Longtime fans of Dropout (formerly generally known as CollegeHumor) would say that to call the comedy streaming service a liberal-leaning platform is an understatement. That’s why some viewers were stunned when Dropout announced solid members from its game show “Game Changer” could be appearing on an episode of ABC cop procedural “The Rookie.”
The backlash largely centered around fans concerned that “The Rookie” is “copaganda,” while Dropout talent is thought for being outspoken about police brutality.
The episode, which aired Monday night, featured Dropout CEO and “Game Changer” host Sam Reich, in addition to frequent Dropout collaborators Vic Michaelis (Peacock’s “Ponies”), Jacob Wysocki, Zac Oyama and Anna Garcia, playing dramatized versions of themselves opposite “The Rookie” star Nathan Fillion, who comes to research a reported burglary on the Dropout studio in Los Angeles.
The majority of Dropout’s involvement plot-wise got here right down to the solid doing caricatures of their comedic selves on the set and through a police lineup, and Reich being inadvertently accountable for the robbery in query via a foul attempt at insurance fraud.
Reich spoke with Variety concerning the experience — which was delivered to the indie streamer by “The Rookie” showrunner Alexi Hawley, who’s a Dropout fan — in an email interview Tuesday, acknowledging fan concern while explaining the will for the platform to succeed in a bigger audience because it continues to grow its business operations and programming slate.
“I can’t speak for the solid, but I’ll speak for myself and say that the chance to show Dropout to a giant audience – one which’s probably not already conversant in us – felt too good to pass up,” Reich said. “We owe every part to our fans, who’re super passionate and hold us to a high standard, so it’s perhaps inevitable that we upset folks sometimes.”
Read more from Variety‘s interview with Reich below.
How did the episode come about — did The Rookie approach Dropout or vice versa? Who was a fan of who?
“The Rookie’s” showrunner, in addition to a number of select members of their writing staff, are fans, so that they approached us. At first, I wasn’t convinced I wasn’t being “Game Changer’d” myself… for a second time. In actual fact, I’m still not. Jenny, you wouldn’t do that to me again, would you?
How much was improv and the way much was scripted, and did you’re employed with them to put in writing the scripts?
We let the team at “The Rookie” write the script – they write their show best, in any case – but they did so very lovingly and in our voices. That said, we did an almost irresponsible amount of improv. Up to now, I don’t know what made the cut. I believe of a minimum of three jokes that I could be surprised make it to air. One among them got here from Nathan Fillion.
When the episode was announced, there was a divisive response between fans who were excited to see Dropout showcased on a broadcast network show, and a few fans who were upset over Dropout promoting “copaganda” by being on “The Rookie.” How would you and the solid members who participated within the episode reply to this?
I can’t speak for the solid, but I’ll speak for myself and say that the chance to show Dropout to a giant audience – one which’s probably not already conversant in us – felt too good to pass up. We owe every part to our fans, who’re super passionate and hold us to a high standard, so it’s perhaps inevitable that we upset folks sometimes.
Will we see “The Rookie” episode incorporated into an upcoming episode of “Game Changer”?
There are as of yet no plans for the collaboration to go the opposite way. It’s just a little harder to assume how a scripted world matches into an unscripted world than vice versa. I’d have tried to prank the solid with a “Game Changer” episode, but we had “The Rookie” to make. Vic sent me a video from their trailer threatening me with what they’d do to me if it turned out to be a “Game Changer” episode. It involved stealing my wife.
“The Rookie” versions of everyone, Sam Reich included, are clearly caricatures of themselves, but perhaps not in a way someone who’s unfamiliar with Dropout or “Game Changer” would get. Nolan is definitely unamused by them. How do you are feeling about putting that fictional version of yourselves and Dropout on the market for larger consumption?
Perhaps this is clear given certain “Make Some Noise” and “Game Changer” episodes, but being poked fun at is a love language of mine. Being asked to play caricatures of ourselves harkened back to the “Hardly Working” days of CollegeHumor, which is how loads of the audience fell in love with us originally, so it felt very second nature. So did confessing to against the law, oddly.