Welcome to a new series where we witness the great vlog series ten years ago to the day.
Why don't we start with the progenitor of vlogging as we know now. The Show with Ze Frank.
I'm using Vlogbrother's backlog, minus the three missing one, I'll read the transcript.
March 17
The show starts off surprisingly with this guy shouting about racing cars and power moves? Certainly a turn-off if you ask me. But again, kind of intriguing. Which is why it's so great.
Then the introduction begins, intersperse with Ze drinking coffee. It's there to so a few thing.
1. To mask the multiple takes he did with the shot.
2. Implictly telling the first reason while saying that he's tired.
Then, he becomes blunt about saying that he quit smoking and 'nothing feels good'. He blinks a lot.
Why did he this show three days after quitting? That's when you are the crankiest.
Anyway, we move to the news. "I wonder what's that about." He say to intice the viewer but in a way that disengage them. Perfectly articulated to millennials. *snick* He's liberal slanted. Obviously.
He hates fluff culture... hah! Little critical about Bush in Iraq. Okay, a lot critical.
The starbuck sip continually underpins the internal tiredness while the news continues with Google privacy (Hi Google!) and $100 laptop that feels little ridiculous now. Oh wait, he's skewing Gates?
Bit of extra sarcasm with 'And that's Everything that happened in the world today.'
Overall, bit a taste of Ze. But we'll see how it develops.
March 20
INTRO SCREEN! And a burp. If you're watching this episode, you're probably not minding that.
I think he's doing the self-deprecating intro. Off to the news.
Leaving the outtakes. AUTHENTIC. Bush and Shaft and a follow-up joke that undermine the previous joke and make the joke anew. And less crass, perhaps. But the burp brings it back.
Thinking, so you don't have to. New slogan. Still in the experimental stages. Ze is more normal here.
March 21
This time the intro is much personal. Better camera and lighting, I believe. The personal stories give insight to greatness of Ze that stretch into the Human Test of 2013? Anyway, those are funny.
After the abortion/adoption scandal we get Sportracer thing again. ACK! .xxx was such a great idea...
Ze Frank #TeamInternet since 2006. Seriously, though. TIME is still doing this! Their website is crap, and crappier with every update. This disdain for Web 2.0 is outrageous.
I support Supreme Court Calender. Today's Calender will be little more bonkers than this one, though
I might smoking again... lovely. Washington Post, thank you for bringing the hypocrisy.
Overall, this is much polished version of the news. It's strange most early site started with news. And now we have what? Pranks? Facts? Reaction videos? I mean reaction videos were a thing since 2008.
March 22
Sportracers is now a thing as we move in to a room tour. This is the first vloggy thing that Ze does and it shows the right balance of description... and silliness. And then there's the interaction. Newscaster had a tendency to interact with audience but with vlogging, the bond is stronger.
'Paper version' of the internet brings the news with Baseball and blinking message lights. This interruption doesn't feel revolutionary right now, but... Windows Vista! Underwear perverts!
We end with extended joke about the Iraq War and Bush's role in it. Still, no sign of the future.
March 23
Thursday March 22... Wrong date is a thing right? Duckies! Ze Frank's manicness really sells the show. Also how he's hungover. Truth rocketship? Here, Ze is framing this series as something he has do, and not with his volition. Or least, he's not enjoying it. So, the shampoo scene.
More perverts. Abu Gharib and more social commentary. Fake country of Belarus and overall sickness from Ze. At this point, Ze is more flexible with the news approach.
March 24
The intro become more elaborate as we move to what Vlogbrother will define as Thoughts From Places. But we soon move into news. "First Coming". Great.
Rest is typical politic stuff. Really, it was more left-leaning than other vlogs. What's with the phone?
March 27
Pretty straightforward news vlog today. Also, Amanda Congdon is first mentioned in this vlog. I wrote a sketch where they got married, but it was bad. Other than that, butt adjust, standard.
Also, 700 mile fence and Scalia 'recusing' with a reference to the Dick Cheney's Duck Hunt? Weird.
March 28
This is in worse quality than usual. Thought From Places again. Racism? Always a nice cat. Bolton. Just that mustache... Lying for a war. Editing is not... well, it's a jump cut but not a useless one.
