between him and Blake which i think will be nice to read.
The main character seems very likable which is pretty important to me. However i did feel like even though i know his back story i didn't really know his personality well. This was probably the main bit i was concerned about as i think the main character should have almost a solid identity before the end of the pilot. But i hope to learn more about Blake's personality in future episodes.
I cant wait to see what happens between Shane, Maya and Lucy it'll be interesting to see how it all pans out now that we saw Maya and Lucy share a dorm room. I do prefer Shane/Maya though, they would be a fun couple to read about. Eve i am not to keen on yet there's something about her that makes me not trust her so i am interesting to finding out more about her. I don't know what i feel about Tracy yet, i felt a connection between her and Blake so i'm intrigued to see how that turns out as her current boyfriend is an ass!
I'm pretty excited with the turnout of this episode and have to say that i'll definitely be checking in for the next episode. I did have a smile on my face reading the ending, it seemed to be a prefect ending for the pilot and the music choice was pretty sweet!
i'm going to give the episode an 9/10 :D
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D.C. Jones
New Member
I know something you don't know!
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Post by D.C. Jones on Sept 29, 2011 3:06:03 GMT -6
Okay, so, let it be forewarned that I'm a HUGE drama buff. I've seen just about everything from 90210 (old and new) to Golden Girls (it can be very dramatic at time) so it was a given that I'd be anxiously anticipating the air date of this show. So, I've read it from the title to the "End of Episode" and I suppose now is as good a time as ever to review right? Right! So, here goes. "CALIFORNIA BOUND" 1. The Premise. With the whole "dude jumped off a cliff thing" I though it was VERY unique and gave me something that I've never seen before. I thrive on originality so I thought that was a HUGE plus. I swear if it had been something like "boy gets into a fight with random person every other week so he's expelled from school A and goes to school B for a fresh start" I probably would have shot myself... okay not really but you get the point. So, kudos on being original. However, and I'm sorry to have ANYTHING but positive to say, but I just couldn't really see people actually going with the whole "he pushed him" thing. Just saying, Blake, in the intro came off like a nice, studious, pretty normal dude. So one day he just goes homicidal and pushes some poor, morbid kid off a roof when he's already about to jump? Eh, know believe me I am MORE than willing to over look this as I pretty much already have, but it was just something that stood out to me in the beginning. 2. The Characters. Now, I've seen more than my fair share of drama and, automatically if I feel like I can't connect with just about half of the cast, I can't really find myself getting into the series. You have NOTHING to worry about as I already love just about over HALF your cast. Blake: Pretty upstanding guy, nice, solid leading male if there ever was one. I especially love that he was more that willing to admit when he's lost one, very cool. I need to get to know him a bit more for him to be a favorite but I'm pretty sure that'll come sooner than later. Tracy: Eh. I guess I just don't know enough about her yet to pass any judgment. I don't dislike her, but I don't know enough to really feel anything but passive about her just yet. Although I am a fan of Blake Lively so I'm sure she'll grow on me. Pete: Surprisingly, I like Pete. I dunno why but I always find myself liking the asshole of the group just as much as the lead 'cause they usually make for very entertaining storyline later on in the series and I can sense good stuff coming from Pete right off the back. Lucy: Now Lucy is one of those favorites I mentioned. She's cute, funny, quirky, and is one of those victims of unrequited love which I enjoy so much. Plus, her being roommates with Shane's new crush just makes me feel for, and love her so much more. She has some AWESOME lines and I feel like if there was anyone in this cast I could relate to or see myself hanging out with than it's probably her. Charlie: Charlie for me was very funny and a nice addition to the cast. Everybody loves the underdog and I'm no exception. He's not a favorite but I definitely hold him very high on the list of favorites from least to greatest. Shane: Shane is another character who I'll have to get to know more. I don't dislike him, definitely not, but I don't love him just yet either. I like that he stood up for Lucy and his smoothness with the ladies but I just feel like that's all I know is he's loyal and a ladies man right now. Maya: I can't comment. She was there for me, but not really. Besides her walking into Lucy's dorm at the end she really didn't do anything pressing to leave a mark on me. Though I do love her being Lucy's roomie, that's bound to bring drama And, last but most certainly not least... Eve: My FAVORITE! I absolutely LOVE Eve's character. She's funny, has a bitchy side, and is a total gossip. I love Tracy saying "When Eve knows something everybody knows." I love everything I've seen about Eve so far and I'm VERY MUCH looking forward to reading about her character and seeing how she progress as the show moves on. And finally, 3. The Pilot. It was great. I read it from beginning to end and (other than number 1) I couldn't find anything I actually disliked about this. As pilots go, in my opinion it was pretty damned good. I'm definitely reading more of this that's for sure so I'd totally label this pilot a success in my book My overall score for this pilot would be 9/10. Brilliant!
