Harmontown

realityzealot

I don't know if a thread has been started on this podcast already, so if it has, please let me know. 

So, this podcast is something that A. Ron. has brought up on more than a few occasions, and over the last couple months I have started the slog of slogs of starting at episode 1 way back in 2011 and moving along to try to get to current.

Currently I'm on the Nashville edition of the podcast, where Dan drank waaaay too much moonshine and had an epic blackout for what was otherwise a really great episode. 

One thing I'm wondering for anybody that has actually listened up to current.... when should I watch the Harmontown movie? Although I've been watching some near-current clips of the podcast on youtube (particularly those that involve Dan's thoughts on Trump), I don't want to "spoil" myself to anything (such as that which could be spoiled).

Also, like I mentioned at the start of the post, can we have a general "love and/or hate of Harmontown" thread if it doesn't already exist?

Murderbear

I loved Community and I love the heck out of Rick and Morty. I think Dan Harmon is an amazingly funny and smart person. Harmontown can be hit or miss for me though. Sometimes his ramblings are so on point and fantastic to listen to but sometimes it feels, not forced necessarily but almost like he feels some sort of need to meet the crazy expectations he thinks his fans have of him.

There is absolutely a car crash mentality to a lot if it where you want to look away but can't. And sometimes I'm in the mood for that and a lot of times I am not. But that's fine.

I watched Harmontown the movie when it came out on Netflix. It was definitely enjoyable. I liked the stuff about Spencer the most I'd say. The movie did however paint Dan in a pretty unfavorable light. He's kind of a monster sometimes. It's especially sad knowing how things ultimately go with Erin. But he's open and honest to a fault and that is why he can be so fascinating to watch.

As for when to watch the movie, that's interesting. I wasn't listening to the podcast as often back then but I'd say if he ever talks about the movie being done or some kind of release date, watch in between listening to that episode and the next. That's a fun experiment though since it all happened so long ago. I almost wish you could watch it in chunks. Like, listen to a live episode and then watch all the footage that lead up to it and then go back and listen to the next episode and then watch more.....but that's a lot of work. Good luck!

Garthgou81

I'd say go and watch it after the tour is completed. It will give you some really great insight into what was going on behind-the-scenes. And its especially cool to watch a scene of what you only really heard before. 

I mentioned it in another thread, but I've been to a Harmontown show and it was a real blast. If you are ever in the vicinity of going to one, I'd recommend it. 

JaimieT

I also went down the rabbit hole of A.Ron's recommendation. Fuck you, A.Ron. And thank you. Episode 50.

My personality has warped around this show.

Shum

I usually show people the Harmontown documentary to convince them to try out the podcast, but if you've already started it agree with Garthgou81 that you should finish the tour first. Although there's not really a bad time to watch it, and I don't think it can really be spoiled.

realityzealot

makes sense.

So, the rap stuff has some very funny spots, but I'm hoping it's not something that continues for the next 100-whatever episodes heh

He really is only good at it when talking about fucking mamas, which they joke about... but it really is true

Shum

@realityzealot. He doesn't rap as much lately, but it continues for quite a while. He does get slightly better at it, and he even has some battles with professional rappers that give him advice.

Murderbear

The autotuner was a game changer.

jazzminawa

I'm so glad someone started a thread about this! I started listening to Harmontown also because A.Ron talks about it so much, and I find it very hit or miss. Like @Murderbear said:

"Sometimes his ramblings are so on point and fantastic to listen to but sometimes it feels, not forced necessarily but almost like he feels some sort of need to meet the crazy expectations he thinks his fans have of him."

That's pretty much how I feel about it so I've been moving pretty slowly. I only listen when I have no Baldmove left to listen to. I was wondering if I need to watch the movie to jump start my interest but now I'm thinking not really? Also, I'm not a big fan of the D&D stuff.

realityzealot

The D&D stuff is usually the highlight of the episode for me. Spencer is awesome.

realityzealot

oh shit @Murderbear that video is hilarious lol

realityzealot

>I'm gonna fuck your mama like the head of a mop

good to see that he sticks to his roots haha

jazzminawa

Maybe I just need to keep listening then. Idk. I feel like I should find his podcast hilarious because I loved Community, I love Rick and Morty, and of course I love A.Ron so what am I missing here??

darwinfeeshy

Man, I love the raps. These are later ones, but they're my 2 favorite moments.

JaimieT

jazzminawa said:

Maybe I just need to keep listening then. Idk. I feel like I should find his podcast hilarious because I loved Community, I love Rick and Morty, and of course I love A.Ron so what am I missing here??

