Well here we are, one week later to officially reveal who has one their desired Boxset, with the DMb One Year Anniversary Giveaway. First off, a massive thanks to everyone that entered, whether it be via Facebook or Blogger - Yep, all 28 of you! So without further a do, watch this here video I recorded (just so you know there was no foul play) and find out whether you were the lucky winner!
So congratulations to you, and commiserations to the rest. But don't fret, this (relatively small, but huge in context) level of buzz that was created by the giveaway has convinced me to most definitely do it again in the future. So if you didn't get lucky this time, stick around for more great chances at more great prizes. And why not stick around just for my humbling foray of words for you to read on all manner of awesome stuff? C'mon, you know you want to.
Thanks again, all.
ATR
And yes, I am aware of the slips in the video. Voted = Entered...
Yes indeed my friends, after successfully completing a whole year with Dude Meister Blogs, I'm celebrating with a giveaway. And the best part? You get to choose which one out of these 4 incredible DVD boxsets you'd like if you win:
Then just post a comment on the status containing this post with which Boxset you'd like to win.
And you'll be entered into the prize draw next week. Competition closes 5pm (UK Time) on the 16th January, only one comment per person please, and this is for UK residents only. Sorry, rest of the world! The winner will be notified by email (or Facebook) shortly after the competition closes and asked to provide an address to receive the prize through.
So get those comments in quick for your chance to win, and feel free to follow me on Twitter (@DMeisterTweets) for all the latest here and for more future giveaways.
EDIT: Just to clarify, this will be a brand new boxset the winner receives, not one taken from my own collection and passed on. Hope that prevents any confusion.
Even before coming into its fourth season, The Big Bang Theory had really hit its stride, pulling in massive ratings and marvellous reviews consistently each week. However, this obviously wasn't enough for series creator and sitcom tycoon Chuck Lorre, as Season 4 changes up the formula with an altered equation and varied results.
Should I be here?
This change comes in the shape of Amy Farrah Fowler, the female counterpart to Sheldon's braniacal quirk of a character. At first, the flow felt broken, like she didn't really fit properly within the gang and broke up the dynamic that the guys had going on. Her lines fell flat, sounding like remade mismatches of Sheldon quotes with a boring execution, as is the fatal trap that Jim Parsons manages to never slip in to (his multiple Emmy's acting as a testament to that).
Yes I should!
My preconceptions, however, were misjudged, with Amy's character slowly beginning to grow on me episode by episode, as she broke more and more away from the "Sheldon with a Vagina" mould, carrying some more substantial plot lines on her own and mixing with the girls' crowd (Penny and Bernadette). And it is with this "Girls Crowd" that the second major change for the series comes in. As before the show has focused primarily on the boys and their misadventures in geeksville, this season we see the spotlight being shifted slightly to share the laughs with the female side of things.
Penny's Leonard issues are pondered upon, acting as the slow burner of the season arch, Bernadette deals with trying to get serious with Mummy's Boy Howard, while Raj's sister Priya turns up in the latter half of the season to mix things up with Leonard's love life. Luckily, Priya's character is meant to be disliked, at least that's the way I felt, as her stuck up approach to controlling our boy Leonard sends Penny and the newly formed Gals into a tension fuelled hate party against her - with some hilarious outcomes.
The Raj vs Howard battle surely is a season highlight
Of course, the four guys, Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj, are still the central theme of the show, and still go all out in the comedy field. The gang's Justice League team-up is unmissable, with a little help from Penny-Ex Zach (who really deserves more eps!), and their quest to retrieve Sheldon's stolen World of Warcraft account from a sleezeball hacker reminds us all of what the show is really about; honest, nerdy, laugh-filled fun. Plus, the Indiana Jones homage featuring Sheldon, Wil Wheaton and a heck load of angry fan boys is just pure hilarity-ensued awesome.
Raj on the Rise
Raj is fleshed out substantially this time around, and is quickly becoming possibly my favourite character, as he tackles his girl issues with surprisingly unexpected results (especially with that series finale!). He just seems more unique from the other guys, with a USP of romance novel/movie addiction and a tendency to call out hilariously geek-cum-"home boy" phrases during card games. His character has really developed into a cute, rootable underdog of the guys, that's just crying out for some more Raj-centric episodes.
Overall, the series starts to feel more cohesive and connected, with relationships playing a more vital role than ever before, and episodes linking into each other with a more structured season story arch. For the majority of the time, the show retains its smart and sassy humour that keeps the wit intelligible and the laughs worthwhile, such as it has been loved for thus far. For any misstep in this regard, my faith is restored by a magnitude of Sheldon quotes or Howard puns, Penny put-downs or ingeniously planted pop-cult references (everyone's favourite Gorn makes an appearance).
Good evening, good evening, good evening, good evening!
Random image I found that was kind of relevant... Don't even ask.
Hope you've all had a good week, especially those who have been on half-term. But unfortunately for you, and me, it's back to school bright and early tomorrow and some pleasantly monstrous science exams on Wednesday. Can't wait for that...
Back to the week at hand however, and I certainly saw a lot of movies. True Grit, Paul and Gnomeo & Juliet were the week's cinema trips and all 3 were greatly enjoyable in their own rights. On the DVD side of things, I caught Four Lions, Legion and Fight Club. Four Lions was good, as far as satire about terrorist bombers go. Legion; meh. But Fight Club (I know, it's rather embarrassing that I haven't seen it before...) definitely surprised with it's thriller type twists... I genuinely thought it'd just be about, you know... Fighting.
As for the blog, things are running rather smooth. I hit 600 hits today, which is always a good achievement I guess. 500 would have been a better place to celebrate, but that's come and gone now, so 600 will have to do. The Paul RE:View should be coming shortly, as voted by you guys (all nine of you!), although I really should have had it out yesterday... Trailer Tuesday this week is already written and ready, and I can officially confirm that there is absolutely no Marvel involved! What it actually is, you'll have to wait for, but I'm sure it'll be a hit if you liked the movie's predecessor and I'm confident that you did.
That's all for today, as I'm kinda tired after a good day in London and I have some... stuff to do. But never fear, I'll make this Supdate (get it?) into a weekly regular. So I'll be spilling some more verbal stuff all over the internet for you all to carefully read with regulated enthusiasm, next Sunday, when I'll be 15 and 1 Day! Anyway, stay safe, and stay tuned.
