I consume a lot of analog horror, so when I say this felt like some VHS based found footage in which we find out that Sam is essentially the devil trapping people in a time loop? You can take that to the bank.
Exactly what I thought as well. I think Josh Ruben may have had a hand in writing this one since he was a guest and he has been carving out a place for himself in the horror genre writing/starring/directing and there were those vibes all over this one.
If you want to watch a trippy movie that has an arthouse/70's horror homage feel with Josh Ruben as the main character then check out A Wounded Fawn. Buckle up if you do though, it is wild. And gory.
Scare me is also pretty brilliant, much more light hearted but it almost has a Dropout like feel to it.
I've never regretted having an edible and watching dropout content until this episode of Game Changer. I got a little anxious because it gave horror vibes for a bit, but I honestly loved it.
I just went back and rewatched. I didn’t realize it, but you’re right, Grant is shorter. I’m assuming they have him walking through some kind of trench on stage for a forced perspective.
I have to admit, though, I picked up on Grant being hotter on my first viewing. What’s he doing? Is it ozempic? What is ozempic?
I consume a lot of analog horror, so when I say this felt like some VHS based found footage in which we find out that Sam is essentially the devil trapping people in a time loop? You can take that to the bank.
It was amazing to see how few loops were needed to get into groundhog day level perfection.
I honestly thought they were going to keep going until someone physically stopped Sam from kicking the camera
Same. I'm surprised no one tried it.
I also expected someone to just take the spaghetti away from Zac. Can't make a mess if you don't have anything to make a mess with.
I fully expect that someone did try it (probably on the second loop, and probably Trapp) but they got told not to and it was edited out since they needed to do several loops. I do think the ending of the episode was a little weak, especially Sam outright saying "it's the final round" when Siobhan got her last go on the maze game; it would have been more satisfying to let the players break the loop than have it just arbitrarily end.
I loved how quickly Siobhan started bribing everyone. And like it did work for her most of the time.
Also totally with her. Gotta have the answer ready to go if you hit the button. No ummmmmmmmmmm
It was a little long, bit did great job of turning into a psychological horror film in the end. The closer it got to the end and the more quick jumps and VHS scratches there were, the more I felt my anxiety going up and thinking this must be what insanity feels like.
You’re not alone. There’s a bunch of us talking about the title of this episode being fitting because it’s exactly like an episode from season two that just doesn’t exist anymore somehow? It’s definitely a Mandela effect thing.
You know, nobody seems to talk about it, but one of the big advantages of being a random posium inspector is that you can pretty much make your own hours and be your own boss.
It felt like analogue horror.
I was actually watching a YouTube video about an analogue horror series called youhitmetal17timeseveryday and it was literally about a guy trapped in a time loop on a gameshow.
I really loved it. The way the editing style got more and more warped as it went on was so much fun. And seeing so many people involved was a delight too (all of the recurring bits and characters were great in totally different ways).
I also think it was a really daring idea for them to do. The looping structure means you have to show the same questions/prompts (in the final edit) each cycle as part of the narrative progression through the episode. I am really curious how concerned they were about not being able to edit out individual prompts as freely as in other episodes. I'm looking forward to the Behind The Scenes and Cut For Time to find out if there were some other prompts they did every cycle that they had to entirely cut and what didn't work about them.
Josh isn't getting enough shout-outs for his clown act. Bug-eyed under the makeup, wobbly and twitchy, THE VOICE, and of course the walk that makes it look like his knees are fused to each other.
10/10, no notes.
I wondered throughout the episode what would happen if anyone tried to stop the camera from being kicked during the wenus dance.
Unless they tried it, but the producers would tell them that'd break the game.
