In fairness, their engagement was only announced after this episode came out, although I think they were together for a while before that, like a few years
(Context: I work at an escape room) -This seems like a /really/ easy room. -Red herrings are generally considered to be poor form in escape rooms. -The extra time puzzles are cute, but why not just extend the overall time and include the smaller puzzles as part of the main sequence? Probably for editing & video length? -I loathe the whole "yell for hint" idea. Not good for immersion. It'd be easy to rig up a cellphone or pager, which could also have a timer. -The hint didn't seem to be customized for the group, which seems lazy and ineffective. -Rough start to the game. Yelling "Go!" isn't elegant. -First puzzle (object placement) is neat. If it doesn't already use RFID tags to open the door, that's how most "put stuff in place and thing will open" puzzles work. -The rest are... not so much. A little too straightforward. -Not crazy about the host, but whatever. -The whole "we were all treating you like a football team back there" part is totally true, though. That's a huge part of working backstage on these. Best takeaway: "...Immediately, the first thing that I want to do is get into another escape room."
I work at one as well and help design them...I agree with a lot of that. I don't love "move the black light around until you hit something" "puzzles". The black light clue shouldn't have counted as a clue (I never count that kind of thing.) I think the first puzzle was triggered by a host rather than actual RFID since this was made for a show. That's a lot to rig up and a lot of trigger items that would need to be exactly in the right place.
I agree with everything you've said here, as well as Andrew's comments. I've done over 40 rooms since last year and this one definitely wasn't my cup of tea. Immersion is a huge thing for me, and there area few things that would make me groan.
Great, excellent points, especially about the useless hint. That seemed like such a major flub in the production, and I hope they noticed it and fix it in future episodes. If you're going to make the "Helping Hand" such a costly item, then it should be guaranteed to actually be helpful. My one disagreement with you, well not really disagreement because you're right, but I don't think it's a negative: you refer to it as a really easy room, and based on the context (i.e. it's at the beginning of a list of criticisms), it seems like you're saying that's a bad thing. These guests are celebrities who, in many cases, will not have any experience with escape rooms (including at least one acknowledged "virgin" in this episode). I'm certain that you, who work in the business, would never recommend that a first timer jump in with a medium or high difficulty escape room. That would just be mean and unfair. So they have to make these rooms easy so that the guests aren't simply stumped and embarrassed (which would not make for a particularly gripping experience for the viewers). Now, maybe, if they're smart, they could take some of the all-stars (like Jason Ritter), and have a special, more challenging episode down the line. But for now, it makes total sense that they'd stick with relatively simple puzzles so that the guests, who aren't experienced escapers (escapists?), can have a fair chance at victory. Does that make sense?
I disagree about the first puzzle being clever. It makes no sense and the players are very aware of it. They ask, why would putting stuff like the picture do anything? It destroys the immersion, and is just a puzzle for a puzzles sake. I can make no logical connection between recreating a picture and a door opening. Is the janitor of the museum opening the door for them in exchange for some light house keeping? This puzzle concept is neat, and could easily find it's way into several escape room plots, but not this one.
I love how interconnected this group is. I know they’re all friends but Carla and Clea were leads/love interests in Carnivale (2003), Melanie and Clea were co-stars in But I’m a Cheerleader (1999) and Jason, Clea, and Melanie are all reunited co-stars in The Intervention (2016).
Oh gosh, this was PURE GOLD! Janet was pricelless, the program format is great with the comments, the checklist, the escape room itself was quite entertaining and everything made somewhat sense! I've been trying to stop biting my nails. And while watching this, I bit off one of the only 4 I ever managed to NOT bite. WELL THANKS! Incredible show! Looking forward to more episodes! Good job, everyone! PS.: I so wanted to be famous or media-relevant enough to be on the show AHAHAH
It's Jason's years of working side by side with the madman himself, Alex Hirsch, that has made him so good at puzzles! Once you spend so much time with someone like that, you're bound to be a puzzle master. That being said, if somehow we could see the main cast of Gravity Falls do an escape room, I might soil my pants.
just stumbled across this, love it. love Jason/Melanie together and it's so cute to see them early on in the relationship. pretty sure they weren't even public at this point but at @13:18 after he solves yet another part you can hear Melanie go "aw baby, good for you!" SWOON.
