To me, the best part is that Ally and Grant are in control of what’s happening. Sam and the production team aren’t forcing them to do anything, the fear of crushing institutional debt is. It’s like a modern parable about two close friends battling against whatever busted version of capitalism we’re all toiling under. And in the end they win because they’re still friends. Total Forgiveness is one of those things I could only watch once but something that I want to force Congress to watch every damn day until they grow a moral compass (or until they die, whichever comes first).
It's so fascinating to me that if you look at Reddit threads on the show or the RUclips comments, you in fact see a LOT of people keen to see the show replicated with other contestants. I feel like there's a part of internet culture that can't leave something be; if it's good, there NEEDS to be more of it, even when it would clearly be a terrible idea. Total Forgiveness is good BECAUSE they decided to end it, to tear up the premise and to prioritise friendship over content. Doing more of it would betray the ending.
Plus, they sort of did something like this on Gamechanger with their race to the bottom or “what’s in the box” episodes. Allowing the challenges to stay crazy and weird (yet funny and light hearted) but never cutting so deep or becoming hurtful as total forgiveness. Even in Gamechanger there were prizes and punches pulled by contestants because it was a “post total forgiveness” office.
It wasn't covered in this video, but Ally went to even more credit card debt after the show. After paying down loans with the show, and the loan forgiviness program, they (Ally) were essentially debt free. But during the pandemic they started buying unncessary things and now maxed out 5 different credit cards which have 20% interest rates. This was revealed in another Dropout show they were on. Learning this retroactively and fundamentally changed my takeaway from Total Forgiveness. The show's thesis was that Ally and Grant were essentially victims to a preadatory student loan program, but watching Ally basically put theirself in the situation again almost immediately made me realize its probably also true that many people in huge student loan debt lack financial responsibility. EDIT: thanks for letting me know changed it!
@@wonderfulworldofmarkets9033 I remember watching that episode of Dirty Laundry. Who knows when they had put in those applications for the credit cards but yes, I truly believe there is a lack of financial understanding in America. I was lucky that my parents taught me early and my high school offered a financial planning class but not other high schools do or when you’re 16, you don’t think you need to know about a ROTH IRA or a savings account. The pandemic and that stimulus money was a double edged sword in the sense that it really helped people but maybe gave them some delusions of grandeur; simply having this influx of money (beyond using it for the essential needs) it was more than people knew what to do with.
@@wonderfulworldofmarkets9033 Hate to be this person, but Ally uses they/them pronouns, not she. I remembered that Dirty Laundry bit though--I had no idea they'd fallen back into the hole of debt as badly as they did! Both they and Grant are just legendarily bad with money...
@@wonderfulworldofmarkets9033 I'm pretty sure there was an episode of "Um, Actually" where only one of the three people knew to pay off high interest student loans first in the real life skills question. I think there's a point where joking about adulting being hard is harmful, when people act like it's good to be proud of being bad with money. But I think it's probably more common in show business, which unfortunately makes most people who have reasonable money problems look bad.
What stood out most to me is that despite all of the heartbreak and pain, they both still had sizable debts at the end despite the money they made during the show. For me it fully encapsulated on a very deep level how systemic the problem is. It can't be solved by individual action
I never got through an episode of Total Forgiveness because the premise was so uncomfortable, even when I knew the ending was more heartfelt. It's an incredibly heartbreaking but real showcase of how debt affects people.
It gets so much worse as the series goes. Ends very lovely and made me cry, but jesus christ it hurt until that point. I went from laughing, to having to take a break before the final episodes because it was not fun anymore. 10/10 show
Yeah I saw it around back when it first came out, but could never bring myself to watch it. I love Collegehumor (and now Dropout) but that just was not for me
Dropout is absurdly underated. When they go deep it's so so good and their comedy always feels so fresh and so often like you're listening in on a restaurant kitchen joking around.