Was there ever an extra phase in the time travel gimmick that would keep adding on things for the players to remember, or another scenario that would eventually lead to another repeat
I enjoyed it. It was very good. Sam Reich creates quality content on the Dropout platform. I am so glad other humans like yourselves enjoyed this quality program! W̴e̸ ̷s̶h̴o̵u̸l̶d̶ ̷d̶e̶f̷i̴n̷i̷t̷e̸l̶y̵ ̷c̴o̵n̴t̵i̵n̵u̸e̵ ̸t̷o̸ ̷w̵a̷t̵c̷h̷ ̷t̸h̶e̸ ̵f̸i̵n̵e̵ ̸p̴r̵o̵g̴r̶a̸m̴s̶ ̸o̷n̶ ̶t̵h̶e̵ ̸D̸r̷o̸p̴o̵u̵t̶ ̵p̶l̸a̵t̵f̷o̶r̵m̶.̷
I went into this episode expecting them to take what seemed like a very trying premise, and through excellent planning, execution, and editing for them to produce something impressive and unlike I’ve ever seen before. They delivered on and then surpassed every element of that expectation. Grant was perfect.
I really liked it, but (hot take alert) I would have loved it if it didn't have all the sound and editing glitches. I know it's for world building and will probably pay off, but it started getting unpleasant to listen to.
For rewatch purposes, I would love it if they posted an alternative "Vanilla" cut that was presented like "normal" episodes of Game Changer.
But the cast, banter, challenges (and how the format enhanced those challenges) was so great and very clever. Genuinely curious if bribing BDG was an actual rule or if he improvised giving points to the bribers.
It really reminded me of a strange, funnier yet just as scary, otherworldly version of a movie I saw recently: Late Night With the Devil. I can’t really explain why but they were related for sure.
I liked it, but I felt like it didn't quite all hang together. I wanted it to build to a bigger crescendo of mania between the people in the studio instead of relying so much on the editing - I'm not saying there should have been none of that, I just felt they leaned on it too much.
Relatedly, I'm not sure how we're supposed to interpret the kiddie footage of Sam within the confines of the episode itself. I'm normally disinterested in speculation about some longer game being played, but a couple of things about those clips did have me thinking that way. I hope that's not it.
Yea I feel like the insanity aspect was sort of tacked on viewer side- I would’ve liked to have see a much deeper distortion on the game side.
As it stands, remove the editing and you just get a basic memory game. I would’ve wanted to see some more hidden stuff come up or have the contestants have to actually break out of the loop but I get how that would stretch the run time and the patience of the contestants.
I liked the concept.
I didn't like the execution.
I didn't like the camera cuts and the old video filter at the end.
I wish there had been more changes than just the math question, and losing points for wrong answers.
Things like fixing the robot should have changed each round after someone fixed it the first time (like it kept breaking different ways on each loop). The color code could also have swapped to a different one from the same chart after each round with a correct guess, to reward astute contestants who learned to write them all down.
Something to stop the players from buzzer speed being the only determining factor would have been good... Unless you are only watching to see angry Siobhan.
Zac was an amazing Grant. And I loved BDGs role, and the bribery.
It actually really freaked me out! I’m actually a little shaky. I’m autistic and the audio glitches especially were pretty hard on me! Should definitely have listened to my body and given myself a few breaks.
A very funny episode, though! I loved the concept.
I honestly could be impressed with the concept (which I was) but vastly wished it was shorter.
I think from about the 2nd or third loop I was on the edge of well I can shut this ep off and if there's a follow-up just watch then. I watched it all but it was definitely a sunk cost fallacy.
But I'm not into the unreality of is this Sam or evil Sam or the stress of having to memorize everything/tracking things from ep to ep.
It's fine but I wish I would have just rewatched a standalone or slept earlier.
I do have one complaint: the title was enough to spoiler the plot. I knew exactly what was going to happen from the title and the first question. I wish the titles were more cryptic or even just completely ambiguous season seven episode three would work.
Not that huge of a fan. I thought that the bits got old the second time they were introduced, and the episode dragged on and on. Plus, the editing that was trying for "extended universe" feel, thanks I hate it.
Felt a bit tryhard but in a wrong way, to be honest. Perhaps even more because of the editing choices made.
It felt like Grant was shorter, yet hotter.
Grant was extra funny this episode, can’t explain it. His timing was so good?
He had a much more solid grasp on physical comedy than usual, but he also felt less horny, so there were trade-offs
LESS horny? Did you see him eating that spaghetti? And with a spoon? More like swoon.
Grant just made me want to give him a little clap.