I work at and write for an escape game company and this show is an absolute dream come true. It's just a shame no famous people have come played mine yet :L
Cool to watch an escape room show, but Ugh the commentary so isn't needed, it was really repetitive, we can tell what's going on because they are all talking about it in the room.
Holy shit! I met Jason Ritter in a club in Glasgow about 10 years ago. I was a pretty wrecked and rambled nonsense to him for a good 15 minutes. I never knew who he was at the time, but when he could finally get a word in he told me who he was and that he had been in Freddy Vs Jason. I imdb'd him the next day and sure enough it was the same dude. True story.
Jason Ritter is definitely a puzzle beast and let the team to the victory, but Carla Gallo deserves credit for that last puzzle. They wouldn't have beaten the room without her. I love Janet and I think she did a good job, but I agree with people here who said she should be more involved with the show. Some ideas are: - making her a narrator instead of just writing comments on screen; - putting her in the room with them as a character in the story who sort of guides them and gives the hints (like a cop, or a hostage, or the place's owner, or the leader of the burglars in this specific room, or something like that); - having her as part of the team who solves the puzzles every episode. Nice show, guys! I'll be looking forward to the next episodes.
Interesting fact - Melania Lynskey and Jason Ritter are engaged (boyfriend/girlfriend for four years prior). I always find it amazing just how much more prolific Jason Ritter's career is than his father's was. I get so sad thinking of John Ritter, and wondering what he would think of his son's acting success.
I really want this series to continue. Gave me so much happiness to watch as I used to love escape rooms but most are not accessible and I can't do them now I'm wheelchair bound
I'm not the most ardent G&S follower (I think I like the fact this channel exists more than I actually watch it), but I'm a big Escape Room fan, and I absolute love this. I think the visual layout you use to help viewers track what's been found is pretty neat. Looking forward to more episodes. Also, 3 Workjuice players in this one, yay!
Modestly entertaining, but it was supremely cliche to make the clock hit 00:01 right as they escape. Pulling that cheesy editing move ruins the illusion that they were actually limited to an hour.
I think it was real. I've seen other episodes on Alpha, and they didn't do the last second thing for any of the others. Sometimes they did it very quickly, or failed.
BillionSix I'm with OneEyedJack on this one. Even if the others aren't edited to be so dramatic, this ep coming down to the very last second is suspect. And the reason being the lack of a countdown clock IN THE ROOM.
It does make sense why they would want to heighten the tension by editing the timer. It's the very first episode meant to draw in and keep viewers. And this episode was probably selected to be shown first because it did come close to the timer ending (but not exactly one second).
That one second happens. I work at an escape game and I had this twice. My key was just going near the lock as they opened the door from the other side.
Pete Askme it's a big hit here in Los Angeles, but I've traveled around the USA playing games in different cities. I've played around 240 nationwide. That's actually what my new channel is about.
Awesome! escape rooms are super fun and this didn't seem like an easy one either, which makes it all the better! :) great job and look forward to seeing more!
When Jason came out I was like "Why do you look and sound so familiar?" then when he STARTED saying Gravity Falls (he only got to Gravi-) I was immediately like "DIPPER! I'm an idiot why did that take me so long it's my favorite cartoon! Maybe it's the beard it's gotten a little fuller." Edit: I love that the one from Gravity Falls; which is full of mysteries to solve,was the one solving almost everything good job Dip- I MEAN JASON.
I really enjoyed watching this. I've never done an escape room but have thought about it. I'd watch this as a regular series. I'll keep my eyes out for more.
You'd probably enjoy a 6-episode series called Race to Escape. It pits two teams in identical escape rooms competing to escape first. Winning team gets a cash prize amount determined by the time remaining on the clock, making hints risky since they cost time AND money. The puzzles are very inventive and cleverly themed to the room (ie. Barber Shop, Classroom, Chinese Restaurant, Garage, etc)
Since they had Dipper as a guest, it would have been fun to see a Mystery Shack themed room, but there would probably have been issues getting permission.