March 29
Solar Eclipse is cool. BitTorrent, oh my. Scalia's ill health makes me wonder why he hasn't died eariler... I kid, I kid. Oh, that's... I can't fathom how insightful this is today. Commentary is on.
March 30
This is how Ze talks about birthday. It's a foreshadowing, but not really. Weirdo, indeed. That was something, blatant lie and an interesting response, And Ze can play the guitar? Interesting.
March 31
Ah, the ironic cut. Wonderful usage of a classic trope. Little late on the cut though. Little bit of authenticity and moving back to the weirdness. Cutaway to the previous cutaways... all fascinating.
April 3
Little low energy today. Jokes are little low energy again. Little dip into internet subculture at the end.
April 4
Ze Frank slowly adds more internet related content, replying to comments and lampooning media's look at internet culture. He's thinking about this, all right. Also that Iranian boat is hilarious.
April 5
Oh god, look at Flicker in 2006. Comments again. "Future was right where you were". Interesting.
April 6
Something from the comments... and here's the explanation and power moves. This is really where The Show become what it is today. College comments are harsh, but understandable. Purina... heh.
April 7
Syracuse, New York's balls. Uranus's Rings. Black hole merger. Scooter Libby... oh my.
April 10
Look how he's building his community. It's so subtle. Cream ale review? Duckie in the pond song... one of my favorites. Anonymous... that's a clever joke. Happy kissing! They were in China...
April 11
Pretty weird. France do like the streets. Power move is for people. But what about the duckies...?
April 12
Ze Frank is a Yankees fan? Now, I'm not sure I want to watch this anymore. Good Bush content, tho.
April 13
Remix? They don't get it. Pity... Hard charger? League of Awesomeness lore builds up. Hide spy docs. Why is that familiar. Glorious leader. Safety education? Fingerhole is a important part.
April 14
Stick is sick. Regular coffee? Six generals? Two wars were great? Refugee camps now, jeez. Did time ever move forward? That's some burp. Defiance? Genitals... not easy. Little duckies. Glitch?
April 17
Hm, I don't know. Taxes, only knowledge knows. Mobile banking??? WHAT? what. This was weird.
April 18
Repeating a lot... Remain engaged... huh, that's a good joke. Song is so good. Well, you have one now. All the naughty bits. Sorry. Sex education comment is still very relevant, unfortunately.
April 19
Duckie! Corporate whore, what were we thinking. Above the supply and demand! Basic use, indeed. What good old days... Hooter's girl recruiting station... hmm. Ouch, Tom. Decider comment, oh my.
April 20
Weird song as always. Deck... bad sunburn. Good power move, indeed. That MoveOn burn is so... Fast lane and slow lane, where did I heard that before. Howdy. Oh, Howdy... A-holes.
April 21
Always add a genital joke than not, news lesson from Ze Frank. This show gets so weird sometimes. Chief decider... in the land of the free. FDA dismissed the review? All that duckie in the weed.
April 24
Are the new viewers gone yet? Starts... Always three times. Horny slut is 2006 joke and mustache, too. Wuss... Positive thinking. Civilian use only... yes... Zaniness is only getting started.
April 25
Picture of duckies have taken over the news. This is lot less a news show now. Power move diversity. Song completes the power-move segment and of course Ze unsubtley suggest a new logo contest.
April 26
Great pronunciation. Banter... When Austin was actually weird. Duckie intensifies. Secret CIA prison... Nice use of Timothy Dalton. I actually knew that fact... I read a whole article about it.
April 27
Are the new viewers gone yet segment shows Ze's brillance of utter absurdity. How does he think about this stuff? Hi, Congdon. His affair with Congdon is just lovely. West wing! Food doesn't work.
April 28
Oh, that's where Hank got his song. Fake minority. 'Genocide'. Hey, that's Ze. This is just great.
May 1
This is fun! Hard chargers... Wow, great commentary with jokes. State secret privilege is entrance. seamless advertisement. Ah, when Specter was a Republican. Wow, what a teaser.
May 2
France theme park in the sky! Why is he in Cannes? Ad integration perfect. First show without news.
May 3
For the French audience out there. Wow, deportation for an aspiring scientist... it's familiar yet there no correspondence to today. The french noir inserts are brilliant. Ze's great observation shines here.
May 4
55% that's crazy... Don't expose us to this! Great anagrams, by the way.
