Saturday Night Showcase> Rogue Elements

One of the more childish pushbacks by modern Hollywood creators is that you can’t really critique them because you don’t create anything yourself, because only the opinion of their entertainment peers matters to them. “You can’t possibly know what goes into making the things we do so you can’t properly judge my works.” This is bullcrap. I don’t need to be an artist to know I don’t like the art, and don’t have to be a writer to know I don’t enjoy the story. Before I became either of those things I was a fan, and fans know what they like and don’t like, and vote accordingly with their time and wallets.

So what happens when a critic actually makes something? Will their opinion matter now or will there be a new way to ignore any negative critique? Will Jordan can now claim to find out. He’s written a novel series featuring CIA secret operative Ryan Drake, and he’s also made and co-wrote a pilot, or a “proof of concept” as he calls it, for a TV series (or possibly streaming series) starring the character he created, titled Rogue Elements.

He’s also known online as The Critical Drinker, scourge of the current Hollywood culture. I’ve used a few of his videos for the Daily Video or occasional filler, so let’s see what happens when he puts his words into action.

In this crowdfunded pilot, Drake and his team have to extract a captured informant who has information that could stop the Russians taking back control of parts of Eastern Europe, the former USSR. However, it’s also personal as the Russian agent who took him also tortured and killed one of his friends…and he’s not the only one out for revenge. For readers of the books, and I have not had the opportunity, the short film takes place between the second and third books in Jordan’s “Ryan Drake” series. Perhaps you can also tell me why Drake doesn’t sound American and what the deal is with the blond lady. (No spoilers in the intro.) This has all the violence and language of an R rated movie, so heads up on that. If you’re okay with that, enjoy.

For full credits and links, click the “watch on YouTube” bit and go to the direct video post on YouTube. Also, see if you can tell when Drinker makes his corpse cameo because I missed it.

Anyway, that’s all I’ve got for tonight. Go away now.

(Yes, I had to.)