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Post by Matthew James on Sept 29, 2011 13:58:41 GMT -6
Jay, D.C, Thank you. Your reviews are very appreciated, as a writer the think that fears me the most is always the reviews. They can build up a writer or in cases we've seen in the past tear them down. What all of you have said, has really helped me constuct what I hope is a very logical story line regarding Warren and Blake. It toke me some thinking but I asked my self what possible reason could Blake have to not save Warren. And I came up with it let's just say the cops have uncovered their "Smoke and gun." It will not only create resonable doupt it will cause Blake to doupt himself, and to question what really happened on that rooftop. As for what you've said in your reviews, I think it would be awesome for Mr.Chris Davis to take the floor. Since we are co-writers on the episode and all.
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Post by skittles on Jan 12, 2012 21:49:10 GMT -6
Oh yay! Matthew and Chris! I am so excited you got episode 2 out! I will get to reading ASAP! Good luck on the reviews guys! <333
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Post by Jamison on Jan 13, 2012 14:07:32 GMT -6
Thanks, Monica I'll be editing episode three today, so it'll be ready to air on Thursday! Hope you enjoy these episodes.
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Post by Jason T. Davis on Jan 15, 2012 15:25:33 GMT -6
REVIEW OF 1x01: "CALIFORNIA BOUND"
I enjoyed the pilot. The opening scene had to be one of my favorites of the entire episode, and I like that fact. It caught my attention, and drove me into the script, which is a very crucial factor of scriptwriting. I find that if a script doesn't catch my attention in the first 10 pages, then it simply won't in the remaining pages. But here, you opened with a bang, making for a much more enjoyable read, overall.
However, after the teaser, the main focus of it, which was Blake, somehow got lost while introducing the rest of the cast. I have to echo what most of the other reviewers had to say about the pilot -- Blake lost his voice. I know that this is his story, and he is at the center of it all, but I didn't see that in the pilot, like I would have wanted to. Nevertheless, he still seems like a pretty strong center character, and I'm getting a nice vibe off of him. Just wish he added a bit more to the first episode.
Characters like Charlie, and Lucy, really made up for it though, and are the reasons why I'm not complaining, as much, in regards to the lack of focus on Blake Garrett. Charlie Sullivan is the underdog, and I love those characters. Lucy seems to be the fan favorite here, but for me, it has got to be Charlie. However, Lucy added a "cute," or "wittiness," to a rather serious situation/episode, and I like that about her. She's the kind of character that can lighten any dark situation with her smile. She's a keeper, as well as Charlie. Also, I can instantly see their chemistry. I don't know if that is intentional, or just a fluke, but I'm more interested in Charlie/Lucy getting together, than Lucy/Shane.
The other characters (Maya, Tracy, Pete, Shane, Eve) were well written, but I didn't get invested in them like the others. I said that, especially for Maya and Tracy. But, I can't really say anything solidly "negative" about their characters. They just weren't the main focus for this episode, which is okay, because this show has an ensemble cast of characters, and it's hard to establish each of them in one episode.
The overall plot for the pilot/season, is very intriguing, and quite original. Drama isn't my favorite genre to read, but I always appreciate when a writer actually thinks about their show, and knows that people don't want to read the same old stuff all the time. So, kudos in that regard.
All in all, I liked the pilot. It did have its flaws. Mostly surrounding the "case" and the fact that it's being reopened, but you said that you've got a plan for that, and it will be explaining shortly, so I'll wait and see, before passing any kind of judgment.
Nifty pilot. It established the story and setting. Exceptional characters and dialogue between them, and it's written in a unique style. However, some of the characters fell a little too flat, and the pacing wasn't as good as it could have been. I give the pilot a 8 of 10.
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Post by Matthew James on Jan 15, 2012 18:11:06 GMT -6
Thanks Jason for the review I love to hear everyone's opinion's. On to your awesome review. Something you mentioned which a lot of other people have is the fact that you felt like Blake lost his voice half way through -- is because to me he's the doorway to this world where seeing for the first time but not necessarly the main character. His job for me was primarly to introduce us to all these different characters we were going to be exploring for the duration of the series cause like you stated it's an ensemble -- where every character is as important as the other. So once he met Tracy or met Lucy we could start exploring those characters and so the more characters Blake came across the less we could focus on him. The other thing you mentioned which I loved was the chemistry between Lucy and Charlie. Which sort happened accidently well writting and I immediatly noticed it myself and writting there scenes together has become one of my favorite joys about the show. As far as them hooking up goes I - don't - know. Lol. Like i've mentioned in spoilers Charlie has his own love interest headed his way and Lucy is no where near ready to let go of her feelings for Shane so a hook up between the two is a few seasons off but right now I couldnt really see them doing any more than the whole "we work well together, we love each other why not go for it storyline where after it happens they step back and go OH -- that's why" But it's for sure to early to rule out any possible couple.