That looks like great fun! I wish I participated in one of these events. I instantly knew to use that black light on the floor for something written there. But I thought the cleverest trick was the hidden door from the janitor's closet. I hope you publish more of these, Janet!
Of course Dipper is good at solving riddles!
All joking aside, Jason's really good at this. He was also super helpful during the Cipher Hunt.
He looks and sounds very similar to his dad John.
The Bill Cipher Hunt was after Gravity Falls ended and was teased in the final episode.
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Dipper is goddamn carrying this team.
HooliganTuesday I mean he was the brains in gravity falls so yeah
Especially when he had the blacklight!
dippers voice actor isn't just dipper smart, he's also ritter smart.
Jason will ALWAYS rock his Dipper Pines side. GRAVITY FALLS RULES. Well done Jason!
*Sees Jason solving shit* I mean he was Dipper's voice on Gravity Falls, what did you expect?
*Sees black light* More proof for my point
He looks alittle like his Dad. More so in the eyes.
hi
Way to channel Dipper for the win, Ritter.
Jason Ritter son of John?
yeah.
Ishtarru true
hi
I feel like she is lesbian for some reason
Jason ritter: "And im from Gravity Falls"
me: AHHHHHHHH I LOVE THAT SHOW!!!!!
"The new room is just crate"
I died laughing
Melanie is so smitten by Jason, it's adorable.
The two are actually engaged/married, if I remember correctly.
Darth McVeyder yeah they are engaged
In fairness, their engagement was only announced after this episode came out, although I think they were together for a while before that, like a few years
@13:18 she says 'aw baby, good for you!' SO QT.
I'm obsessed with Escape Rooms - this was so fun to watch and now I want to do another escape room.
seeleyboothfan2 me too. Check out my channel where I talk about haunts and escape rooms
(Context: I work at an escape room)
-This seems like a /really/ easy room.
-Red herrings are generally considered to be poor form in escape rooms.
-The extra time puzzles are cute, but why not just extend the overall time and include the smaller puzzles as part of the main sequence? Probably for editing & video length?
-I loathe the whole "yell for hint" idea. Not good for immersion. It'd be easy to rig up a cellphone or pager, which could also have a timer.
-The hint didn't seem to be customized for the group, which seems lazy and ineffective.
-Rough start to the game. Yelling "Go!" isn't elegant.
-First puzzle (object placement) is neat. If it doesn't already use RFID tags to open the door, that's how most "put stuff in place and thing will open" puzzles work.
-The rest are... not so much. A little too straightforward.
-Not crazy about the host, but whatever.
-The whole "we were all treating you like a football team back there" part is totally true, though. That's a huge part of working backstage on these.
Best takeaway:
"...Immediately, the first thing that I want to do is get into another escape room."
I work at one as well and help design them...I agree with a lot of that.
I don't love "move the black light around until you hit something" "puzzles". The black light clue shouldn't have counted as a clue (I never count that kind of thing.)
I think the first puzzle was triggered by a host rather than actual RFID since this was made for a show. That's a lot to rig up and a lot of trigger items that would need to be exactly in the right place.
I agree with everything you've said here, as well as Andrew's comments. I've done over 40 rooms since last year and this one definitely wasn't my cup of tea. Immersion is a huge thing for me, and there area few things that would make me groan.
Great, excellent points, especially about the useless hint. That seemed like such a major flub in the production, and I hope they noticed it and fix it in future episodes. If you're going to make the "Helping Hand" such a costly item, then it should be guaranteed to actually be helpful.
My one disagreement with you, well not really disagreement because you're right, but I don't think it's a negative: you refer to it as a really easy room, and based on the context (i.e. it's at the beginning of a list of criticisms), it seems like you're saying that's a bad thing.