May 5
Cool and French = anti-intellectualism. Freaking Chelsea Peretti? Logos that look very 2006 and a social platform that lost its relevance five minutes after this was posted? Prescient eye for the web.
May 8
I think the intro was a parody of an ad. Very quiet. German joke. Legacy... Gay things.. it's not bad. Junta! I remember Hayden very well. Glimpse in the soul... oh really.
May 9
Are the new viewers gone yet? And also Ze speaks German! He's German! Also, American... but you know what I mean. This song is one of my favorite Ze songs. Reintpretation of sign is a classic.
May 10
Hall of fame? Jokes for nerds. Avoiding blinks is finally mentioned to our brains.
May 11
Two obsolete piece of technology. And also I like how there's fake producers in 2006. How do you work this thing? is one of my hits. Incomplete, really? Distance language. Jeb and Hilary? Really?
May 12
Good hiding lessons. Wow. FIRST! King of the comments. Hard Charger alert! Trolling! Impeach!
May 15
Is this Ze Frank's song phase. Good songs, though. Love of airport is shared by John Green.
May 16
League of Awesome, and Earth Sandwich. One of the first real projects. Oh, the Guards... (ANGER) Maybe I should write this more. I think this first project was to show the prowess of the audience by gauging in a very hard task (area of antipodes are small and sparse) and this gave freedom after.
May 17
I love that anti-drama move there. It's good comedy. Nice transition. This give the whole package.
May 18
Internet addiction... bleh. Dirty politics. Damaging gossip, indeed. Wow, this is close.
May 19
Man, for a joke, that was powerful stuff. I mean this is the reason Ze Frank is so great. It's lowbrow, for sure, then it's not sometimes... Ze Frank should have kept the lowbrow... well, animal facts. BoingBoing??? Wow. IMMIGRATION anger rising! Oh, Hayden. Peretti has good advice. (NOT)
May 22
King of the comments! So many scandal that year. 2006 was a bad year. Bush tax cuts!!!!
May 23
Look at that! T-Shirts! Brand placement! All the merch! STATE SECRETS! This news is... yeah.
May 24
I miss those days. Great song, man. Is this a Herman Cain commercial? Don't worry, economy doesn't collapse for another two years!!! Signing statements? This is just so terrible.
May 25
That intro segment was vague yet humane, quintessential Ze Frank. Not wearing pants, that's a thing that would be in Vlogbrothers. An Inconvenient Truth is ten years old now. Sep. of Power...
May 26
Mardi Gras... that was inspiring. Lot of cans. So much incompetence. No, X-3 sucks. Relevant again.
May 30
He has whole team and brainstorm... DAMN BOBO TWINS. Iran's getting closer? Bush is confusing administration. All that inside jokes. All that song is great, summer jam of 2006.
May 31
This is great... There we go! That joke just rolls and rolls... it's quite amazing the string of words it creates... it's an underrated gem really. Sermon news, it's like I'm in the 15th century again!
June 1
That was more and more non-sequitur... that's why this is the word salad. Good stuff for starbucks. Seriously, though, the report for the Iraq war is quite eye-opening. I forgot so many bad things...
June 2
Local newspapers and more Iran news. Nice use of ass. Banning Gay marriage... so funny.
June 5
There's only losing in fabuloso friday. Hypochondriac. Another thing John Green stole. Meaningless products and ordinary tool! Hootie and The Blowfish... but then Iraq war happened again.
June 6
What's an adult? Is this the first verse of Stressed Out? No comment... vlog? Republican party... bring your gun... STD and a rainforest party. Oh, Nader. Yeah, that's what you get in these shows. Popularity of MySpace is fading... so funny... something to do... people love ugly. Nice interaction.
June 7
Have no money! Shirt are so easy to sell. Paypal link! $10,000 shirt! That's very... great joke. Wiki! Electoral college... oh goody. Wiretapping, I forgot. Florida in a shape of skull?
June 8
Call your intimate partner! Thanks... it's so warm. Slurry mouth... Culture war... that's prophetic.
June 9
No more than 3 minutes? This is pretty groundbreaking, actually. That's really out there... like there's some bad edits here and there, but Ze pushes through it! I'm sure that was in the script. That condiment joke was well done... good job audience. Football news is well-needed. Good song, too.
