Right welcome everyone to this interview
with Ryan Balkwill, the author of our RDB
reviews Ryan has written a film review
about Tiger King which is an original
Netflix series which we discussed in the
last video and, or Netflix original documentary series
Netflix original documentary series sorry thank you Ryan
So Ryan has written a review about
this documentary series and we're going
to ask Ryan some questions about it now
so Ryan I have your review in front of
me on my screen and I'm just going to
read the plot again so you've written "a
zoo owner spirals out of control amid a
cast of eccentric characters in this
true murder-for-hire story from the
underworld of big cat breeding"
fascinating.
What made you want to watch this program Ryan?
well, I would say it's just
pretty much everyone talking about it. Okay.
Yeah and also, I've been hearing a lot people like, hearing
a lot of people like
hearing a lot of stuff about it
That's just made me feel like,
okay, it's time to erm
just watch it see what I think
okay great so you'd heard it word of mouth
or it was being
advertised and you wanted to see what it was like
and the first thing I'd seen is
one of the small tigers
I think baby ones
yep
with a blumin child on top of it
Ah okay so this is an example of big cat
breeders using cats for entertainment
and you know people's holidays
in a very irresponsible and inhumane way
okay so
how many how many episodes Ryan
How many episodes does the program have
well it's
The actual series
it's actually got 7 episodes
but they got one more which is the erm
after-show
okay
which basically everyone on the main
cast is on Skype
because everyone's on quarantine.
Right okay so the series is very
modern so it was being made up into
lock down was it?
Well like probably months before lock down began
Okay it was filmed before that
does each episode follow the previous episode
is it one big story?
It doesn't really
follow one, like particular story
it follows like, different like, different individuals
each time. It still comes back to Joe
being a complete lunatic
Okay this is Joe Exotic
who is the person that you've chosen, the image
on your review, so he's
like the main character is he?
yeah, okay.
it can ask is he the zoo owner or is he
the cat breeder?
I think he's like the zoo ring, zoo leader.
I think
In your plot you say a
Zoo owner spirals out of control
amid a cast of eccentric characters
so is
Joe Exotic the zoo owner?
Yes, okay,
interesting, okay so all the eccentric
characters are lesser characters than he
he's the main character, yeah and the
others are his helpers
his helpers okay
is he the bad guy?
um, well
Looks like he is
a bad guy
okay remember we don't to spoil the plot
But er, it's a true crime, sorry
it's a true crime documentary
as you say in the genre, no
you're fine, nothing's been spoit yet
Ryan
I was just assuming there is a bad
guy because it's a crime documentary so, yeah
does it follow the police or the animal
welfare people?
yeah,
okay
Like trying to track him
like probably, question him,
like his actual care for these animals
yep
And probably erm
He just using this how far peops,
certain people
Including Joe himself
How far he will go for fame and attention
Right okay
fame & attention so that's what he's in it for
Alright, I want to talk about some of the
pros and cons you've listed Ryan
is that okay?
Be my guest
Alright thank
So you say, the pacing is very good
and that there are lots of surprises
and without spoiling the plot,
are you able to give any clue
as to what the surprises are?
Well no
okay. I think it, the viewers watch it them sevles
Brilliant.
if you like surprise and tension then this is a good watch
hmm okay
your cons basically you just talk about
adult content so I suppose you're
saying it's not family-friendly or it
wouldn't be suitable for small children.
Oh no,
definitely those that erm
are, animal lovers.
do you mean it would be upsetting for animal lovers?
yeah well some cases
because my god they shown a lot of it
like example
they had one of the
um, people that works there
got their arm chopped off
or they hire like
beautiful women
who like pose with the
animals
right
or, one of the erm, other
owners erm,
lived this playboy lifestyle
or got this other animal activist
which they actually like
oh, meant to be the other villain
of the documentary
but, he literally like was
actually in this for the right reason,
other than Joe.
Okay.
