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NERDY PRUDES MUST DIE | Hatchet Town thru Just For Once

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Joined for the Dirty Girl reaction. Staying for the anti-ICE stance.

Allison Murphy

Just For Once is SO incredible for so many reasons. You've got Lauren's INSANEly good acting as Ruth playing a 40-year-old cancer survivor, the way it's mocking the Vagina Monologues as well as the idea that we often have high schoolers portraying grown adults in plays/musicals, the way this song walks that tightrope of funny and serious (I mean, going from 'should I flip the burgers now?' which is delivered melodramatically to 'let the coals cook my body down in front of him' which is just a BAR to be dropping out of nowhere)... And also the brilliance with which this song is both an I Want song for this unnamed BBQ Monologues character AND an I Want song for Ruth, and then Lauren's gorgeous and pristine soprano voice. On top of all that, you've got Lauren using a character voice WITHIN A CHARACTER VOICE and the incredible delivery of that high 'once' at the end. That part is my fave not just for the high note, but also for the FLAWLESS way Lauren moves back down the scale from her chest voice to her head voice. She also has this way of just flawlessly switching between character voice and her actual singing voice in a seamless way that isn't jarring. Cause Ruth's voice is hard and nasally but then she gets into the upper register and it softens and rounds out to hit those notes so well. (PS I'm sorry for like, spamming the comments as I binge all these reactions to NPMD and that they're so long).

ad astra

You heard our absolute Queen Bryce Charles! Since you loved her part in Hatchet Town I know you'll love Cinderellas Castle whenever you get to watching it! Bryce is the main character and gets to flex her amazing vocals all over the place in it!

Cambria

Since the year's 2021, there must be some kind of sweat preventer that doesn't trigger her allergy. I know we end up losing her, but I had hope she'd see a doctor and get help with that. :'( Whelp, that's what AU fan fics are for.

Kory Misun

It makes me wonder how much time has passed between her chemo therapy treatment and the barbecue scene. It's so sad that the wife lost her dreams, her health to a deadly disease, and then survived all of that only for Maury to cheat on her. Get your tap shoes back from the neighbors and then get a divorce, hon.

Kory Misun

I will never stop mentioning in every reaction thread that for some uncanny reason, Hatchet Town sounds exactly like the song Murder from the musical Jekyll to me and I don’t know if it’s on purpose because no one else has ever brought it up but every time the song comes on I’m like there it is, the Act II opening number of Jekyll, but also, somehow, a Starkid musical.

Tamlin Day

remember when you talked about the seven deadly sins in the hatchetfield shows?? im sure youll be happy to know you arent crazy next video

fruit

Honestly I think it was in large part laughing in shock/disbelief, like an "oh shit" kind of thing? People laugh in a lot of situations other than finding something funny

fea in space

Also you would know Jeff’s character in Hatchet Town. It’s Man in a Hurry which Jeff played in the first two Hatchetfield musicals

Dave Ballinger

Here's the Hatchet Town Nightmare Time cameos and what episodes they came from for anyone interested: - Jon Matteson's character is actually Boy Jerry from the episode "Abstinence Camp", but they only say his name in the album version (that version of Hatchet Town also mentions Girl Jeri from the same episode) - Ziggy, played by Jae Hughes, is mentioned in "Watcher World" but first appears in "Perky's Buds" - Barry Swift, played by Jeff Blim, appears in multiple episodes throughout Nightmare Time but his biggest role is in "Daddy" - Charlie Coven, played by James Tolbert, appears in "Yellow Jacket" - Gerald Monroe, played by Dylan Saunders, is mentioned throughout Black Friday and first appears in "Honey Queen"

The Dormouse

This is insane, what???

Jordan Leigh

I love the “I’m a cop!” and singing along to it, but I also insert Barry’s “Get your hands off me!!” after it it every time - best of both worlds lol

Jordan Leigh

“This is a family friendly channel” look I doubt the children are paying for your Patreon, make the joke for us 😤 😭

Sarah Rodrigues

Fun fact about the starkid sound crew is with the newer musicals they turn on each person's mic whenever it's their turn to speak and turn it off when the line is over. That's so insane to me, like hats off

AOngslasher

OMG now i need to relisten to it again

Fanfictogirl

One thing I love is that the characters in the barbecue monologues match the NPMD characters. Pete/bbq-dad mentions love, Grace/girl mentions family, Steph/other girl mentions passion, and Richie/boy mentions betrayal.