I got into DROPOUT because of game changer, but then started watching dimension 20 and I can’t even count the number of times that show has had me break down sobbing
I was into CollegeHumor back in the Adam Ruins Everything days, rediscovered them through Um Actually and Brennan’s CEO videos, but when I discovered Game Changer I was hooked. I still think it’s one of the best premises for a TV show ever conceived.
@@allyabernathy4098 lol same old premises as amir and streeter prank war, borat, Nathan for you, any dare for money show, even any wresting show and countless other TV shows over the years
Total Forgiveness was a unique experience, but I’m not sure if I could ever watch it again even while knowing the ending. The psychological toll it took, especially on Grant, was heartbreaking and uncomfortable to watch. I really appreciate your conclusion here - if this was a show intended for multiple seasons, it wouldn’t be what it is and it would be a wildly hollow, cruel experiment. Ally’s last choice in the ‘game’ was the only way this could’ve ended okay.
I think the turning point was Grant selling nearly everything and still losing the challenge. He lost so much, he walked away with all his possessions in one suitcase and it still wasn't enough. After that episode it hurt to watch.
@@chuckle5253 Agreed. Ally, whether on purpose or by accident, devised challenges that cut much, much more deeply than anything Grant could or would cook up. I fully skipped to the end after that, I still haven't gone back to watch Grant's day at the park.
@@chuckle5253 yeah, that episode was so hard to watch and tbh, it's my only problem with the show in general - Sam should've vetoed that challenge since it went against the purpose of the show
the fact that ally and grant were the ones who pitched the show, and insisted on doing it when sam expressed his reservations about the concept REALLY colors a lot of the energy of the show. at its worst, total forgiveness is dark and uncomfortable but without that sense of agency from the contestants being the ones orchestrating the gauntlet of debt fuelled unpleasantries, it'd be unbearable. the fact that its uncomfortable to watch, though, makes it meaningful imo. i think there is power and poignancy in a work being intentionally hard to watch, if done right
The thing with Grant is that the series really starts by showing everyones antagonistic relationship with him. Almost all of the early bits include ppl poking fun at him while showing sympathy for Ali. (Best example is the funeral of Ali turning into a Grant roast.) Ofc this is normally all in good fun, and it's a running theme with content on dropout that he's obviously okay with it. In Total Forgiveness, it really shows how much he can handle, and how it goes too far. They said it really well in the reunion podcast, but the fact that Grant just leaves the performance without an extra word is so unlike him. He's the class clown, and loves it. But this time it was too far. It makes the ending hit so hard too when everyone shows the genuine care they have for him, that underneath it they are all friends. Ali especially, who throws away so much money just to show how much they genuinely care for Grant. God, it's just amazing.
The full video of Ally reading their diary publicly is my comfort video. There’s something about the insanely uncomfortable yet beautifully vulnerable experience of them reading their unedited teenage thoughts that makes me feel less alone
The ending brings deep and incredibly complex meaning to the entire show and i'm glad they did this. At first they just wanted to show how far people are willing to go for the chance of reducing their enormous debt to a predatory corporation, it shows us the reality of modern US society where human lives are ruined for the profit of a select few, but by the end the same contestants pitching this show realize just how flaud the premise is and even in this profit driven society there is nothing more meaningful and fullfilling than friendship and love, Ally intentionally giving up on a huge amount of money for Grant shows us that even though you can be broke, under constant stress of debt and dreaming of a better life, everything becomes meaningless if the price for this dream is ruining your current friendships and relationships which essentially bring meaning to those same dreams of a better life.
I think as a long term college humor fan the show shines bright especially when compared to what feels like it's direct predecessor the prank wars. Where Total Forgiveness actually confronts the tension and ultimately resolves it. The prank wars ends with something closer to a truce in the face of mounting odds and growing anger. It feels as if drop out itself matured
I've finished Total Forgiveness just because my friend has watched it and said that it ends fine. I was really upset after the episode with flea market sale and almost cried after episode 9- and did end up crying at the end. Neither Grant nor Allie are my favorite cast members, but they're cool, I like their friendship and as a foreigner American student loan debt horrifies me. I'm also surprised and upset that College Humor got shut down, it has such a huge legacy and managed to evolve with times unlike many other comedy companies. Modern media landscape laser focused on constant growth (hello, capitalism) is driving itself into the ground.