Yes
There's not really many characters to take to like to to
find comfort in they're all pretty bad?
Yeah, okay.
But basically in a short
in short note
In short doses
i'll say it like this
There's none of the people that are either good or bad
They're basically like
people that some people showing that
animal cruelty can happen in United
States
more than any other country.
Okay that's a takeaway is it? Okay
And they will do whatever they do to
abuse these animals
I suppose if they've got money they can
get away with all sorts of things
I assume these are quite wealthy people
Sort of.
But looks like one of them,
god I can't remember one of them
The one with her arm like, chopped off
I thinking, she was interviewed
in a erm, like a
garbage disposal, at a junkyard
intriguing all right so
you've given us some interesting tidbits there Ryan
you finished watching the
seven episodes have you?
Yes finally
Okay, how long is each episode Ryan?
I'll say about like
50-plus minutes long
OK so its almost an hour per episode
so it's potentially a six to seven hour watch
the whole thing
if you're gonna binge it
is it binge worthy?
Can you watch one episode after the other?
Well,
I'll say yes
get ready for people to watch seven of
absolute craziness.
Okay yeah
people might want to pace themselves if it's
crazy and also a bit dark
But I love how you wrote
Can't believe how far they done to these
poor innocent animals
Okay.
I almost feel a bit conflicted Ryan finding it entertainment
from the suffering of these
animals
hopefully the program is about
the humans being brought to justice
or there being some justice done for the animals
but we need to watch the program
to find out how ends you
Oh yea. You say in your
review writing that it's fascinating and
insanely entertaining
so for me that's a
great combination
it sounds like the sort of thing I would value watching
so
I will see if I get the opportunity to
watch it
and as you very helpfully say
at the end of your review
that it's on
Netflix
so is that the only place to see it?
Yes indeed
okay so if anyone wants to
see Tiger King: Murder Mayhem & Madness
it's available on Netflix
and if anyone, would like to
leave any feedback for Ryan
on this review
you can go to our RDB reviews.wordpress.com
You can find the Tiger King review that Ryan is posted
and you can leave a comment
if you think Ryan has been helpful
all right Ryan, thank you very much
for talking Tiger King for us
yeah
Alright so I'm on Ryan's rdbreviews.wordpress.com
page and I'm going to click on South Park season 11
Wow big picture Ryan
so Ryan has posted a huge picture I'm
just gonna show the viewers
this is Ryan's throwback reviews Season 11 2007
so as I've mentioned in my previous
video
Ryan does these throwback reviews
to look at the origins of something
so he's gone back to, from the beginning of
South Park to the present day
so South Park season 11
I'm gonna read what it
says on Ryan's review
and then we can
ask Ryan some questions about it
the genre
is animated sitcom and comedy
I'll stay now
anyone who's not a South Park fan
might not follow this review
but if you are a South Park fan you definitely
know that it's comedy
because it's fantastic satire
very pleased that Ryan is
watching South Park
so Ryun has said about the plot
and this is talking about
the whole series so Ryan says
the eleventh series of Trey Parker and Matt Stone's
envelope-pushing satire South
Park
is highlighted by the three-part episode
titled Imaginationland
which is excellent, I love imagination land
which follows Erik, Kyle, Stan & Kenny
as they battle to save the world
in an imaginary land while Eric attempts
to collect on a bet from Kyle after he
proves that their leprecauns are real
again I'm gonna let people read the whole
thing on your review they don't need you
to read it
I'm just gonna take some
snippets here so pros
positives Ryan says
about season 11 South Park Ryan says
this season adds scale down to 14
episodes made it a tighter, enjoyable
experience so the number of episodes
came down for this season which you approve of
the season was my favorite episode called
more crap, Imaginationland saga
and ones like the snake
24 parody and a parody of
the Romeo's Night of the Living Dead
series
with the homeless called Night of
the Living homeless
I love that one as well is that the one where everyone
goes "change Change! I need change,...CHAAANGE"
..yeah good fun
and again, if you're not a South Park fan
you're probably not following this
but if you are, you're hopefully geeking out along with me and Ryan
Ryan says..