June 12
Another Thoughts from Places, it's so weird, but poignant. It is a underrated gem. Also, SANDWICH
June 13
Haha... Prince... I get it. Also, good answer. Happy, not cool. TOO NICE! YEAH, PASTA!
June 14
That's great.... baby. Ze is now fully philosophical. I have no words. Magic dumpster?
June 15
I think this Vegas trip is big changing point for Ze. Big Bush burn in this episode.
June 16
This is weird episode... it really feels like Ze has broken down here... although next week is rebirth?
June 19
Last show was taken out for a while... Net Neutrality, still important. She's 13 now! (Bonesaw)
June 20
Selling out? Core values? Nice segway! Sorry, Bonesaw but this is still very true. Science study...
June 21
Delta is so bad... This is sue-worthy. Broke plane is certainly reimbursement. Not again... Wow... That terrorist line is something that I would have to think about for a long long time.
June 22
Kestrals... Oh, it's Shark Week! Immigration is still important... Hastert... ew. Against Gates, I see.
June 23
No such reference... this is not a issue? Voting Rights Act... same argument just 8 years later... Internet comments are still the same, I see. Local assets... there... oh, another interactivity.
June 26
This is much of a conversation now, this is I think what I called connecting with the audience! News is still the sadness that is 2006, it's the underdog of terrible years, least recently. Not denying!
June 27
That mistake was kept to keep out the new viewers. What reading & writing is just one half of how language functions? That's madness. What not every deterrance is useful? More madness. Faction!
June 28
Thinking man's contact sport! Tony Snow sees ambiguity in everything. Being perfectly circular.
June 29
You have to write down everything I have to say! Just... transcribers have heard worse. SMACKED!
June 30
I think I'll disallow the laxative but allow the binge and purge method. Binge and purging is pretty hard to do... although it would be said you do have to swallow 99% of the burger consumed in order to count as a burger eaten. How many do you eat before you purge. OH ELSEWHERE! Make sense. Ugly MySpace contest is something you can only do in 2006. And Thank God for that... seriously.
July 5
A long weekend! That was legitimately confusing. And Ze recounts the American Revolution.
July 6
I really needed that advice. Good jokes, admittedly. Missile of North Korea... always trying.
July 7
MySpace is very ugly. Redistricting challenge, lovely. Oh, that's what shirt is about.
July 10
This feels really sad, it's like a man in twenties rant that you can hear on Reddit. Not the best work. Hatch is still batch of problems and Fabluoso is not doing so well in chess.
July 11
Running out of ideas is a good speech, and oh... Brain Crack. It's a term coined and widely used in some circle that is explained here. Three times of experience and a NEW SONG! This is well done!
July 12
Interesting comment in comments. Complete mystical experience? Classical Music? Neuroscientist... Seriously he was studying neuroscience in the college before making stuff like this... Oh, variety!
July 13
He is full of... whatever he said, he hasn't gone to the bathroon yet! God, that was terrible. Ze's response is more eloquent though. Supreme Court... eh. Freaking Geneva convention, am I right?
July 14
I feel like there's lot of projects done by Ze, but the whole thing are given layers of importance as to make the whole production smooth. Technological disruption calmly explained by Ze Frank.
July 17
Back when Ze was doing auditions... Headshots and all... Least we have a power move!
July 18
I guess it was very hot ten years ago as well... Castrating science, you know what happened.
July 19
Now G8 has two females! Least they got intelligence they don't listen to. Make Assad happen? Jump-cuts provides action in what really is Ze talking something very serious straight into the camera.
July 20
Nice comedy bit, but... Well least was Ze was honest. I know Ze actually did that.
July 21
Yes, YouTube created the 'standard' license that most videos are still under today. No, DVD collection was a 2011 April Fool's Prank, not a real thing. Veto and State Secret Privilege in one fell swoop!
July 24
Fight = care. HEADSET, not much... I like he does the multiple takes thing and then turn it into a joke... it's masterful. Also, I get my dose of dirty science news. Home planet? New house? Oh...
July 25
"News is depressing" 2016 in three words. Ceasefire??? Shaping up and a new song!
July 26
I thought they won that year? Sustainable aids... That backrub is a good gaffe. Don't tell... why?
July 27
Lance Bass came out? IP Lawsuit! Remember the motto? Very interesting, compare & contrast.