These guests are celebrities who, in many cases, will not have any experience with escape rooms (including at least one acknowledged "virgin" in this episode). I'm certain that you, who work in the business, would never recommend that a first timer jump in with a medium or high difficulty escape room. That would just be mean and unfair. So they have to make these rooms easy so that the guests aren't simply stumped and embarrassed (which would not make for a particularly gripping experience for the viewers).
Now, maybe, if they're smart, they could take some of the all-stars (like Jason Ritter), and have a special, more challenging episode down the line. But for now, it makes total sense that they'd stick with relatively simple puzzles so that the guests, who aren't experienced escapers (escapists?), can have a fair chance at victory. Does that make sense?
I agree the only red hearing should be red herring players create. Otherwise it's a way to make it harder without actually thinking of logical puzzles
I disagree about the first puzzle being clever. It makes no sense and the players are very aware of it. They ask, why would putting stuff like the picture do anything? It destroys the immersion, and is just a puzzle for a puzzles sake. I can make no logical connection between recreating a picture and a door opening. Is the janitor of the museum opening the door for them in exchange for some light house keeping? This puzzle concept is neat, and could easily find it's way into several escape room plots, but not this one.
Yay, Janet Varney! Really love her JV Club podcast.
Also, Carnivale reunion!
One second left on the clock. That was utterly insane. I love it.
I love how interconnected this group is. I know they’re all friends but Carla and Clea were leads/love interests in Carnivale (2003), Melanie and Clea were co-stars in But I’m a Cheerleader (1999) and Jason, Clea, and Melanie are all reunited co-stars in The Intervention (2016).
Jason and Melanie were dating when this was filmed, and have since married.
Dipper has become a part of Jason now they both have the same skill set
Oh gosh, this was PURE GOLD! Janet was pricelless, the program format is great with the comments, the checklist, the escape room itself was quite entertaining and everything made somewhat sense!
I've been trying to stop biting my nails. And while watching this, I bit off one of the only 4 I ever managed to NOT bite. WELL THANKS!
Incredible show! Looking forward to more episodes! Good job, everyone!
PS.: I so wanted to be famous or media-relevant enough to be on the show AHAHAH
Jason has his Gravity Falls credit! Of Course Dipper knows how to solve clues and mysteries!
According to his twitter, Chris Evans likes escape rooms. Wink wink, nudge nudge?
It's Jason's years of working side by side with the madman himself, Alex Hirsch, that has made him so good at puzzles! Once you spend so much time with someone like that, you're bound to be a puzzle master.
That being said, if somehow we could see the main cast of Gravity Falls do an escape room, I might soil my pants.
just stumbled across this, love it. love Jason/Melanie together and it's so cute to see them early on in the relationship. pretty sure they weren't even public at this point but at @13:18 after he solves yet another part you can hear Melanie go "aw baby, good for you!" SWOON.
I work at and write for an escape game company and this show is an absolute dream come true. It's just a shame no famous people have come played mine yet :L
hi
Yes, in the UK we have four venues :D
melanie is famous
So we have Dipper Pines as a player and Sheriff Evie as the host. Hell yeah!
My new favorite geek & sundry show.
jason ritter is dipper pines of course he's great at solving things
damn... that photo finish..
and than Jason is last to leave, such a gentlemen :P
Of course Jason is amazing at this, he's diPPER PINES
Cool to watch an escape room show, but Ugh the commentary so isn't needed, it was really repetitive, we can tell what's going on because they are all talking about it in the room.
cait andrews of
I agree. Let me watch them escape...I'd rather not hear the same commentary over and over.
hi
Well the whole reason they tell the rules at the start is in case you are new. They can't tell if you know or not.
Holy shit! I met Jason Ritter in a club in Glasgow about 10 years ago. I was a pretty wrecked and rambled nonsense to him for a good 15 minutes. I never knew who he was at the time, but when he could finally get a word in he told me who he was and that he had been in Freddy Vs Jason. I imdb'd him the next day and sure enough it was the same dude. True story.
That was a lot of fun to watch! Thanks!
Carla and Clea were both on the HBO show Carnivale, too!