@@nootdraws the company got screwed over by Facebook which promised a lot of money to creators and companies that switched from making contnent for RUclips and made stuff for Facebook pages instead. In the end, it turned out that Facebook was lying about the amount of reach it would produce for creators and ended up losing Colledge Humour a ton of money. In the end, the company was saved by Sam Reich buying out Colledge Humour and switching production from being reliant on other companies to being reliant only on themselves and their fanbase. So I would say it's fair to say that Colledge Humour was shut down; they couldn't continue as College Humour anymore, at least not in the same form they existed in before.
@@Decomposing-Roses yeah, I know, I'm a subscriber now (before I found out they're on their own I used my friend's account). I'm mostly talking abt how now they don't have the financial backing they had before and have to rely on fans (and sponsorships I assume?), even though CollegeHumor is a whole legacy brand (ಠ_ಠ)
@@DariaElGrellPozina this was pre adpocalypse so I'm assuming if they were to re intro the idea it would sail a little better hopefully but I think the cast really enjoys freedom from bs RUclips rules and the liberty to create whatever they want FOR the people who WANT it. It's metamorphosis.
Total Forgiveness is the reason I paid for Dropout. I watched the short clip episodes on youtube, but they don't have the finale. And even though I knew Ally and Grant were still friends, I desperately needed to see it I straight-up cried for most of the last episode
I remember I couldn't stop talking about this show as it was airing, when Grant sells almost everything he has, lowballs his possessions and backs himself into a corner so that he can't actually get the money he's required to in a panic driven blunder, much like the way one would jump into an aggressive loan with extremely high interest to pay back when pushed to the brink. The sight of him going home with nothing, no possessions, no prize money, legally obligated to only use the money he's won so far on his debts. The way that that scene crushes him, how it changes everything that happens in the show afterwards, the real desperation with real consequences being shown in a comedy service. It was uncomfortable, it was visceral, I'm positive the show could never be profitable but my God was it unforgettable content
Total forgiveness is the most important piece of content Dropout has ever produced. And I love their other stuff. I’ve watched it through twice, and the finale still makes me tear up. It’s a really beautiful show.
I have this peculiar sense of loneliness around Dropout. None of my friends watch, which just leaves me with other viewers and their enjoyment. Dropout viewers have a sense that we are all in on a little secret, tho we should know that the company needs and deserves a bigger audience.
I've never felt more respect for someone than when after Grant went through his second to last challenge and Ally was trying to apologize. He kept saying "I get why this is funny" and practically refused to become upset with his friend. I don't know if I know anyone who would've been able to keep their cool after a situation like that, especially with how rough the previous challenges were.