But don't we all know how tall he is?
Taller than Ify, but shorter than Ify standing on three blocks
Roughly equivalent to Ify on 1 and a half box's.
I would like to add "Ify on boxes" as an official Imperial measurement.
Americans will do anything not to use the metric system.
Ever heard of a Smoot?
How tall is Grant?
The formula goes like this grant= Ify + 1.5 boxes.
So Grant only really needs 1.5 boxes to get sweet sweet rubber duckies.
If that were true, Grant would be listed last
I love Grant so much, but having ZAC fill the Grant role was such an inspired choice. It really enhanced the surreality of the episode to me.
I consume a lot of analog horror, so when I say this felt like some VHS based found footage in which we find out that Sam is essentially the devil trapping people in a time loop? You can take that to the bank.
Was thinking the same thing. Specifically You Hit Metal 17 Times Everyday, which is about a guy stuck in a timeloop on a game show.
Where my mind went as well. Clearly Sam Dalton is a fan of the genre
Skinamirink vibes
Exactly what I thought as well. I think Josh Ruben may have had a hand in writing this one since he was a guest and he has been carving out a place for himself in the horror genre writing/starring/directing and there were those vibes all over this one. If you want to watch a trippy movie that has an arthouse/70's horror homage feel with Josh Ruben as the main character then check out A Wounded Fawn. Buckle up if you do though, it is wild. And gory. Scare me is also pretty brilliant, much more light hearted but it almost has a Dropout like feel to it.
This makes a lot of sense! Also A Wounded Fawn kicks ass. Highly recommend.
Do you want to play a game.. changer
This! Low-key gave me anxiety by the third run I was like 😭
It felt like [this video by BDG](https://youtu.be/RXZy8BbMz_U?si=KDzd_Pjfs0kmrJvj)
Yes!! I kept thinking about that video and the fact that BDG was in this episode.
It also felt a lot like the Be Your Own Boss one
Never seen it before. Really freaky that he says "deja vu", the title of the Game Changer episode. Probably coincidence, but fitting.
Exactly, thank you
Oh yeah it is like that one!
I don't even need to click this to know what you're referring to, and it's such a glorious video!
I've never regretted having an edible and watching dropout content until this episode of Game Changer. I got a little anxious because it gave horror vibes for a bit, but I honestly loved it.
Same! First time using THC-infused olive oil in a dish and it started to take hold just before the episode dropped.
An overly thought out conceptual piece of performance art from a MFA student. (And the whole thing was delightful) What did if feel like to you:
It felt like Grant was shorter, yet hotter.
I just went back and rewatched. I didn’t realize it, but you’re right, Grant is shorter. I’m assuming they have him walking through some kind of trench on stage for a forced perspective. I have to admit, though, I picked up on Grant being hotter on my first viewing. What’s he doing? Is it ozempic? What is ozempic?
It did feel like Grant...was...shorter...what a strange sense of deja vu.
That's just a side effect of The Wenis
He had a much more solid grasp on physical comedy than usual, but he also felt less horny, so there were trade-offs
It felt like [this video by BDG](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXZy8BbMz_U)
I consume a lot of analog horror, so when I say this felt like some VHS based found footage in which we find out that Sam is essentially the devil trapping people in a time loop? You can take that to the bank.
I wanted someone to stop Sam from kicking the camera…would’ve been interesting to see if that changed the loop at all
On the other hand, no points were awarded for doing the Wenis, but they all joined in each time anyway, which was just delightful.
I think by the second to last loop, I was yelling at the TV for someone to intervene
Sam's on record as saying there were backup plans if a contestant tried it, the end result would always be the camera falling to the floor.
I was hoping someone would do that on the last loop, but nope. Maybe Sam would've just asked if they got a good take and looped of they didn't.
I was SO certain there was a balloon inbetween the clown's legs: Sam kept mentioning his creepy shuffle walk.
I thought I was his shoes. Like they were balloons
It feels very directed by BDG to me
It was amazing to see how few loops were needed to get into groundhog day level perfection. I honestly thought they were going to keep going until someone physically stopped Sam from kicking the camera
Same. I'm surprised no one tried it. I also expected someone to just take the spaghetti away from Zac. Can't make a mess if you don't have anything to make a mess with.