Isabella Nesheiwat

Ok first and foremost, FUCK ICE!!! FUCK 'EM!! I adore Hatchet Town, it's right up there with my favorite NPMD tracks to sing along to, so how I never heard the similarity to the 9-5 intro which I heard regularly growing up I will never know. Mildly ashamed lol. I was so excited for you to get to Bryce's solo, she's just such a force. Just for Once has grown on me over time. It's still not one that I listen to much and I think it's because I just don't like the character that Ruth (whom I love) is portraying, but Lauren's performance here is inarguably the work of a master.

Erica

Loved your appreciation of 'Just For Once'. It's not one of my favourites but I always appreciate actors playing characters playing characters and the metaphor for Ruth's desire to be in the spotlight really comes through. Also, for me Bailey is tolerable because his incompetence renders his aggression harmless (to the protagonists). Like, he puts his hand on his gun while reading Grace her rights which is a needless threat but then 2 seconds later gets DISARMED by her, undercutting the threat.

Anna Lyons

fun fact! in the background of Ruth's song, as she's singing the incredible high note, you can hear in the background The "Cool as I think I am motif" It's a cool little detail that usually flies over peoples' heads and did over mine too when I first listened

Lydia

I can’t wait for you to see Bryce Charles as the lead in Cinderella’s Castle. That voice is KILLER.

Kate Murphy

I just wanted to mention that if you listen to the "Hatchet Town" song again from the album, you get to hear different people get blamed for the murders! The Nightmare Time cameos was fun for the musical, but I prefer the album lyrics :) Specifically the lyric where they blamed Bailey (Curt's cop character) for having a gun and his response is "I'm a cop!"

KarmaGlitch

"Grace villain arc!?" BUT SHE'S NICE TO BILL AT CHURCH!!!

Sunayama

I loooooove Hatchet Town. Fun fact is all the cameos in the proshot version you are watching are exclusive to the proshot! The digital ticket had other cameos (also referencing Nightmare Time characters). You could probably figure that out since those actors are otherwise not in the show but it was a fun thing to see when the proshot came out!

Erikka Lynn

You didn't catch the "You don't say! You don't say! He didn't say!" joke cause of a misstimed pause. I love that joke way more than I should :c

Philipp Schäfer

My controversial opinion is that I actually hate the song Just For Once and skip it every time I rewatch the show.

Alaina Lomasney

I highly recommend an extra episode at the end of NPMD to watch the animation people have done for it! A few other people have mentioned them, but personally, zarraza's "Hatchet Town," thirdchildart's "Nerdy Prudes Must Die," and shandzii's animation of a later song (no spoilers from me!). They're genuinely incredible and such wonderful additions to the community that I think you'd really enjoy-- just like I'm LOVING this reaction series!

Valhallen

I had the exact same reaction to the timeline between them finding Max and Richie. All the cop says in the beginning is, "First the Jagerman boy, now this." Max's disappearance is what he was referring to by that.

Alaina Lomasney

Your conspiracy theory about the Thriller arms is sending me 😂

Dave Ballinger

It’s Ruth until she does the breakout moments in the song, because for once she’s allowing herself to be optimistic and happy. You notice it in Lauren’s pure high tone which is her forte

Dave Ballinger

It's worth appreciating the foreshadowing Starkid did in this show. You probably clocked Ruth's upcoming death so fast because the opening song starts with Richie singing "I'm dead" (which he is) and then Ruth comes in with "I'm scared. Someone comes for me, I'm unprepared." So, the writers clearly warned us of 2 major character deaths immediately, and then made us forget that with a song about how much High School sucks

Mike K

There's also a cool animation by thirdchildart on tumblr for the song nerdy prudes must die, unfortunately her youtube upload got taken down but it's the pinned post on her tumblr so it's still easy to find

The Dormouse

“Plenty of HOT WATER ಠoಠ for YOU 🫵 Grace” is such a good and underrated line. Unfortunately I have to give it up to Detective Shapiro here, she’s so good and I’d watch a whole detective drama with her as the lead

