The Quest

Hello My Imaginary Friends,

For those of you who have been around for a while, you might remember The Quest. It was on at the tail end of the Reality Television boom of the early 2010’s. We got lots of dance, spies, murders, pirates, and other odd concepts.

The Quest was all about fantasy and magic. It was set in a fantasy world where the contestants had to go through challenges in order to be deemed the hero of Everealm.

The show inspired my book Everdome and has a lot of the same elements, although the stories and the worlds are very different.

Trivia: Everdome is a book series inside my, and my wife’s, books. The fist mention of which was in my first published novel A Study in Aether.

Read more about my inspiration from this eight year old blog post.

The Quest 2022

Disney+ is reviving the series with a twist of it being teens and not having it be eliminations. I was skeptical about the show since it didn’t have any of the same cast, but after seeing the new trailer, I’m sold and can’t wait to watch it.

I’m really looking forward to this, but it’s going to make me want to write more in Everdome. Maybe it’s time to revisit the world after my next few planned novels?

Stay safe and be kind,

Éric

Snow – JenEric Movie Review

How This Works – Read Other Reviews

Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2004 movie Snow.

Story

At times the movie is brilliant and others you wonder how that story point got past editing. It’s a bare bones slightly goofy plot. The world building is interesting and other than a few cringy moments it’s great.

I like the near complete reversal of traditional gender roles in holiday movies.

Score: 0.5

Characters

Nick is at times a clueless goofy idiot and at others a wise loving Santa… It’s a role that should be hacky and terrible but is made believable by Tom Cavanagh. (Seriously this role shouldn’t work, but he makes it not only likeable but one of my favourite versions of Santa.)

The rest of the cast is perfectly suited and well acted. Ashley Williams manages to play up the humour of her attraction to Nick without ever coming off as lewd.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

It’s a made for tv movie from the mid 2000’s the visuals are okay. The cinematography is bare bones and the special effects are mostly limited to the mirror and a flying reindeer. The costumes are very well done, especially the Santa Suit at the end.

The music is fantastically well thought out. I’m not humming the themes but they were perfect for the characters and had a quirky cheerfulness that saved some scenes from being too serious or too scary.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

The dialogue is clever and adorable. Also very dorky. I loved that we went from, “Nick… name… mine… my name is Nick.” at the begining of the movie to, “The first time I saw you I forgot to breathe.” near the end.

Score: 0.5

Fun

My wife and I have been watching the movie yearly for a decade and a half. It’s a Christmas staple that I enjoy. I’m not sure my kids liked it as much.

Score: 1

Overall

The movie is both adorable and aDORKable. The actors elevate what could have been a weird and uncomfortable movie into something lovely and fun.

Final Score: 3.5

Network Television Draft 2019-2020

Hello My Imaginary Friends and TV Lovers,

For the past 7 years I’ve hosted and run a TV Draft / Pool. It’s like a football or hockey pool but with new television shows.

How It Works

  1. Get a bunch of friends over to your house and watch all the trailers for this year’s new network television shows. (List below)
  2. Everyone pays $5. (You can use pretend money or no money at all)
  3. Divide the amount of shows by the amount of people. (There are 43 this year)
  4. Put everyone’s name in a hat, chip bowl, or other receptor.
  5. Pick a name from the receptor and that person gets first pick. Record what that person chooses and have them pick the next name.
  6. Reverse the order of people who picked. (First goes last, last goes first)
  7. Repeat steps 5-6 until everyone has an equal number of shows picked.
  8. Give updates monthly for how well the shows are doing. I recommend TV LineTV By The Numbers, Is My Show Cancelled, and TV Eh? for checking what is and what isn’t cancelled. Although Wikipedia works well too.
  9. At next year’s Draft give this year’s First place 50% of the money collected, Second place 30%, and Third place 20%.

The Points

Points are awarded by how many episodes air and if it’s renewed. All points are tied to the category of the show.

