Why A Review? “Just Cos”
Hey Everyone,
Today I have a review for you of a high-energy miniseries from the Nerdist Channel called “Just Cos.” Right now there are six episodes, about five minutes each, all taking place at New York Comic Con 2011. Hosts Linda Le, Chloe Dykstra, & Seth Herzog take viewers on a flashy adventure through the halls of NYCC, complete with cheesy comic-book-style video editing, to tell us all something about this crazy hobby known as cosplay.
The best part of the series, without giving too much away, is how eloquent the con attendees are on film. When asked questions about what cosplay means to them, and why fans pursue this hobby so passionately, it seems like the “Just Cos” crew found all the most well-informed, thoughtful, and camera-friendly cosplayers in the region. This series packs a lot of information and a lot of different opinions into very short episodes. Each topic touched upon could be easily expanded on for several more minutes, but instead–and maybe the music doesn’t help–it does seem at times as if the pace is rushed. I want more of that great conversation that you started to show me! Don’t end the episode now!
The host and hostesses are a lot of fun and do a great job of not talking over or standing in front of their guest speakers. After editing, they do just enough guiding of the conversation to get their guests chatting, and once the ball is rolling they really let the show direct itself.
The intro was cute for the first two episodes, but when each episode is only five minutes long, and the intro takes a whole twenty seconds each time, and it is the same intro, I get a little annoyed. The series really takes no time at all to get through, and so you end up watching the same twenty second intro in fairly quick succession six times over again.
For as short as these episodes are, this series covers a lot of ground. From stage combat, to acting in character, to what its like to be a cosplayer in a relationship, the series comes from a lot of different angles. But whatever side of the hobby they are covering, they always approach it from an adult point of view. This is series about adult cosplayers; serious life-long fans with years of experience, and plenty of stories to share. I always like to hear what the 21+ cosplayers have to say about their craft because they have had time to find out who they are, and have hopefully given more thought to the way they spend their free time than children do.
All in all I think that “Just Cos” is worth a watch. Whether you are new the convention scene and want a quick way to familiarize yourself with the different facets of the cosplay experience, or if you have been dressing up for years and just want to compare notes, the series is short enough and interesting enough that you should be able to fit it in-between stitches just fine.