Lindsey

I 100% unironically think that if it had been literally anyone but Detective Shapiro (who was just transferred from Chicago) talking to Grace, they would have believed her story without question

Lindsey

Hatchet town is my favorite song in npmd, I'm a sucker for a good mob song. And yeah that grace chastity arc gets wild lol Btw there's a really cool animatic for hatchet town by zarrraza on youtube if you want to check that out, but the artistic choices in it will make more sense after you've finished all of npmd bc of skipping nightmare time

The Dormouse

I absolutely love the motifs Starkid use like when the cops are on screen it plays "Show me your hands." but in this show I especially like how before max attacks Pete or later when he kills Richie and Ruth the "not a loser" motif plays either directly through the lyrics or in the instrumentals during the songs. It's as if their defiance of the role he chose for them means he must put them back in their place.

Slydude71

I didn't read through all the comments, so someone else might have already mentioned this. But on a rewatch, there's a particular line that Ruth says before her song that hits different. When she's starting the scene, she tells Maury sarcastically that she used the grill brush to brush her hair that morning. Later in the song, we found out that she went through chemotherapy and lost her hair. :-( I didn't notice that until my second or third watch of the show.

Gabriel the Sorcerer

NPMD is one of those rare shows where I feel like Act 2 is better than Act 1. Not to say Act 1 is bad by any means, the latter is just so so good

Lindsey

In the live version of Hatchet Town they just accuse each other on stage, like Dan and Grace’s mom get blamed for example. And it’s a shame we don’t get to hear Joey’s delivery of “I certainly don’t love killing” cause I thought it was really funny.

intrepiddragons

Thank you for the heads up, I hadn’t thought about that. It’s definitely not meant to be a serious depiction but it cuts a bit too close for comfort right now.

Lindsey

Fuck ICE. I won’t get into a rant or anything but your videos have been a nice distraction the past few months when I’ve felt pretty damn hopeless. I hope making them helps you too.

Lindsey

I always thought that thought the sparkles were from the tale he was wrapped up in

Kach Savage

We did get Jerry and Jeri in the soundtrack recording, that was fun.

Kory Misun

Hatchet Town's my favorite even though I hadn't watched NMT before NPMD. I love the rampant paranoia and the bridge. Just for Once is in a weird space for me because the character voice makes it less enjoyable to me even though it's incredibly good in the overarching story. As Cool as I Think I am is also in a similar boat where I don't like the song as much because of the character voice. Both impressive from a technical angle, but just not as nice to listen to Thanks for the message about ICE. It is definitely tricky to go on working like nothing is wrong. I work weekends, so I couldn't even go to the vigils this weekend. I will point out that our detective does seem to be genuinely trying to find the killer and our main five did seemingly conceal a murder. While ICE needs to be abolished and police officers need to be held accountable for their escalations and excessive force, try to have an open mind about her character. (Mega's cop character definitely is made to be aggressive though, and things like his fit about Clivesdale hits different after the way ICE has acted)

Allison Watts

Unfortunately Ruth can't wear deodorant to fix her rain-forest-pits because, as established in act one, she's allergic to antiperspirant.

Phoebe Schwerin

oh god yes Bryce is amazing in CC. I mean CC is just amazing in general but hot damn Bryce is a crazy good singer

Murry Soothsayer

oh Barry Swift. Will you ever not be in a hurry?

Murry Soothsayer

Ahhh hope your heater gets fixed soon!! The horrors persist, but we try to stay silly🫂 Ahhhh I love Grace. Ruth!!!😩 Grace chastity villain arc!!

Syenna Lupfer

Bryce's big moment in Hatchet Town is one of the moments I've been looking forward to the most, and why I've noticed others in the comments of videos hoping you'd do NPMD before Cinderella as she's the star in that one. Something to look forward to in the future. Also love that it took another half a show to remember "Rich Lauren"'s name when Gerald showed up while also forgetting Lauren's name there for a moment. Makes me feel better about my own brain farts.

Jennee

Ok so trigger warning for the next scene I believe there is a depiction of police brutality.