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Post by Matthew James on Jan 15, 2012 20:56:02 GMT -6
Episode four Parent's day is now complete, I've handed it off to Chris for edits but I think it turned out really well -- though it turned out a lot darker than I ever intented and Lucy sadly doesn't have much I didnt want her to feel to forced so once the drama kicks in she sort of takes a back seat. And Pete doesnt appear at all this episode. Earlier I promised you some Blake/Tracy action and I fully delieverd It was hard working it in but at the end of the day it worked because as Tracy says herself before the big moment "Throughout all the crazy and all the drama, the only thing that has made sense to me as cheesy as this sounds, is you..." Episode four also see's the first death of a character.
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Post by Matthew James on Jan 24, 2012 23:20:10 GMT -6
Opps so I just wanted to retract a statement I had previosly made. I forgot that Age Of Heroes is in fact a spin-off of Outcasts making Age Of Heroes VPN's first spin-off.
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Jay Paterson
Episode 4 - "There's Something About Leila" - Out Now
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Post by Jay Paterson on Apr 18, 2012 20:27:35 GMT -6
So i finally got caught up on Winchester over the past couple of days reading episodes 2 through 4. I have to say i'm so happy i finally got round to this! I absolutely love this show and its the only show on theVPN that I've read more than just the pilot. Not that i don't enjoy any of the other shows there are i few i have rad and liked but i just haven't had time to read more of them (i will in the future). Anyway on to the episodes.
First of all i gotta say, WOW. This show is FILLED with drama and there has been so much going on over the space of 4 episodes. Which is fantastic. I've already reviewed the pilot so i'll start of from where i left off.1x02: RushThe Lucy story-line in this episode was great and kinda had my heart racing at parts, you can really tell a great story. I said before when i reviewed the pilot that i was dying to get a taste of all of the characters personalities and i sure did in this episode. Maya who in episode one i liked, my opinion of her has totally changed. The way she spoke to Lucy about Shane was so uncalled for and really... mean? so i'm not a Maya fan anymore, Team Lucy/Shane haha i kid, this no twilight xD! Eve is an odd one for me because one minute i can like her and the next i can hate her so i'm still unsure on my final decision with that one. Charlie is still my favorite, he a sarcastic, witty guy but can be serious when he needs to, like when he's there for Lucy. Also i can see that Blake has some anger issues like when he first meets Jeffery its like he was trying to start something so that would be fun to see more of. Over all i think this was a great second episode. A little more dramatic than i expected. But i liked it. There's just one thing i was a bit sad about, at the end the outcome of Lucy's overdose/dead for 10 minutes wasn't more serious. I would have liked it if you played on the brain damaged bit for a while, then she could possibly go on to recover but of course that's just my personal preference. Oh and i really liked the beginning with Blake and the court case i really want to see more of that. Even though i don't think the woman has a strong case. But its interesting. 1x03: Women on the VergeThen just as you think the drama would calm down a little we have episode 3. I really liked this episode , it was my favorite ep (until i read 4). We saw a lot more of Pete in this episode, that's a character i have been more interested to see since 1x02 after the whole 'Lucy' incident. And even though he is a bit of an asshole i actually quite like him in this ep. Making him team up with Blake after their feud was brilliant, of course he's only doing it to get back into Tracy's good books again but who cares. It makes me want Blake and Pete to be friends but their rivalry is too good. Again i enjoyed Lucy and Charlie in this ep, they are my favorite characters. Tracy is a character that i'm not particularly bothered about so far i fell like other than being the hot blonde and Blake;s love interest she needs a bigger story-line which i'm sure she will in the future. After this ep i have made my decision on Eve, i don't like her. I dont know if she would have went through with it but what she made Charlie doing using Lucy as bate was shocking! The main story arc in this episode surely kept me on the edge of my seat! Very 'veronica mars' of you with the whole catching the bad guys, i like. Great episode all round. My favorite once i read it. 1x04: Parents Day BEST EPISODE SO FAR. FLAWLESS! This episode had a lot of comedy yet it wasn't lacking in drama which was so perfect. At the beginning i have to say i was laughing so HARD. Especially at Charlie with the whole Jesus thing and the crazy mom. Before i read the episode i didn't think i'd like it that much because i thought that the parents would be rather boring and i won't like them that much. But i really liked that you brought the parents in, it let me understand the characters a bit better seeing the relationships they have. This episode had the most shocking twists of the series so far. I felt so bad for Eve and Shane in this episode. I do not have a clue why the father did what he did. I mean why would a father shoot himself after having a confrontation with his daughter. In my eyes he's a bit of a coward. Yes he was a terrible dad but he had time to make up for that but he didn't. He just felt sorrry for himself and committed suicide. One thing i think this scene was lacking was power. I feel like it should of been stronger. This Eve screaming in distraught trying to get to her fathers body as Shane holds her back? that would have been great to watch . I still dont like Eve though.. sorry haha. Shane i feel needs a little more of a story because he seems to be fading into the background every episode. But maybe with whats happened in this episode me will see more of his character. The whole Charlie/Tracy thing is awesome i hope to see some Sibling Love coming from them. I'd think it be sweet if they got along. As for Blake in this episode i felt really sorry for him. But by this happening it brought him closer to Tracy which is a good thing for the show. I like Blake/Tracy as a couple. They're good together. I know i cant really give you constructive criticism or anything because i am not an experience writer so that's why i just went through the episodes and wrote what i liked about them and what i think could of happened differently. But overall i am in love with this series and its been perfect so far. I cant wait for more.