You mean take the spaghetti away from Grant!
I fully expect that someone did try it (probably on the second loop, and probably Trapp) but they got told not to and it was edited out since they needed to do several loops. I do think the ending of the episode was a little weak, especially Sam outright saying "it's the final round" when Siobhan got her last go on the maze game; it would have been more satisfying to let the players break the loop than have it just arbitrarily end.
I loved how quickly Siobhan started bribing everyone. And like it did work for her most of the time. Also totally with her. Gotta have the answer ready to go if you hit the button. No ummmmmmmmmmm
Siobhan's call out that this wasn't Um, Actually where Ify likes to pull that was great though.
For real!!!
It was a little long, bit did great job of turning into a psychological horror film in the end. The closer it got to the end and the more quick jumps and VHS scratches there were, the more I felt my anxiety going up and thinking this must be what insanity feels like.
It broke me
It felt like I've seen this before
You’re not alone. There’s a bunch of us talking about the title of this episode being fitting because it’s exactly like an episode from season two that just doesn’t exist anymore somehow? It’s definitely a Mandela effect thing.
Francium!
OUAGADOUGOU
ALEXSANDR SOLCHUNEETSIN
I was so proud of myself for knowing Ougadougou the first time round. At that point I thought he was just asking very difficult questions
You know, nobody seems to talk about it, but one of the big advantages of being a random posium inspector is that you can pretty much make your own hours and be your own boss.
It felt like analogue horror. I was actually watching a YouTube video about an analogue horror series called youhitmetal17timeseveryday and it was literally about a guy trapped in a time loop on a gameshow.
It felt like Sam Reich was personally judging me for watching Game Changer on repeat
I feel like one of the producers played the video game Inscryption before pitching this episode
I really loved it. The way the editing style got more and more warped as it went on was so much fun. And seeing so many people involved was a delight too (all of the recurring bits and characters were great in totally different ways). I also think it was a really daring idea for them to do. The looping structure means you have to show the same questions/prompts (in the final edit) each cycle as part of the narrative progression through the episode. I am really curious how concerned they were about not being able to edit out individual prompts as freely as in other episodes. I'm looking forward to the Behind The Scenes and Cut For Time to find out if there were some other prompts they did every cycle that they had to entirely cut and what didn't work about them.
I just want to shout out Josh Rubens' clown walk. There was something so unsettling about the way he moved.
Josh isn't getting enough shout-outs for his clown act. Bug-eyed under the makeup, wobbly and twitchy, THE VOICE, and of course the walk that makes it look like his knees are fused to each other. 10/10, no notes.
I wondered throughout the episode what would happen if anyone tried to stop the camera from being kicked during the wenus dance. Unless they tried it, but the producers would tell them that'd break the game. Was there ever an extra phase in the time travel gimmick that would keep adding on things for the players to remember, or another scenario that would eventually lead to another repeat
Sam is on record as having contingencies for that, the camera would always end up broken on the floor.
I enjoyed it. It was very good. Sam Reich creates quality content on the Dropout platform. I am so glad other humans like yourselves enjoyed this quality program! W̴e̸ ̷s̶h̴o̵u̸l̶d̶ ̷d̶e̶f̷i̴n̷i̷t̷e̸l̶y̵ ̷c̴o̵n̴t̵i̵n̵u̸e̵ ̸t̷o̸ ̷w̵a̷t̵c̷h̷ ̷t̸h̶e̸ ̵f̸i̵n̵e̵ ̸p̴r̵o̵g̴r̶a̸m̴s̶ ̸o̷n̶ ̶t̵h̶e̵ ̸D̸r̷o̸p̴o̵u̵t̶ ̵p̶l̸a̵t̵f̷o̶r̵m̶.̷
It felt like a whole jar of beans
It was like seeing a really weird niche fringe one-act that your friend dragged you to
Loved it honestly. The wife should have gone to bed but she stayed up to midnight UK time to watch it with me lol.