Isla Sullivan

Fuck ice and thank you for the much-needed break from doomstrolling

S.E.W.

they made a community post on their yt channel about the mutual decision to end OAR

Chris

this soundtrack is genuinely my top starkid soundtrack, like i love every starkid show so much and have been watching their shows since 2012 and my #1 favorite song is sidekick from very potter senior year but as a full front-to-back start to finish soundtrack this is my FAVORITE one to play the entire soundtrack while on drives

ariona leilani

Like I didn’t expect it but in a weird twisted (no pun intended) way Honey Queen made me genuinely really like Gerald as a character

Sarah Rodrigues

Without getting into details since I’m trying to be neutral in case you do watch NMT on your own or in the distant future on this channel but Gerald actually doesn’t deserve better because Gerald is just as awful as Linda and they actually match each other’s freak in that way really well, someone in the comments on their episode “Honey Queen” called him “the ideal husband but like specifically for villainesses”

Sarah Rodrigues

Cinderella’s Castle … 🏰

Nicholas & Heather

FUCK ICE!!!!!!!!!! FUCK ICE!!!!!!!!!!!

ariona leilani

Just for Once is my favorite Lauren's song, her vocals are amazing, but also she's doing Ruth's voice all the time, I don't hear Lauren I clearly hear Ruth, just Ruth. Gosh, Lauren is great.

Lex Villagrán

Wait wait, what's this about Open Arms shutting down?

Somedude Watchintv

Also, in case you didn’t catch it - when Detective Shapiro is speaking over the radio, the instrumental for Show Me Your Hands plays! Love that detail. Another fun thing about the cops in Hatchetfield, they all seem to love theater? Charlotte’s husband, Sam, was excited to see Mama Mia, and now these other two cops at the school talk about enjoying the BBQ Monologues lol

Jordan Leigh

Yes!! I love her surprised face on that note too! The way the note ends too sounds like it took so much energy out of her - kind of like a gasp after you’ve been running for your life (but good)

Jordan Leigh

FUCK ICE

D. Sparrow

They made a post about it on their YouTube, and they had an announcement at the end of their last RWBY reaction.

logicaldreamer

“Just For Once” is so slept on in my opinion! It’s one of my favorites in the show (as someone who also really dislikes slow songs for a side character) and I think it does so well in somehow combining the feelings of a middle aged suburban mother and a lonely high school girl. Also, something another reactor pointed out that I thought was a great character detail was - Lauren Lopez is an amazing and experienced stage actress, but Ruth isn’t. At the very start of the song, Ruth mimes pouring out a glass for herself, and then immediately continues acting like she doesn’t have the glass in her hand - something someone without stage experience would do (like how actors sometimes move around empty cups without care even tho there’s supposed to be liquid in them) Love that detail from Lauren!

Jordan Leigh

Dang I forgot how much I like the song Hatchet Town! I think it evokes similar feelings to Murder!, Murder! From the Jekyll and Hyde musical.

White Tiger

Wait what?! Open arms is shutting down?! I don't see any news of that on the channel, no videos about it, when did this happen?! Oh, or do you mean the twitch channel and not the youtube channel?

White Tiger

I'm so excited to see your reaction to just for once, it's one of my favourite songs in the show

CJ

Max is a ghost, you can tell because he’s all sparkly :)

Jordan Leigh

God I LOVE NPMD Act2. The run of songs is so iconic and amazing, and everyone is just at the top of their game for it. I love the relatability of Ruth hard relating to a song about a middle aged woman, peak theatre kid/weird teenage girl move. And I love the parallels between this character, who slowly lost more and more of herself until she lived a life she hates, and Ruth an awkward bullied teenager who is powerless to change any of the worst parts of her life. And of course right when maybe that could change, she meets her end. (quick someone smarter than me go comment about the 'I'm Not a Loser' motif)

Holly Zandstra

Hatchet Town gets stuck in my head daily. Just for Once is one of my favorite songs from this show and my favorite that Lauren has ever sung. The look on her face when she hit that big note was almost as if she was surprised she could do it. I think, as singers, we have all been there, where we surprise ourselves with what our voices can do. I love Ruth so much.

logicaldreamer

SAME LMAO

Max

omg you're so right!!

Max

oh i love that

Max

oh i am already itching for the next one. i NEED it

Max

oh just wait until you listen to americas great again again..... the feeling you get is insane!!!!!