Can i ask, when will episode 5 be out?
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Post by Jamison on Apr 21, 2012 15:31:23 GMT -6
So i finally got caught up on Winchester over the past couple of days reading episodes 2 through 4. I have to say i'm so happy i finally got round to this! I absolutely love this show and its the only show on theVPN that I've read more than just the pilot. Not that i don't enjoy any of the other shows there are i few i have rad and liked but i just haven't had time to read more of them (i will in the future). Anyway on to the episodes.
First of all i gotta say, WOW. This show is FILLED with drama and there has been so much going on over the space of 4 episodes. Which is fantastic. I've already reviewed the pilot so i'll start of from where i left off. First, I just want to say thank you for taking the time to read and review the show It's much appreciated, and I'm glad you're liking it so far. I'm glad the characters' personalities were more present in this episode. Maya definitely has two sides to her. When she's with Shane, she can be innocent, and sweet, but at other times, she's can be a crazy b*tch, which is something that will definitely play a role as her character continues to develop. Hahaha, and it's okay to be Team Lucy/Shane! I think everyone is rooting for them anyway I know you're not a huge fan of Eve, but hopefully that will change in future episodes when the show returns. Charlie has to be, for me, one of my favorite characters to write for. I love his wit, and he's a character that can really take over a scene. Lucy as well. [/i][/quote] I'm glad you enjoyed the episode overall. I agree that Lucy's death, even though it was temporary, could have been handled better and portrayed in a more serious and stronger way. Maybe when this season is over, we'll be able to make some improvements on the VDVD Pete is another character I find interesting. If you've seen the show One Tree Hill, you may be able to find some similarities with two of their characters. At least, early on in the show. They started off as enemies, but definitely found friends in one another after time. I can't say if that's what we'll end up doing with Blake and Pete, but you definitely shouldn't rule it out. At any rate, they very much dislike one another right now, and we won't see them turning into friends any time soon However, Pete's character should become somewhat more relatable. We'll discover why he can be such a jerk sometimes, and hopefully, his character will get even more interesting. [/i][/quote] Both Tracy and Eve haven't had a lot of time to develop and really show their character. Well, Eve maybe, but she's definitely more layered than what we've shown so far It's awesome that you made a "Veronica Mars" connection to this episode! I thought the exact same thing in the editing process. Yay! I'm glad you liked the episode so much. We hope the show will continue to improve with each passing episode. Eve and Shane's father was a coward. Yes, you're totally right. Death is something a writer should always take their time with, and I think it could have been stronger. Thanks for your honesty. We'll be working on that the next time somebody dies *not that someone will... dun dun dun Moment* haha! [/i][/quote] Charlie and Tracy's new family bond is something I'm really interesting in exploring further. It will most definitely give the show more comedy, as well as drama, when it comes to those two characters. Blake/Tracy are arguable the "cliched" perfect couple. And while their relationship begins this way, I can definitely tell you that it won't be all rainbows and kittens for these two, but that's what makes drama shows so fun to watch Thanks for taking the time to read, and review, and we really hope you continue to support the show! I'm not sure when episode will be ready. There were some technical difficulties getting the episode finished, but hopefully we'll be able to come out with an update soon.
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Post by Matthew James on May 28, 2012 19:00:58 GMT -6
Thanks Jay for the great review -- now for some much anticipated news, a few weeks ago I under went major open heart surgery and am fine but im stuck at my parents house and figured I that I would spend the time re writing episode five hopefully airing it along with six and than the show can go on break until Seven is ready to air.
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Post by Matthew James on Jun 6, 2012 21:00:53 GMT -6
Episode five and six have completed there writting phase and now are in editing, hopefully we will get to air them starting as early as next thursday June 14th. Also episode Seven has begun production.
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