CategoriesPoints Per Episode AiredRenewal Bonus
Traditional American (18-24 Episodes)110
Mini-Series (6-14 Episodes)210
Mid-Season Traditional (6-12 Episodes)215
Unknown /Summer (4+ Episodes)220

The Shows

NameNetworkAnticipated PremiereGenreCategoryTrailer
EmergenceABC2019 – Fallmystery thriller-dramaTraditional Trailer
For LifeABC2020 – Winterlegal dramaMid-season TraditionalDescription
Mixed-ishABC2019 – Fallsingle-camera sitcomTraditional Trailer
StumptownABCUnknowncrime dramaUnknownTrailer
The Baker & The BeautyABC2020 – Winterromantic musical comedy-dramaMid-season TraditionalDescription
United We FallABC2020 – WintersitcomMid-season TraditionalDescription
EndlingsCBC2020 – Wintersci-fi adventureMid-Season TraditionalDescription
Fortunate SonCBCUnknownspy dramaMiniseries (8)Description
Kingdome ForceCBCUnknownanimated adventureUnknownDescription
TallboyzCBCUnknownsketch comedyMiniseries (8)Description
The SoundsCBCUnknownthrillerMiniseries (8)Description
The TricksterCBCUnknowncoming of age dramaMiniseries (6)Description
All RiseCBS2019-09-23dramaTraditional Trailer
Bob ♡ AbisholaCBS2019-09-23sitcomTraditional Trailer
BrokeCBS2020 – WintersitcomMid-season TraditionalTrailer
Carol’s Second ActCBS2019-09-26sitcomTraditional Trailer
EvilCBS2019-09-26supernatural dramaTraditional Trailer
FBI: Most WantedCBSUnknowncrime drama / spinoffUnknownTrailer
The UnicornCBS2019-09-26sitcomTraditional Trailer
TommyCBS2020 – WinterdramaMid-season TraditionalTrailer
TransplantCTVUnknownmedical proceduralMiniseries (13)Description
BatwomanCW2019-10-06superheroTraditional Trailer
Katy KeeneCWUnknownmusical comedy-dramaUnknownTrailer
Nancy DrewCW2019-10-09mystery dramaTraditional Trailer
9-1-1: Lone StarFox2020-01-19crime dramaMid-season TraditionalDescription
Almost FamilyFox2019-10-02dramaTraditional Trailer
Bless the HartsFox2019-09-29animated comedyTraditional Trailer
DeputyFoxUnknownwestern procedural dramaUnknownTrailer
DuncanvilleFoxUnknownanimated sitcomUnknownDescription
Filthy RichFox2019-01-00serialized satirical dramedy Mid-season TraditionalTrailer
NeXtFox2020 – WinterdramaMid-season TraditionalTrailer
OutmatchedFox2019-01-00family sitcomMid-season TraditionalTrailer
Prodigal SonFox2019-09-23dramaTraditional Trailer
The Great NorthFoxUnknownanimated sitcomUnknownTrailer
Bluff City LawNBC2019-09-23dramaTraditional Trailer
Council of DadsNBC2020 – WinterdramaMid-season TraditionalDescription
IndebtedNBC2020 – WintersitcomMid-season TraditionalDescription
LincolnNBC2020 – WinterdramaMid-season TraditionalDescription
Perfect HarmonyNBC2019-09-26musical comedyTraditional Trailer
SunnysideNBC2019-09-26comedyTraditional Trailer
The Kenan ShowNBCUnknownsingle-camera sitcomUnknownDescription
Zoey’s Extraordinary PlaylistNBC2020 – Wintermusical fantasy dramedyMid-season TraditionalDescription

Good Luck,

Éric

Network Television Draft 2016-2017

For the past few years I’ve run a Television Draft / Pool. It’s like a football or hockey pool but with new television shows.