Carnivale was awesome. Ended way before its time. Wish they'd bring it back on Netflix.
Ritter looks like someone who got an early peek and is trying to make it seem hard to not give it away, but isn't succeeding
Jason Ritter is definitely a puzzle beast and let the team to the victory, but Carla Gallo deserves credit for that last puzzle. They wouldn't have beaten the room without her.
I love Janet and I think she did a good job, but I agree with people here who said she should be more involved with the show. Some ideas are:
- making her a narrator instead of just writing comments on screen;
- putting her in the room with them as a character in the story who sort of guides them and gives the hints (like a cop, or a hostage, or the place's owner, or the leader of the burglars in this specific room, or something like that);
- having her as part of the team who solves the puzzles every episode.
Nice show, guys! I'll be looking forward to the next episodes.
Interesting fact - Melania Lynskey and Jason Ritter are engaged (boyfriend/girlfriend for four years prior).
I always find it amazing just how much more prolific Jason Ritter's career is than his father's was. I get so sad thinking of John Ritter, and wondering what he would think of his son's acting success.
I really want this series to continue. Gave me so much happiness to watch as I used to love escape rooms but most are not accessible and I can't do them now I'm wheelchair bound
I'm not the most ardent G&S follower (I think I like the fact this channel exists more than I actually watch it), but I'm a big Escape Room fan, and I absolute love this.
I think the visual layout you use to help viewers track what's been found is pretty neat. Looking forward to more episodes.
Also, 3 Workjuice players in this one, yay!
Jason Ritter is what we have left to remember the Brilliance of John Ritter, what a great loss.
"Nailing This"... NAILING THIS... This ladies do not know a good pun when it is shared... NAILING THIS!!!
Im liking the new show. I could see this on network tv, but please keep it here.
Matthew Schell, I agree.
Janet is so charming, she completely steals the show in this..
I loved playing Escape Room games online but I really want to do one IRL.
I love this series on G&S! What a great team in this episode... I love the host, too. Love it! 😄
Gimme all the Janet Varney ya got.
Honestly, wasn't expecting to like this. But it was decently fun to watch.
Whoever does Janet Varney's makeup is awesome. I really want to try the light blue eyeliner on the lower lid now. Also, yay Gravity Falls!
Clea Duvall!
Modestly entertaining, but it was supremely cliche to make the clock hit 00:01 right as they escape. Pulling that cheesy editing move ruins the illusion that they were actually limited to an hour.
I think it was real. I've seen other episodes on Alpha, and they didn't do the last second thing for any of the others. Sometimes they did it very quickly, or failed.
OneEyedJack01 it was actually 30 minutes not a hour
BillionSix I'm with OneEyedJack on this one. Even if the others aren't edited to be so dramatic, this ep coming down to the very last second is suspect. And the reason being the lack of a countdown clock IN THE ROOM.
It does make sense why they would want to heighten the tension by editing the timer. It's the very first episode meant to draw in and keep viewers. And this episode was probably selected to be shown first because it did come close to the timer ending (but not exactly one second).
That one second happens. I work at an escape game and I had this twice. My key was just going near the lock as they opened the door from the other side.
Dipper good with clues in gravity falls and good irl
I find the blue eyeliner (?) under the eyes unsettling...
Shut the front door. Dipper and Korra in the same episode? Heck yea!!
Or Dipper and Sheriff Evie
Way better than Ritter did on Tabletop.
How fun! I just love all these ladies and Jason was just an added bonus. I have enjoyed these shows. Hopefully we will see more
It's amazing how they carved a hole in a wall just to fit the camera lens through.
Wish this was more popular as a phenomena irl. Occasionally see advertisements for this sorta thing in larger cities, but slim pickings otherwise...
Pete Askme it's a big hit here in Los Angeles, but I've traveled around the USA playing games in different cities. I've played around 240 nationwide. That's actually what my new channel is about.
The Haunt Girl - Christine Barger WOW, That's amazing! Heading over to check out the channel!
I Hope we are getting more of these. I loved watching the ones that are here.