I decided to watch total forgiveness because I just wanted to check it out for a few minutes and after that I was gonna go to sleep. I ended up staying up watching the entire thing having cried (most of the time from the stress) multiple times. I wanted it to have a happy end so badly I just couldn’t go to sleep without knowing it at least ended less miserably than it felt in the middle
Lol everyone who wasted time watching it loves to say how actually it's totally good and funny and so meaningfuland so so real not a production at all beside obvoisly been scripted. Almost like they try to convince themselves "oh no yeah it's a good show and I didn't waste my time on it"
@redditrecall439 You're trying to be contrarian just to be contrarian. What was scripted? That Grant was depressed for over a year and had/has trust issues? Maybe beginning is staged - meeting with Sam. All what the rest of the cast/writers say are just spitting like: it's too far even for that show and can impact your friendship (which it ended up really doing) or it's to easy maybe do this instead since they are terrified. Maybe Grant on the verge of tears while not getting enough money after selling everything he had? After which he takes a break and says he's fine because he's conditioned to keep emotion bottled up like any "man" also his obvious anger and embarrassment after public defecation as an "art form" when he stormed out of the building and said not even goodbye to the crew. If Ally didn't feel bad and didn't feel pressure from cast and other producers that they went too far or they did an impossible challenge (bell challenge, you can't have a boner because you want to, especially while being filmed and timed to do so. They would go even more nuts in a last challenge and got all the money. Which at that point paid 75% of their student debt while Grant was without any furniture and just a phone and a laptop (which would cost him 5-10k to replace back in) he would've gone pennies, maybe he could pay 5k max. I can see how Grant could leave CH (doesn't matter if it went belly up and never contacted Ally, maybe after a few years. Yes, they kept everyone in a dropout, except Brennan, he was only one left from cast in CH but I can see Grant leaving just after the show or just taking part when Ally doesn't (Sorry if I've used she/her, I can't find any instance anymore but I had it like 3 or 4 times and corrected to they/them)
i love this! total forgiveness was a really difficult show to watch, and i think you really captured why it hits so hard despite - or because of - how uncomfortable it can make its audience
First, if you haven't watched Total Forgiveness, go watch it. Dropout has a free trial. Leave, don't get any spoilers, watch it, ugly cry, then come back. Total Forgiveness is really a show that has to be binged. The only way to truly go on that emotional ride without destroying yourself is to watch it all the way through without stopping, and then ruminate on it after. Each episode is theoretically standalone, but nothing clicks until you watch it all the way through in order. It's also the only thing on the whole platform that isn't primarily comedic, because it became a tragic drama completely on accident. I have a huge amount of respect for the producers & creators for allowing its to become what it did. As a comedy company, I would assume that they would have asked the contestants to act a little happier, edited the show more selectively, or scrapped the last few episodes and filmed a quick conclusion, but they allowed the story to play out naturally. I don't usually cry at television, but boy, they had me weeping at that last episode.
The success of the reality tv genre has, ironically, relied on fiction to become as successful as it is- the people on reality tv are caricatures, and editing creates a polished story that is entertaining above all else. But Total Forgiveness didn’t make Grant & Ally into caricatures, and the editing didn’t cut the parts that were unpleasant or uncomfortable to watch, so in depicting the reality of the situation the show kinda failed at being a reality show in the best way. Great vid!
I had the same sense feeling at the end of the show, "this ending would probably be hard to replicate, and the actual debatuary and human indecency might prevail in the end."
Finding out that everyone else was unable to watch the show fully or will never be able to watch it again is very interesting as someone who enjoyed the entire way through and will happily watch it again whenever I feel like it
i binged total forgiveness last night because of this video. i watched the intro and knew i had to watch it, and now i'm back to finish the whole video. man, i'm so glad you made this. total forgiveness is crazy and absolutely remarkable.
Completely unrelated to Total Forgiveness but People Watching shaped me into the person I am today. I was 17 at the time of the first episode and that show forced me to look at myself thoroughly and really think about who I wanted to be. Shows like this de-radicalized and helped me become a healthier and more level headed person.
I love this video so much, though I hope with that final note nobody assumes that stuff like this is truly gone from Collegehumor. Every show on dropout, while wholly unique from eachother, carries the same spirit of Total Forgiveness: creators and performers pushing the limits while still caring about eachother and being friends. It is genuinely the only subscription service i pay for and feel like it's worth every penny. Even just recently, Gamechangers newest episodes have been insane, from the surprise escape room to the Grant Bachelor show. Each of these could've been phoned in, but they're done so well because of how far everyone goes. I implore people to check it out for themselves.
so glad people are spreading the word abt this show, genuinely helped me so much in scaring me out of a private 4 year college and kickstarted my awareness on a lot of my student loans knowledge. as someone who cant handle public humiliation i often had to skip through some of the challenges but i was still able to cohesively follow the narrative. Such a fucking good show. Cried when Ally tipped the glass over the edge of the bar with a smile on their face :)
Im happy for the heart warming ending bcs ngl the show was hard to watch at times. Partly bcs of how scary the American student loan system is but mostly bcs some of Grant's challenges were so absolutely mortifying to me. I know he was in on it and has no qualms in the end, was willing to go the extra mile for the joke etc etc etc but my god, stuff like the poop gallery and selling all his possessions just felt cruel.