Come on just watch it. well I mean
You've got to find them time right?
It's Genius!
It is genius well done Ryan
Cons so this is what
Ryan takes issue with let's see
I feel,.. oh sorry, just got low battery,
so carry on what you're saying
Sorry i'm going to read your blog
Ryan says "I feel that some of the
content can go too mean-spirited
some of the pacing in a few episodes was too
fast and I wish a lot of the other
imagination characters from the
imagination three parts got a lot more
time" so you really enjoyed
Imaginationland?
yeah
and er, can you name a character
that you wanted to see more of?
Ahh, Captain Planet
Captain Planet?
I don't remember him being in the
episode, I remember Captain Planet as
a stand alone cartoon
so Ryan
how many more series' of South Park
have you got to review?
Right..
12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
20, 21 & 22 & 23 which I just finished
Wow so
you've actually watched all up until 23
hmm
and you're going to be writing
throwback reviews for each of them
Yes.
How long do you think that will take Ryan?
oh god.
I'll say about
just before the
end of the year
okay brilliant so you've
you're planning long term
so you've seen them.
Do you think it might be a bit hard
to write about them
if you have watched them all now
will you remember things to
say about them?
well
It is um
might get a bit harder
for me to like
try and remember from each season to season
but I,
do the only one,
those one of occassions where I
brought it on myself really
so that's like
that's why it now my responsibility to
direct my public.
I'm with you.
Okay well,
I'll make this point because I've said this to Ryan
when we work together at Level Best
Ryan is a brilliant film reviewer in part because
he watches everything.
Ryan watches all the the big releases
obviously there's not any cinema
releases for a while now
so it's good that you're doing the throwbacks
but Ryan watches everything
and reviews everything
like a good film reviewer should
Can I ask Ryan
do you make notes about what you're
going to talk about?
Or do you keep it
all up in your your head
Keep it up in my head
wow, so that's a lot of information for
South Park for you to remember
if you were going to write reviews well
I will be looking at your RDB reviews page
often and if other people want to check in
look out for season 12 of South Park
do you know when your season 12 review will
be coming out Ryan?
not really oh because of, right now I'm just like
chilling out
and chilling
and just to process, how to balance
all my other stuff out.
Okay, yeah
because you aren't doing art projects
with Level Best as well
Can I ask Ryan, the people that haven't been
to your WordPress, your RDB reviews
how often do you post?
sometimes it either a couple of days
or probably where I am
feel like I'm ready to review these things
Or when I actually finish with an actual series or film.
Okay so when you finish
watching something you're ready to
review it
that's right you shouldn't
review something if you haven't seen it
all the way through
but you say every
couple of days you update your blog
yeah, okay.
Can I ask Ryan what are you working on now
what will be the next post?
The Last Kids on Earth
book 2
which is actually season two
on Netflix
of this fam
kids, kids a family
family-friendly um,  animated show
mm-hmm
about, basically, the last four kids on planet earth
trying to survive the apocalypse
Wow okay
Is this episodic?
Or is it a film?
Um, yea like, this is like, 10 episodes
Oh ten episodes okay that's
good so,
have you watched all 10 episodes?
No, but I got through episode one last night
okay
so you won't be posting a review of that
until you've watched all 10 episodes?
Or are you gonna write about episode 1?
Right, no I'm gonna write to, write about episode 10
Sorry not episode 10.
Episode 2, just wait till the whole series to finish.
right okay so you're making perhaps
notes about number 2
but you're gonna wait till
whole thing is watched
and then write about the whole series?
Yes.
Okay so
we maybe won't expect that for a while
because you've got to watch it and think about it.
Yeah.
Okay
Great
Ryan its lovely chatting to you about your
review
Yea its lovely to speak you too yep
thank you and I
hope that we made this routine.
Okay.