July 28
Was it all superficial? I love that proof. Complexity is overrated. Core activity and complexity. Sidenote: According to the comments below, this is where Craig got his inspiration for his career.
July 31
Mustache segment is really nice and a good transition from earlier. Nice joke pulled there...
Aug 1
God, I missed David day. Chuck Hagel... was he in Obama's cabinet? There's so much cleverness.
Aug 2
This is lesser of a episode. I think this is little too much pushing. Anti-Semitic joke, though...
Aug 3
Ze is starting new projects and build a correspondence with the commenters. There's news, too!
Aug 4
Quick recap of the projects and a run-down of the news. Hilary against war and minimum wage? This is going to shake this presidential campaign. I need to show this to... oh right that cereal song.
Aug 7
More about Sugar... um, there's Billy Reid. I support Ze Frank in full. Sith training!
Aug 8
This is underrated gem. A personal story really shows the storyteller in Ze. It really gets to you.
Aug 9
Beginning of The Human Test? Maybe? Bacteria thing is very weird but okay. Man, that picture...
Aug 10
Ha ha Top 10 list, buzzfeed, it's funny that way? Ze likes the word 'rash'. Good word on terror.
Aug 11
Preemptively ripped. It's start of fire eagle thing. This will be the news section of the show.
Aug 14
There's now structure! Comments! Nice baseball commentary... This works so well in 2016.
Aug 15
Speaking of baseball... Resolution... pretty good. Little too Russian, you think.
Aug 16
I resign... Next year reference beings. I remember George Allen... ugh. That joke, though.
Aug 17
He feels 6 out of 10? (No one will get that joke.) Also TFiOS reference here? It's highly duitiable. Sickness monologue is very well done and is a classic, but poor delivery. I mean he's sick.
Aug 18
No video for that day. It's simple news day anyway. Not much to see here. Theme song though.
Aug 21
This is a comment response in proto-form. Hippies existed? This video was little weak.
Aug 22
you don't want Gregori Perelman. See, donut ball exist. Stupid mathematician. Pluto demoted. Ahh, memories. Ze Frank gives me scientific nostalgia.
Aug 23
Airplane is such a weird thing. A miracle and a nuisance. Crappy donuts and Star Wars Kid?
Aug 24
Audience intros, it's long-varied tradition before and after Ze Frank. Ze's LA speech is very nice. Maybe this is a metaphor for web media in general. That's a good induction.
Aug 25
New intros, I think, yeah. How's that a intentional slight... I knew this, tribes of racial lines. Mostly because a Korean won that edition. Tiny dick is way to go. I mean Dick, as in Dick Cheney.
Aug 28
Look at him and how so efficient he is just after five month of him doing this. You get that intro joke and go to the comment, but first power moves... so good at doing a show... Like this? Compression! And callbacks that makes joke meaningful or provide a new dimension to the situation acted.
Aug 29
Repeating a word joke. Okay. FIRST, really? This feels like Buzzfeed's MO... Like this tells it all.
Aug 30
Fingers in fruit, probably one of the best 'Are the new viewers gone yet?'
Aug 31
Of course, the best part is the punchline appears in the next episode. Demographic changes, and transparency act. Oh that bill. Anonymous block and the famous Bridge of Nowhere. Too soon.
Sep 5
I like how Ze settles back into things and yet continue the procedure of showing power moves at the start of each week. By now, Ze is comfortable enough in his sequence that he could manipulate it. Then like always a proto-Thoughts From Places. No cuts this time, but there's this innocence turning into wisdom that doesn't feature in Thoughts From Places, to a certain extent TFP is a mockery of it, but it's something you do get sucked in, there's also a sense of false science to evoke emotions, too.
Sep 6
Burning Man, oh I missed that (thank god) and also Steve Irwin (he's one of those people who we mocked so much when he was alive but when he was dead we all become sincere and talk about how cool he was? People think it's Michael Jackson fits in here, but not really. Jackson's legacy will always be mixed with sarcasm and cyncism, he was too big to avoid that.) Kind of reverse joke that skirts on stereotype but so obscured that you're just confused? Polls joke was okay, but man the stingray thing goes on for too long and he hopes that you think it's just absurd.