I think total forgiveness is the North Star of dropout! While everyone is willing to go the extra mile for a good laugh (with others or at themselves), no one is willing to do it at the expense of their friends. There is a long walk of Grant being the butt of the joke. Grant is a great sport but no one is ever mean spirited. In Game Changer, Grant (innuendo king) got to meet his favorite porn star as part of a jeopardy like category (aptly named dog toy or sext toy). In the sequel episode, he had to tell sex jokes and the reveal of his mother being there and becoming his partner in the second half. In the Dropout version of the Bachelor, they made Grant the bachelor! For this empire of a franchise, Game Changer managed to make a concept and show I truly despise, actually endearing. It included both men and women as contestants, respecting Grant’s Bisexuality. While grant was on dates with various “contestants”, while friends and family showing all of Grant’s Flags (one being a tweet about the best flavor being fruit punch, posted at 4:20). In no way erasing or hiding the funnily unique things about him but not turning him into these unrealistic “romantic leads” to be put on a pedestal. With two male contestants left at the end (those given the “friendship rose” got constellation prizes as they left), grant couldn’t choose! So Sam allowed Grant to take both men to Cabo! That would never happen on any of the Bachelor shows.
Truly, the flexibility allowed to exist because of the nature of them all being friends, creates such a rare and fucking incredible atmosphere for a SHOW. That is insane to me, shows are never ever like this. It just makes 6$ a month worth it.
Thank you for talking about this. Total Forgiveness is one of the best pieces of reality TV I've seen and it has not been acknowledged enough. Really appreciated the insight into how the specific form, platform, and participants added together to make something unique.
I went into Total Forgiveness completely blind (aside from knowing Grant and Ally in their various sketches and shows), not realizing how emotional it would get. At first it was hilarious stuff, and then turned into cringey, second-hand embarrassment inducing challenges. And then the flea market episode. That was when I knew it was real. Like...really real. I'm never that far from financial ruin myself, and the thought of having to sell everything I have and *still* not making enough, scared me. The $1000 goal was seemingly arbitrary, but that's a month rent and utilities for me. Seeing what Grant went through, selling off everything and still coming up short, it was too real. And the next episode hit me hard in a different way. It's funny, after all of the stuff I've learned about Grant over the years, I initially thought that this one would be a cake walk for him. But like was pointed out in this video, I had fallen into the trap of thinking I knew someone because of the body of their work. It's something I've tried to avoid doing and yet...I did. The last episode nearly made me cry, and honestly, it almost seems like it's too perfect an ending, like it was scripted. I truly believe it was spontaneous and unplanned, but I'll be damned if it wasn't perfect. If it had ended any other way, I don't think...I don't know, it would be so dark and terrible. So bravo to Grant and Ally (and the rest of the College Humor/Dropout cast and crew).
thank god you mention the change in tone before major spoiler because I'm only halfway through the series, and definitely avoided major spoilers. definitely glad this video exists to boost dropouts amazing show
I watched this show thinking it was going to be a light hearted prank war between friends and ended up crushingly depressed by the end, the ending was nice but it was a huge struggle to get there
I’ve only just now realised that the title, Total Forgiveness, isn’t just about forgiving Ally and Grant’s debt, it’s also about how the two end up totally forgiving each other of what has ended up happening over the course of the show. Brilliant
I still haven't seen the original show, and the drink pour I have only seen in this video still makes me tear up, despite the fact I've only seen it in this (brilliant) review
The final episode of Total Forgiveness is so deeply important to me. It's a shining light in showcasing how people matter to each other. The idea for the show *wasn't* bad, it became bad, but these people overcame it. It was so heartfelt, honest, and an excellent demonstration of what makes good people so good. It will live with me forever, and I'll never be able to watch episode 10 without crying.