Tvpool

 

How It Works

  1. Get a bunch of friends over to your house and watch all the trailers for this year’s new network television shows. (List below)
  2. Everyone Pays $5. (You can use pretend money or no money at all)
  3. Divide the amount of shows by the amount of people. (There are 53 this year)
  4. Put everyone’s name in a hat, chip bowl, or other receptor.
  5. Pick a name from the receptor and that person gets first pick. Record what that person chooses and have them pick the next name.
  6. Reverse the order of people who picked. (First goes last, last goes first)
  7. Repeat steps 5-6 until everyone has an equal number of shows picked.
  8. Give updates monthly for how well the shows are doing. I recommend TV Line, TV By The Numbers, and Is My Show Cancelled for checking what is and what isn’t cancelled.
  9. At next year’s Draft give this year’s First place 50% of the money collected, Second place 30%, and Third place 20%.

The Points

Points are awarded by how many episodes air and if it’s renewed. All points are tied to the category of the show.

Categories Points Per Episode Aired Renewal Bonus
Traditional American (18-24 Episodes) 1 10
Mini-Series (6-14 Episodes) 2 10
Mid-Season Traditional (6-12 Episodes) 2 15
Unknown /Summer (4+ Episodes) 2 20

The Shows

There are enough shows this season that you could easily play 3-17 people. More if you let 2 people choose the same shows.

Show Network Estimated Premiere Date Category Trailer link
24: Legacy Fox February 5, 2017 Traditional American Trailer
A.P.B. Fox Unknown Traditional American Trailer
American Housewife ABC October 11, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
Bull CBS September 20, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
Chicago Justice NBC Unknown Traditional American Trailer
Conviction ABC October 3, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
Designated Survivor ABC September 21, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
Doubt CBS 2017-Winter Traditional American Trailer
Downward Dog ABC 2017-Winter Mid-Season Traditional Trailer
Emerald City NBC 2017-Winter Mini-Series (10) Description
Frequency CW October 5, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
Great News NBC 2017-Winter Traditional American Description
Imaginary Mary ABC 2017-Winter Mid-Season Traditional Trailer
Kevin Can Wait CBS September 19, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
Kim’s Convenience CBC 2016-Fall Mini-Series (13) Teaser
Law & Order: True Crime  NBC Unknown Mini-Series (??) N/A
Lethal Weapon Fox September 21, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
MacGyver CBS September 23, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
Making History Fox 2017-Winter Traditional American Trailer
Man with a Plan CBS October 24, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
Marlon NBC 2017-Winter Traditional American Trailer
Midnight, Texas NBC 2017-Winter Traditional American Trailer
No Tomorrow CW October 4, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
Notorious ABC October 22, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
Pitch Fox September 22, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
Powerless NBC Unknown Traditional American Trailer
Pure CBC 2017-Winter Mini-Series (6) Description
Pure Genius CBS October 27, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
Ransom CBS/Global/TF1/RTL Unknown Mini-Series (13) Description
Riverdale CW 2017-Winter Traditional American Trailer
Shoot the Messenger CBC 2016-Fall Mini-Series (8) Description
Shots Fired Fox Unknown Mini-Series (10) Trailer
Son of Zorn Fox September 11, 2016 Mini-Series (13) Trailer
Speechless ABC September 21, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
Star Fox Unknown Mini-Series (13) Trailer
Star Trek: Discovery CBS/CBS Streaming 2017-Winter Mini-Series (13) Teaser
Still Star-Crossed ABC Unknown Unknown Trailer
Taken NBC 2017-Winter Traditional American Description
Ten Days In The Valley ABC Unknown Unknown Description
The Blacklist: Redemption NBC Unknown Traditional American Trailer
The Exorcist Fox September 23, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
The Good Place NBC September 19, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
The Great Indoors CBS October 27, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
The Mick Fox 2017-Winter Traditional American Trailer
The North Calling CBC 2017-Winter Mini-Series (7) Description
This is High School CBC 2016-Fall Mini-Series (6) Description
This Is Us NBC September 20, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
Time After Time ABC Unknown Unknown Trailer
Timeless NBC October 3, 2016 Traditional American Trailer
Training Day CBS 2017-Winter Traditional American Trailer
Trial & Error NBC Unknown Traditional American Trailer
When We Rise ABC Unknown Mini-Series (7) Description
Workin’ Moms CBC 2017-Winter Mini-Series (13) Description

Good Luck!
Éric