What’s Streaming July 2016

As we expand, it’s time for a few changes. I’ll no longer just be highlighting the goodies coming to Netflix for the month, but will also cover what’s coming to Amazon Instant Video and HBO Go/Now. As they all compete we’re beginning to see a lot of interesting changes, including entire franchises throwing their weight behind one streaming service (like what will happen with Marvel and Disney later this year on Netflix).

Firefly Fluxx

David and I recently found the game Firefly Fluxx and it is just as much fun as one might expect. If you have played any version of Fluxx then you understand the basic mechanics of the game. Part of what is so wonderful about all the versions is the fact that you can just pick it up at any time.

The great part about playing the version based off of Firefly is all of the inside jokes and references. One of the little extra details that is great about the Firefly version is also the fact that there are quite a few ways to steal Keepers from each other; Wash gets Serenity, Zoe gets Wash, Simon gets River, etc. So since there is not much extra to talk about with the game here are some of my favorite cards from Firefly Fluxx.

What if Hulu lost CW?

As I’m sure we’ve mentioned before a few times, we no longer have cable or TV access, and instead watch shows through a combination of Hulu, NetFlix, HBO Now, and season passes through iTunes. It’s a move that a lot of people are making. When we got down to basic cable, we had basic cable plus digital TV box plus DVR so it was a pretty hefty pricetag still.

There’s been a real ebb and flow over time as to what NetFlix and Hulu have available. At this point, it seems like NetFlix is pretty close to the HBO model, of having a movie available for a period of time and then it’s gone. Julia has been keeping up with these changes lately here on the blog. Then they tend to have back-seasons of TV shows, but not the current season.

Hulu, meanwhile, seems to be the place to go for the current season of TV shows. Some networks and shows, they seem to have the whole season; others, they have only the most recent 5 episodes. Sometimes, like during long breaks or once seasons have ended, they seem to start “replaying” episodes and rotating through the season for which 5 are available – we only just caught the last two episodes of Legends of Tomorrow last week by noticing we were about to lose them to this rolling replay of the season.

Originals versus Remakes

In today’s world there is no such thing as an untouchable franchise it seems. Anything is up to be redone and remade into a new image. Now whenever we hear about a new remake there is always a concern about whether it will do justice to the original if the original is beloved. Then there are times that a lesser known product gets remade and comes out without much fanfare. At the same time there are people who loved the original and don’t want to see it remade they’re just not as vocal about it.

Thinking about all the remakes that have come out and will be coming out, here are some remakes that have definitely made an impression.

Top 5 Ways That a Baby is Like CL4P-TP (Clap-Trap)

Liked CL4P-TP so much that it’s the centerpiece of my Warmachine army.

A while back, and with a younger Geek Baby, I talked about how a baby is a lot like a bad boss. As the Geek Baby has grown, I’ve come to think of another strong analogy for what I am reminded of.

Beyond looking good in yellow and being short and fast, a baby is a lot like CL4P-TP, or Clap-Trap, from the Borderlands video game franchise. A prominent NPC in the first two games, and a playable character in the third game…  the game 1.5? The Pre-Sequel. Clap-trap is always good for a laugh, for an annoyance, and sometimes for the plot. In the second game, he is your early-game tutorial. He’s the antagonist of a DLC in the first game.

And he’s incredibly quotable.

So here are my top five reasons that a baby is a lot like CL4P-TP.