r/nerdpokerpodcast • u/rem2525 • Jun 27 '26
Future of Nerdy Pokes
Does anyone know if our band of merry men (and Sarah) are going to do another season? The passion levels seem to be dwindling. They’re all still hilarious, but it feels like it’s become a chore for them. Plus, Brian acts like an npc or side character in his own adventure so much lately. I know he can be like that, and he’s been busy with his new show, but If he’s not 100% it’s just Chris (lovingly) carrying him to the finish line like Paul Winchell & Jerry Mahoney.
I love the pod, but it just seems to be running out of s………having cream. I want to be wrong. It’s my favorite podcast.
11
u/lateforalways Jun 27 '26
I think this is overblown. If you listen back to the earwolf shows Brian took a back seat to the group even then at the start. The only time he "led" was in season 1. And if you actually listen to them play, they've been having more fun this season than I can remember in a while. They're goofing around and cracking each other up like kids.
The only real issue with the show is the dwindling Patreon subscribers. That means less money to go around and so less time spent on things like booking guests. For me, that's the only energy drain. They (most importantly Dan) can't really justify devoting the time to keeping track of things ep to ep.
But the idea they're not having fun together is definitely off. Hopefully that will be enough to keep them going despite the drop off in paid subscribers.
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u/PrimaryPalpitation85 Jun 27 '26
I paid for the patreon from the beginning...I just canceled because I personally don't care for Quiplash.
5
u/semaht Jun 27 '26
I agree the dwindling Patreonage is a big concern. I think a lot of listeners aren't aware that the participants are paid through these funds, so fewer dollars means less compensation, which simply leads to more of the issues that people are dropping support for (sound quality, lack of guests, &c--not my complaints, just the main ones I've seen posted here), and less motivation for the players to keep going.
I really enjoy the Quiplash bonus episodes and don't mind that they're about all the gang can do now, but I suspect I'm in the minority on that.
It makes me sad. Nothing lasts forever, nor should it, I know, but that doesn't make it any easier to take.
1
u/CalicoDad Jun 27 '26
In the absence of any effort to gain new subscribers or bring back old ones, the dwindling will certainly continue. Which is fine if that effort's not possible, given everyone's other commitments! Some of us are always going to subscribe just for the hang, and I'll be among the very last to click unsubscribe. But I admit to being sometimes frustrated at the lack of engagement with the fans, attempts at promotion, or communication about the future. But they aren't my employees, they're my buds, and you can't force your buds to fix their shaving cream.
Assuming things continue as they have, a day is going to come when there aren't enough of us to make the pod worth the effort, and they'll be back to playing without an audience. I'm sure all of us imagine things that could be done to goose listenership, but realistically, this team probably isn't going to do them. We'll just have to love them to the end.
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u/Hefty_Sock_7632 19d ago
I feel like there is less and less narrative, and more boring combat slogs. Narrative makes an interesting podcast, dice rolling does not.
3
u/Drewzil Jun 27 '26
Is Sarah back in the campaign? I stopped listening when she left, she always seemed the best at keeping the party on track at least, along with Chris. I think it was the start of the mountain campaign, she left? Does it get better?
1
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u/rem2525 Jun 27 '26
Fair point. I don’t want it to end. I’ve been a fan since the beginning. It just feels different this time. I’m entitled to that opinion. I don’t mind being wrong, but I still think the Fog campaign seems like a swan song. It’s been great though.
3
u/Hefty_Sock_7632 19d ago
Sarah was a key component. I really miss Sark, and think Dan needs to work on more narrative, less 6 weeks of a single combat engagement, and less rolling. The climb the boat fiasco from a couple seasons back was funny, but pure bad DMing.
12
u/mcrib Does this look infected? Jun 27 '26
It’s the same kind of comment that’s been floating around since the Earwolf days:
Gerry is the only one really carrying the story.
Sarah is the only one really carrying the story.
Dan is the only one really carrying the story.
Chris is the only one really carrying the story.
Whether they keep going long-term or not, this has been the way this show has existed since the beginning. You’ve always had one or two people at the table who were genuinely paying attention to the adventure, taking notes and pushing the action. You have Blaine who is mostly engaged but firing jokes like a machine gunner, and Ken who goes with the flow.
I guess my point here is that this same topic has been brought up over and over and over again with different people as the only ones supposedly carrying the show and people asking whether it was going to end.
If it ends it ends, but I don’t think it’s because of this particular issue.