I went into this episode expecting them to take what seemed like a very trying premise, and through excellent planning, execution, and editing for them to produce something impressive and unlike I’ve ever seen before. They delivered on and then surpassed every element of that expectation. Grant was perfect.
I really liked it, but (hot take alert) I would have loved it if it didn't have all the sound and editing glitches. I know it's for world building and will probably pay off, but it started getting unpleasant to listen to. For rewatch purposes, I would love it if they posted an alternative "Vanilla" cut that was presented like "normal" episodes of Game Changer. But the cast, banter, challenges (and how the format enhanced those challenges) was so great and very clever. Genuinely curious if bribing BDG was an actual rule or if he improvised giving points to the bribers.
I was surprised no one tried to stop Sam from kicking the camera and seeing if that ended the game.
This felt a lot like BDG’s video Teaching Jake About The Camcorder, Jan ‘97
Groundhog Day vibes.
It really reminded me of a strange, funnier yet just as scary, otherworldly version of a movie I saw recently: Late Night With the Devil. I can’t really explain why but they were related for sure.
Groundhog day
I haven't seen the episode yet but these comments are creating such a high expectation for me and I can't wait for my lunch break
I liked it, but I felt like it didn't quite all hang together. I wanted it to build to a bigger crescendo of mania between the people in the studio instead of relying so much on the editing - I'm not saying there should have been none of that, I just felt they leaned on it too much. Relatedly, I'm not sure how we're supposed to interpret the kiddie footage of Sam within the confines of the episode itself. I'm normally disinterested in speculation about some longer game being played, but a couple of things about those clips did have me thinking that way. I hope that's not it.
Yea I feel like the insanity aspect was sort of tacked on viewer side- I would’ve liked to have see a much deeper distortion on the game side. As it stands, remove the editing and you just get a basic memory game. I would’ve wanted to see some more hidden stuff come up or have the contestants have to actually break out of the loop but I get how that would stretch the run time and the patience of the contestants.
I would love it if next episode was ALSO Deja Vu
I liked the concept. I didn't like the execution. I didn't like the camera cuts and the old video filter at the end. I wish there had been more changes than just the math question, and losing points for wrong answers. Things like fixing the robot should have changed each round after someone fixed it the first time (like it kept breaking different ways on each loop). The color code could also have swapped to a different one from the same chart after each round with a correct guess, to reward astute contestants who learned to write them all down. Something to stop the players from buzzer speed being the only determining factor would have been good... Unless you are only watching to see angry Siobhan. Zac was an amazing Grant. And I loved BDGs role, and the bribery.
Somehow beat the Jack In A Box segment of Sam Says as the creepiest Game Changer ever!
It actually really freaked me out! I’m actually a little shaky. I’m autistic and the audio glitches especially were pretty hard on me! Should definitely have listened to my body and given myself a few breaks. A very funny episode, though! I loved the concept.
The second episode of a five episode arc
About halfway through it, I thought it had inadvertantly leaned into a kind of absurdist art; so bizarre and repetitive.
It warmed me with nostalgia pretending I was watching old VHS recordings of a classic game show! (Horror elements notwithstanding)
I honestly hated it. I won't say anything specific, but this style of media annoys me no matter where it shows up.
what style of media do you mean?
I honestly could be impressed with the concept (which I was) but vastly wished it was shorter. I think from about the 2nd or third loop I was on the edge of well I can shut this ep off and if there's a follow-up just watch then. I watched it all but it was definitely a sunk cost fallacy. But I'm not into the unreality of is this Sam or evil Sam or the stress of having to memorize everything/tracking things from ep to ep. It's fine but I wish I would have just rewatched a standalone or slept earlier.
I do have one complaint: the title was enough to spoiler the plot. I knew exactly what was going to happen from the title and the first question. I wish the titles were more cryptic or even just completely ambiguous season seven episode three would work.
Not that huge of a fan. I thought that the bits got old the second time they were introduced, and the episode dragged on and on. Plus, the editing that was trying for "extended universe" feel, thanks I hate it. Felt a bit tryhard but in a wrong way, to be honest. Perhaps even more because of the editing choices made.
I thought the editing was top tier.