Dead Pixels

This British series has come to the states with an irreverent sense of humor that is refreshing. Though it lampoons those who dedicate their lives to online games, especially RPGs, it does so lovingly.

This is a show aimed at adults. But the version I am watching is liberally peppered with censoring beeps and pixelations, which is annoying.

Fortunately, the writing is so strong and the acting is so good that it is still a joy to watch. You don't have to be an avid gamer to enjoy the humor, but the more you know about their virtual world the more you can appreciate the inside references, which are abundant.

The three main characters see the real world as mere distractions from their calling, which is to thrive in the virtual world of Kingdom Scrolls, their online addiction.

In one scene, Meg (Alexa Davies) stops to berate a young woman waiting for a bus, because she does not deserve to wear the game-culture paraphernalia she displays. As only someone her age might do, Meg sees the affront as a serious appropriation of virtual cultures. Such "badges" must be earned by being a "slave to the game."

The juxtaposition of people and their avatars, real world and fantasy world, real life and virtual existence is a conceit rife with comic opportunities. "Dead Pixels" does a good job of mining real comedy gold.

I've just made it through the first season, and starting on season 2. This is a laugh-out-loud funny show with sharp dialogue, and damaged but relatable characters. I am not a gamer, so I suspect there are some game-specific jokes that I am not getting, but I haven't noticed. The obsession with gaming works as a stand-in for anything that divides those who are in the social mainstream from those who feel like outsiders, outliers, or social misfits. Those who are different, for whatever reason, can feel as if they live in a different reality than others around them. This show uses gaming to explore characters who live like this. As a female, I appreciate the two women characters who, while being very different, are both strong, smart and mouthy. No cutesy simpering bimbos here. Nice to watch women who aren't prissy shrinking violets but who are tough,clever and amusingly vulgar. The only thing that I occasionally find jarring is the recurring violence directed at (virtual) animals. A bit of this can be slightly funny for its cringe or shock value, but there is too much of it for my taste. Minor criticism though, because the show is just so well done overall.

Rude and crude but also funny in parts. Maybe you have to be into or at least aware of computer gamers that have this addiction to fantasy worlds to enjoy it to the full. For me personally I loved it and fingers crossed for a second series !

I'm not an MMORPG player but I have dabbled in the past, as well as being a huge single player gamer. Gamers need to get behind and support content like this, because outside of Go 8-bit I can't think of anything else gamer related on TV, despite gaming being a bigger market than films now.

The acting is good, and the interactions between the different characters are amusing, but Russel steals it for me. Plenty of laugh out loud moments for me (and my husband who isn't a gamer!) and that's rare for me with comedy. There is lots of satire here and it's a genuine shame there weren't more episodes in the series.

If you're a gamer, you'll love all the in jokes. If not, you'll still love the subtle humour. Best comedy in years IMHO. Not one for Vince Vaughan fans though...