Awesome! escape rooms are super fun and this didn't seem like an easy one either, which makes it all the better! :) great job and look forward to seeing more!
OMG, I love Janet's sense of humor... and I am sure that someone already mentioned how hauntingly like his dad Jason looks... just wow.
When Jason came out I was like "Why do you look and sound so familiar?" then when he STARTED saying Gravity Falls (he only got to Gravi-) I was immediately like "DIPPER! I'm an idiot why did that take me so long it's my favorite cartoon! Maybe it's the beard it's gotten a little fuller."
Edit: I love that the one from Gravity Falls; which is full of mysteries to solve,was the one solving almost everything good job Dip- I MEAN JASON.
That was so fun to watch! They made a great team.
I wish they still made new episodes 😩
interesting that mentioning "The Intervention" coming in the summer dates the filming of this by 8+ months
I feel like Jason Gritter should be good at this cause this is basically what gravity falls is
"It could tear us all apart, like a pack of wolves, or it could bring us closer together, like being surrounded by a pack of wolves."
Geek & Sundry, you should do more of these escape rooms! they are so awesome!!!!
very interesting. nice vid geek and sundry! 👍
I really liked this series... I wish it had continued...
This was fun to watch, they were awesome ;)
I'm not a celebrity but as a DM and D&D player, I would SOOOO love to be in this it looks like so much fun.
I really enjoyed watching this. I've never done an escape room but have thought about it. I'd watch this as a regular series. I'll keep my eyes out for more.
You'd probably enjoy a 6-episode series called Race to Escape. It pits two teams in identical escape rooms competing to escape first. Winning team gets a cash prize amount determined by the time remaining on the clock, making hints risky since they cost time AND money. The puzzles are very inventive and cleverly themed to the room (ie. Barber Shop, Classroom, Chinese Restaurant, Garage, etc)
Jake Saiser if you need advice on a good room hit me up and I'll give suggestions or know someone that can. I'm an ER reviewer
That blue eyeliner is killing me =A+
ONE SECOND TO SPARE OMG MY HEART STOPPED
Damn that shit was like a MOVIE. Crazy ass ending
Why is there no season 2?
this show was awesome.
I loved watching this and I am so glad you guys are doing more😆😆😆
I fanboyed so hard when Dipper was in the episode
DUDE FROM GRAVITY FALLS MY GOD MY LIFE IS MADEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BEST DAY EVER!!!!
"Jason Ritter solves an escape room"
Since they had Dipper as a guest, it would have been fun to see a Mystery Shack themed room, but there would probably have been issues getting permission.
If I ever go into an escape room, I'm bringing Jason Ritter in with me. DUDE KILLED IT.
That looks like great fun! I wish I participated in one of these events. I instantly knew to use that black light on the floor for something written there. But I thought the cleverest trick was the hidden door from the janitor's closet. I hope you publish more of these, Janet!
Beatrice and Dipper in the unexpected crossover that you never saw coming
I love this!
Thanks to everyone involved :-)
Please do more of this!! :)
I loved this! I can't wait for more!!!
gosh darn i love janet varney!!!!
That one girl just wanted to keep sweeping after they found the clue.
This is a fun show, and a good idea. Very impressive Miss Varney
I love these kind of games.
92Barnicklebits19 me too. I've played over 200
What is the brand and type mini camera they used for the body cam (it just looks so sleek)? best seen clipped on at 4:14 and 4:28. Thanks
love escape rooms. great idea for a show.
finally. waited so long for the show to start :D
Moar Please!!! Love this idea, love Janet...Love everything about it, please keep it up...
Dude Jason was phenomenal for this because of his job in Gravity Falls xD
This is the best? So fascinating, and a great idea!
Super cool sets, too
hey dipper what's wrong with your back Dipper:hurt my back carrying my team
Jason's Dipper Pines is showing.
the most surprising part of this is the fact that Jason ritter is from gravity falls
Thank goodness I have this on opposite Wednesdays to hold me over on TableTop.
I love these escape room videos
This show is the absolute best!!! LOVE IT!
Janet is a great host! Love the show :)