Total Forgiveness is so fucking good that it's worth anyone's 5$ or whatever it costs to subscribe to Dropout for a month. i'm an annual subscriber and i've never once regretted it. they're putting out some of the best comedy content out there right now, and they aren't afraid to get 'real' from time to time either.
I love Total Forgiveness precisely because the name completely tricks us; the premise of it being about debt hides the true core of the show. As you hint at in the video, reality shows are almost predicated on messiness and betrayals: people willing to do anything for money. I feel that's evolved on youtube as well, as people increasingly use every part of their lives for content at the sacrifice of the relationships with their families and friends. Not even to be free of debt, just to make more content Ally and Grant both decided that the content and the money just wasn't worth it. That the reality and the youtube rat race wasn't as important as each other. That capitalism just isn't worth it and getting to love each other, cheesy as it is to say, is. To forget this crazy show and just forgive one another.
I started to get uncomfortable with the show's tone when Grant had to sell all his stuff, because even if he won the challenge, he would have to spend some of it to buy the stuff back. During the next episode, I chuckled at Ali's bits, but there was not a laugh to be had at Grant because of how clearly upset he was by the whole thing. And then in the final episode, he says while enjoying time at the boardwalk something to the effect of, "I would be having an even better time if Ali were here." That got me. Even despite it all, it showed that those two really did care a lot about each other and that Grant wasn't going to hold a grudge over anything that happened. Phenomenal.
just so people are aware not only is the ending great, ally and grant are still incredibly close if anything closer than they were before this show. they’re working on a film together now
brilliant essay, i'm a dropout fan but haven't watched total forgiveness yet and i think you might've sold me on it. fingers crossed your future videos do well!
I couldn't stomach the Herbalife/yard sale episode, and even though the finale thumbnail suggested a poignant happy ending, I couldn't return to the series. Thanks to you, I'll probably watch the finale after all
Based on the weird experimental shows that stick with you that you mention in the beginning, I heavily recommend Sex House and Porkin' Across America, despite the names and how short they are, they are two of the most affecting and excellent web series I have ever seen. (and are also ripe for video essay material)
This show was one of the most uncomfortable viewing experiences I've ever had, but I would still recommend it to most people because it's also one of the best reality shows I've ever watched. Great video!
What I also love about total forgiveness is the playing around with this reality of reality shows. Like I am still convinced that the show is complete scripted and wouldnt be surprised if Grant himself suggested the flea market challenge. But because the people behind the camera are part of the show it seems so real. It really plays with its genre. I also love how it shows how reality shows can truly fuck with the lifes of their contestants. The people of college humor have a love \ hate relationship with reality shows (like many viewers), its shown on other formats too like Gamechanger, but Total Forgiveness is the best example. It is a reality show that has something to say about reality shows.
I don't think it is *completely* scripted but they had to have had a discussion about what was coming next before they filmed it. It's like you said - a comment on reality shows made by messing with the genre. I personally loathe reality shows. But I loved Total Forgiveness.
As someone who has been a collegehumor fan for years and was an early dropout subscriber, Total Forgiveness immediately stood out to me. I’m so excited to finally see a video essay about it! Great work
This is kind of similar to the Joe Schmo Show. The producers found a guy to be part of a pretend reality show, but during the production he emotionally collapsed, and they decided to change the format of the show to make him look good.
Was that a format change? I can't think of any other way the show could have gone. Season 2 they for sure had to format change, because a contestant figured it out.
Total forgiveness was the most emotionally exausting thing I ever watched, also I found this video bc Ally put it on their Instagram story so that's cool.
A great video about a great show! Watching Grant struggle so much in the second half of the show was so meaningful and made me genuinely uncomfortable. Total Forgiveness is so honest and that’s what makes it so good. I’d love to see more videos like this in the future!!