I think a key element (which you might also enjoy) is the nonfictional analysis of human psychology.

Ajas

Because of A.Ron, I main-lined the Harmontown podcast up until episode ~200, at which point it was depressing, and also up-to-date so I couldn't do 1-a-day while riding the bus and walking the dogs anymore.  

If you are wondering when to watch the movie, I think listen to the episodes up to 44, when the tour ends, then see the movie. After the tour he spends MANY episodes describing the struggle to establish a narrative for what just happened, so you'll get to understand the experience of making the movie after you've seen it.

Episode 166 is the Wil Wheaton episode, when the divorce is happening but nobody knows.  It's painful to listen to.  And the podcast goes into a dark period.  No more D&D (because of contractual obligations with Harmonquest , which is an awesome show!), no more Kumail, and I don't think he really wanted to do it anymore.

They started playing D&D again about 8-10 episodes ago, and Dan is a lot less drunk and more entertaining.

A_Ron_Hubbard

Yeah, Harmontown is just a look into a life of a man who has a lot of broken things about him, but is really talented and wealthy and makes incremental improvements.  In recent times, (episode 200+) Dan is about as mentally healthy as I've ever seen him, but he has recently discovered politics and I find his insights alternatively naive, banal, and poorly argued and thought out, even when I broadly agree with him.  I can't imagine what it would be like to listen to it if one were a principled conservative. 

But, he just had Rob Schrab on and it led to some of the funniest improv they've had in a good time (Dan Harmon's Top 5 Shoe Jokes), so you take the good with the bad.  He's certainly changed the way I approach podcasting, or if not changed it, validated and encouraged certain approaches I was already taking.  I do wish I could be as completely open full time as he is, but I don't want to put friends and family on blast or embarrass them, and it would drive Jim crazy to be any more raw than we are.  BUT!  I do think it would be entertaining, haha.

GredalBee

Well done for starting this thread on 9/11.  Also, I survived the hurricane.

Monster House was on right before the shit hit the fan and I was surprised how much Dan/Rob was in it for a kid's film.  Some of the humor was pretty brainy and the dialogue between the two boys felt like Shrab and Harmon riffing.  However, it was extremely uncomfortable that the female character was a redhead in some kind of Catholic school get up.  Given the context, major fucking yuck.

Garthgou81

GredalBee said:

Well done for starting this thread on 9/11.  Also, I survived the hurricane.

Monster House was on right before the shit hit the fan and I was surprised how much Dan/Rob was in it for a kid's film.  Some of the humor was pretty brainy and the dialogue between the two boys felt like Shrab and Harmon riffing.  However, it was extremely uncomfortable that the female character was a redhead in some kind of Catholic school get up.  Given the context, major fucking yuck.

I've always wanted to go back and rewatch this. I saw it in theaters for my job (I worked with kids at the time), but now knowing so much more about Harmon and loving Community like no other, I'd love to give this another look. 

MrX

Is there a list somewhere that someone had compiled of the "best" episodes? I tried to start listening to all of them from the beginning, but just don't have time, considering there are a dozen other current podcasts a week I like to listen to, not to mention trying to keep up with even a small % of peak tv. But I would like to catch some of the highlights and watch the movie.

Ajas

"Best Harmontown episodes" is a subject reddit dives into every few months: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=best+harmontown+episodes

For my money, the Kumail Nanjiani episodes are all gold-- he has genius comic timing, and he did probably 20-30 eps keeping up with the D&D campaign.  And of course wikipedia has a good mapping of guests to episodes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Harmontown_podcast_episodes

Schlupp

realityzealot said:

oh shit @Murderbear that video is hilarious lol

I like the comment he could have just said April 1 and saved everyone a lot of time. :-)

MrX

Ajas said:

"Best Harmontown episodes" is a subject reddit dives into every few months: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=best+harmontown+episodes

For my money, the Kumail Nanjiani episodes are all gold-- he has genius comic timing, and he did probably 20-30 eps keeping up with the D&D campaign.  And of course wikipedia has a good mapping of guests to episodes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Harmontown_podcast_episodes

yea yea I know I can google it ... just wanted to see if there were any specific recommendations from Bald Move folks. Thanks, I heard one of the early Kumail eps, will definitely check out some more with him.

Murderbear

The episode from a few weeks ago, Down With Sighty was particularly good. It has a fantastic Nazi rant at the beginning, he interviews The Game Grumps (who I had just gotten into so the timing was great) and then they interview a blind guy. It was a great episode.