Sep 7
9/11 starts to creep around this time. First postmodern disaster, or least a 21st century disaster... which makes many confused and upset, unlike previous one beforehand, this tragedy is one felt without the guidance of authority and what authority there is, is deemed incompetent and corrupt.
Sep 8
I forgot this poem was made up or from somewhere. Detention center and 'not torture', oh good times.
Sep 11
This is quite an art piece. This reminds of music videos back then, lot of cut but it's done is such an artistic way that you recognize but not get irritated by. It's not 100% good, but it's very good.
Sep 12
Disposable! Green tech. College as a sorta place is a very wise point. Nothing but the best from Ze.
Sep 13
This advice little more obscure but I can get the gist. How you live, not why you live... interesting.
Sep 14
Now is at a point where Ze pushes the pretense of making a news show to Fridays and just make commentary about life and also make different challenge for the audience, in a sense, fun! And also, Ah, back when Speaker Boner joke was actually funny.
Sep 15
Good thing Benedict abdicated. Pump that area! Freedom fries and Abrhamoff... good times. Appropriation bill is full of fun earmarks. Not in the legislation? Transparency, good old myth.
Sep 18
Standard fare of a video, interesting science and ever-talking of Bush like you expect. Oh, I forgot...
Sep 19
This is Day 2 of Happy Week. This is interesting experiment in Ze Frank. It's a deliberate jump with an additional funny thing so keep viewer's occupied. And it contains more interesting video here. Oh, I forgot Ray's song project, which probably the crown jewel of Ze Frank's projects.
Sep 20
CBS Chairman? Oh, be happy. Dentist thing is reminscent of vlogbrother or Aranda video. Temporary break in the routine? That is quite meta, don't you think? Oh, also peanut butter face.
Sep 21
Rolling out sponsorship! Ze Frank is a pioneer in advertising as well, no wonder he runs Buzzfeed. Science of Happiness, there's a whole study, is fascinating stuff... there was a class at my college. Daniel Gilbert, person you might now know as the guy John Oliver mocked during the retirement episode, focuses on how cognitive biases affect our future and our happiness. No choice = happy.
Sep 22
5-minute remix is beautiful. Gesture of goodwill??? Weird, but effective. Bush still terrible.
Sep 25
We found Ray! Little cable show of Dubuque, Iowa... and epic thrashing of Ze. It's mighty fine.
Sep 26
That's a good rendition. It's not like we're dealing them... Regional variant always a crowd pleaser.
Sep 27
In media res and a hard rock song? That's quite a jump. More news on Iraq, same as always.
Sep 28
Kansas City of Missouri! Scary clown and dirty space news that was jam-packed with you know...
Sep 29
Um, animation was... not on-par, much like Kansas City (BURN) Why isn't the remarks not dated?
Oct 2
This should not be so relevant today. Mark Foley hoopla, again, should not be relevant.
Oct 3
This advice is actually is pretty relevant today. Or have the rules changed because...
Oct 4
May be that 2006 is a good approximation of 2016? Maybe 6's are the bad years.
Oct 5
Miss Direction is terrible and will not leave for ten years. WHY! COIN is okay, I guess.
Oct 6
Now, that's awesome. Nice use of 'minger' and also Brexit was not foretold... /s
Oct 10
Subconscious narrative episode. I dig it. I mean it makes sense to do one of those episodes.
Oct 11
More travelling jokes and Ze has not given up. He's still the old Ze that you know and love. WORST
Oct 12
Forcing myself to be creative. I mean this is a strength of Ze's creativity? Ducks hate freedom.
Oct 13
Indeed The Show > Sleep. Planet is seething with activity. Oh, Liddell. Rosy economy... so naive.
Oct 16
Autumn is coming and election day is coming! Low voters, so relatable. Nice headshot. All swanky! This is actually really informational. I'm quite surprised and happy. This is also very relatable.
Oct 17
Ze Frank's brillance shows as he squeezes out a genius episode all about freaking mucus. DUCKY
Oct 18
Forever changing the advertising industry! News, now, really becomes the side-track for more human related discussion. Really, perhaps, the news was always a distraction. Something of small talk.
Oct 19
Ze Frank also has a nice deep sick voice, which is nice. Also, Ze is megagaltastic? Sure.
Oct 20
That girl probably has a baby now. Russians are weird bunch of people. Their jokes are... bitter.