Total forgiveness probably ranks as one of my all time favorite shows but, like other people have said, i don't know if i can watch it again knowing the depth of the emotional arc it takes. I also want to call out your ability to make a thorough point so concisely! This video absolutely feels longer than 8 minutes in the best way possible, covering all the beats of a traditional video essay quickly and skillfully. I'll regularly commit to 3 hour video essays and it never occurred to me that i could get just as rewarding experience without the.... sizable time cost 😬
I saw this video in my recommended and decided to binge the series so I could watch it spoiler free. Jesus Christ, that went places I didn't expect, I'm glad it ended the way it did though.
Something amazing about this is how it directly flys in the face of the viral series of escalating ill willed pranks that really launched college humor at scale. Very interesting
Glad to see someone talking about this show, it has stuck with me so much, I remember watching it so clearly even thought it must have been at least 2 years ago, really something different.
Total Forgiveness is what sold me on Dropout and it continues to be my favorite series they’ve ever produced. I would love to see more stuff tonally or structurally like it. It made me cry and while i love dimension 20 with my whole heart, i miss the freer nature of total forgiveness. it’s not the desire to see a season 2, it’s just that it affected me deeply and i want to feel that again.
great work! this video totally deserves more views. you manages to capture all my thoughts about the show so concisely, and add some interesting new points i hadn't thought about before.
That was a fantastic video. I'm glad that I clicked on the video after seeing it recommended for 2 week... and didn't click off because of the audio issues.
It took me years to watch Total Forgiveness because of the reality of student debts looming in the background. I juat watched it and it was good. But it was hard to watch couple of the later eps until the finale. The ending was beautiful and I love it. And also pointing out how student loans are made to be complicated and overwhelming. But i don't think i could ever watch it again, but it was an amazing experience to watch from beginning to end.
My wife and I recently watched TF start to finish and both enjoyed it tremendously. It's great to see people still talking about it and that when they do, there's are thousands more people willing to listen.
i'm so glad this video exists!! i watched total forgiveness when i was new to collegehumor/dropout because the premise was interesting to me. it was a bit hard to get through the last few episodes, but that's sort of what kept me going through the end because it was much realer than other types of competition shows, and the end made everything so good. it was a very hard lesson in relationships to get through, but ultimately worked out very well in that regard and i'm happy it exists and that grant and ally are alright
This is such an interesting analysis of Total Forgiveness. I remember watching it in 2019 or 2020 rather close to its release with a strong foundational parasocial relationship with both Grant and Ally (I’ve been watching CH for over a decade now and remember Ally joining the cast). It is such an interesting show with so much depth and I really liked your brief analysis of it in this video (I say brief since it’s common for video essays to be 45+ minutes currently)
I didn't even know this was a show! even though you've told us the conclusion, I really want to watch it now- thanks for bringing it to light. This really is a show that has 'history' and could not have come from thin air. I hope they're bond results stronger because of this!
When I watched it, at first it was suppsoed to be like a casual fun show to watch while eating, then as the episodes go on and you get more into the lives of Grant and Ally, hearing about how much debt their in and how difficult it has been for them, you get to see a very vulnerable side to them. Then in the last few episodes this vulnerability is not only put on full display but also further proven by some of the things they are willing to do and ultimately regret doing or feel that if they dont, they might never get out of debt. Its a very visceral and difficult thing to watch but I think anybody subscribed to Dropout should watch it
Im a big college humor and dropout fan. Ive seen Total Forgiveness about 4 times. Its so real if youve ever had debt, and its dynamics and ending is really something
I remember my first watch through of total forgiveness. I was already vaguely aware of the premise from Grant and Ally mentioning it outside of the show, and I really loved how crazy it was at first. But like halfway through Grant needing to sell his stuff I started to worry about him. Then I felt terrible that he sold most of it without winning. Cut to the next episode which would make me equally uncomfortable in his shoes, meanwhile Ally has no problem with their challenge. The finale was truly heartwarming and a well needed break after the uncomfortableness from the previous two episodes. To this day I still watch it as a comfort show up to the last two because it gets too awkward to rewatch.