Fanfictogirl

I was just about to say this!! It's such a good musical always a heavy recommend

sunlit commodity

"The ""MEGA"" Slippers"? Like Curt Mega?! AND they're brown! Do they have rocket boosters? :D

White Tiger

FUCK ICE

Johanna Wilson

http://youtube.com/post/UgkxPvmIIfkQwAVk_e7_a1KujtJMYOcUqSdF?si=AhNcpAxHPWJ9TStA

Mortius

off topic from nerdy prudes but you mentioned open arms reaction is shutting down? Why?? </3

Trash Goblin

It has been a stressful week. F 🧊. Thanks for saying it and thanks for creating escapism content. It’s actually super kind to create and needed rn imo. 🫶

Broody Gaming

Mortius finally getting to know Grace like NT viewers do haha, also I can't put into words how much I love Just For Once rn so expect to see a needlessly long comment on the yt upload lol

tinywitchfrogs

Jae Hughes plays Ziggy. They’re a character in Perky’s Buds

Dave Ballinger

Ah well 🤷

Dave Ballinger

Also Joey is not playing Pete in the Barbecue Monologues scene, he’s a different random student. All of them are random students (except Ruth)

Caspian Lavin

Max is a ghost/spirit, not reanimated. (In the cast commentary they said NPMD is a intentionally a mix of “I Know What You Did Last Summer” and “Nightmare on Elm Street”)

Caspian Lavin

Personally, I think Just For Once is one of my least favourite Starkid songs. I just can't stand the character voice Lauren uses, for Ruth, during that specific song.

Bretton B

I was just about to doom scroll to take a break from my homework, when low and behold my favorite reacter has uploaded again!!!!!!!

Fanfictogirl

So the actual live show of this didn’t include the Nightmare Time references! They recorded them specially for the Pro Shot. In the live show they used all the characters who were on the stage. It makes for a different experience when you listen to the soundtrack, which uses the lyrics of the live version!

Dave Ballinger

I'm sorry about your heating problems. I get bone pain if my room's temp is under 70. Now, let's get into what will likely be a roller coaster of a reaction. You do make a great point, we never do find out /who/ bought the Waylon Place, but I question their logic and character. It is a great touch that Max takes Remedial Algebra and Richie takes AP Calculus. Attentive audience members are like 'Ohh!' Another interesting tidbit I noticed: In The Guy, Hatchetfield was quarantined because of the meteor. In Black Friday, the mall was locked down by Wiggly cultists. In Nerdy Prudes, Hatchetfield is locked down by the mayor. Definitely a pattern. The bull-shit mix could also have been half bulldog! I love bull terriers too, so huggable. My fan theory is that Max waits for his nerdy prude victims to reach their emotional, most confident peak before he comes to kill them. After all, he was having a breakthrough and was at his own peak when he died. Welcome to the stage Ziggy, Jeff Blim, Dylan Saunders and James Tolbert for their cameos. I agree with you, Mortius. ICE supporters, let us all know who you are with your full chest so I can block you from my life. Begone forever, I will not miss you. Join a cause that doesn't destroy innocent lives.

Kory Misun

I have a personal headcannon that it takes so long for max to kill people is because he's trying to come up with a good line to say during and after the kill.

Morrighan

Hey, Mortius, if you love the woman with the big solo part in Hatchet Town (Bryce Charles), you’ll love Cinderella’s Castle where she’s the lead.

Daniel Wilson

Yes! Be More Chill was my first ever musical and it is one of my all time favourites

Jayden Callaghan

FUCK ICE!!!!!!

Atlas Richardson

If you look back at the top of the show, Ruth and Richie are both introduced under a red spotlight. Also; Mr Chastity mentioned a home inspector. They get into all sorts of spots so that's how they found Max.

BronzeDionysus

I thought the hair was giving Nigel from Rio!!

Siobhan Lehane

Yessss!!! Been checking my Patreon all day😂 I was really excited for this

sunlit commodity

FUUCK ICE

eli_rhapsody

I let out an excited squeal upon seeing this notification

JustAnAnxiousMess

FUCK ICE!

Drowsy

I have been refreshing all dayy I'm so excited!!

eli_rhapsody

So excited to see this, started my first acting class in 3 years today so been an awesome day

Sophia Barsness

Mortius have you watched Be More Chill before? If you haven’t then I recommend you make a reaction series out of it. It is SO good!

Vince The Great 28

YOOOOOO

angelvin937


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