Actual conversation I had at the video store this morning

Or something like this, at least:

The scene: Me at the local Hollywood Video with two DVDs:  disk 1 of the first season of The X-Files, and disk 1 of the first season of Heroes.   We’re seeking video entertainment suitable for the whole family, and we had good luck watching the full runs of Buffy the Vampire Slyer and Firefly on DVD, so we thought we’d give these shows a spin.  I’ve seen all of The X-Files but none of Heroes, so I went for the one disk of each approach.

I take my choices to the counter and to the drowsy young Dude behind the counter.  He looks like someone I would have seen at the Origins convention a few weeks ago: in short, his bad haircut, greasy grooming, piercings, and general surliness suggest a certain kind of uber-geek, one comfortable with science fiction movie trivia, required saving throws in AD&D, and comic book collecting.

Me:  I’d like to rent these.

Dude: (Sighs) Sure, whatever.  (Scans DVD in machine thingy).  Of course, you’re going to be another victim here.

Me: Excuse me?

 Dude: Heroes. Horribly horribly predictable.  You’ll figure out everything you need to know after the first six episodes.  Nothing changes after that.

Me:  What about the whole villains  thing?  That’s how they are advertising the next season.

Dude:  Right, like I don’t know how that is going to turn out.

Me:  Aren’t you supposed to be selling the videos here?

Dude:  I only like selling the good ones.  You’ll see what I mean.

Me:  What about The X-Files?

Dude:  That’s excellent, of course.  I’m looking forward to the movie to see what they do with the characters after all those years.  Regardless, these videos are yours until Thursday.

And scene… 

4 Replies to “Actual conversation I had at the video store this morning”

  1. This guy should be hired immediately by Fox. He’s doing more to promote this bloody movie than the entire pr department combined. I can’t wait for it either, incidentally. The series has never been bettered.

    2 WEEKS!!!!!!

  2. Well, I will say this: after Duchovny more or less left the show and Robert Patrick’s character Doggett came on the scene, things went down hill and quickly. At the time, I thought this was one of those shows that should have ended probably three seasons before it did.

    But I have a feeling that we’ll end up watching the full run with Will, and maybe in hindsight, the end of the show will look as good as the beginning.

  3. Katie and I have gotten into all the CSI series (original, Miami and now New York). They’re a little gory but ever so satisfying when the killer confesses (without an attorney present I might add). Richard finds the series stupid but I imagine that’s because the lawyers are all depicted as dopes.

  4. Hi Cheryl, We were actually talking last night (after a 3-episode X-file fest) that folks in the FBI probably roll their eyes at The X-Files for all sorts of reasons, but mostly because we doubt people in the FBI actual get to free-lance, pretty much unsupervised, out of a basement office.

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