To me, the best part is that Ally and Grant are in control of what’s happening. Sam and the production team aren’t forcing them to do anything, the fear of crushing institutional debt is.
It’s like a modern parable about two close friends battling against whatever busted version of capitalism we’re all toiling under.
And in the end they win because they’re still friends.
Total Forgiveness is one of those things I could only watch once but something that I want to force Congress to watch every damn day until they grow a moral compass (or until they die, whichever comes first).
It's so fascinating to me that if you look at Reddit threads on the show or the RUclips comments, you in fact see a LOT of people keen to see the show replicated with other contestants.
I feel like there's a part of internet culture that can't leave something be; if it's good, there NEEDS to be more of it, even when it would clearly be a terrible idea.
Total Forgiveness is good BECAUSE they decided to end it, to tear up the premise and to prioritise friendship over content. Doing more of it would betray the ending.
Plus, they sort of did something like this on Gamechanger with their race to the bottom or “what’s in the box” episodes. Allowing the challenges to stay crazy and weird (yet funny and light hearted) but never cutting so deep or becoming hurtful as total forgiveness. Even in Gamechanger there were prizes and punches pulled by contestants because it was a “post total forgiveness” office.
It wasn't covered in this video, but Ally went to even more credit card debt after the show. After paying down loans with the show, and the loan forgiviness program, they (Ally) were essentially debt free. But during the pandemic they started buying unncessary things and now maxed out 5 different credit cards which have 20% interest rates. This was revealed in another Dropout show they were on.
Learning this retroactively and fundamentally changed my takeaway from Total Forgiveness.
The show's thesis was that Ally and Grant were essentially victims to a preadatory student loan program, but watching Ally basically put theirself in the situation again almost immediately made me realize its probably also true that many people in huge student loan debt lack financial responsibility.
EDIT: thanks for letting me know changed it!
@@wonderfulworldofmarkets9033 I remember watching that episode of Dirty Laundry. Who knows when they had put in those applications for the credit cards but yes, I truly believe there is a lack of financial understanding in America. I was lucky that my parents taught me early and my high school offered a financial planning class but not other high schools do or when you’re 16, you don’t think you need to know about a ROTH IRA or a savings account. The pandemic and that stimulus money was a double edged sword in the sense that it really helped people but maybe gave them some delusions of grandeur; simply having this influx of money (beyond using it for the essential needs) it was more than people knew what to do with.
@@wonderfulworldofmarkets9033 Hate to be this person, but Ally uses they/them pronouns, not she. I remembered that Dirty Laundry bit though--I had no idea they'd fallen back into the hole of debt as badly as they did! Both they and Grant are just legendarily bad with money...
@@wonderfulworldofmarkets9033 I'm pretty sure there was an episode of "Um, Actually" where only one of the three people knew to pay off high interest student loans first in the real life skills question.
I think there's a point where joking about adulting being hard is harmful, when people act like it's good to be proud of being bad with money. But I think it's probably more common in show business, which unfortunately makes most people who have reasonable money problems look bad.
What stood out most to me is that despite all of the heartbreak and pain, they both still had sizable debts at the end despite the money they made during the show. For me it fully encapsulated on a very deep level how systemic the problem is. It can't be solved by individual action
I never got through an episode of Total Forgiveness because the premise was so uncomfortable, even when I knew the ending was more heartfelt. It's an incredibly heartbreaking but real showcase of how debt affects people.
That's so fair, I watched it in one night at like midnight and I was so uncomfortable it made me ill
It gets so much worse as the series goes. Ends very lovely and made me cry, but jesus christ it hurt until that point. I went from laughing, to having to take a break before the final episodes because it was not fun anymore. 10/10 show
I got through several episodes, but eventually I had to stop. I’m glad to learn here that it had a happy ending.
Yeah I saw it around back when it first came out, but could never bring myself to watch it. I love Collegehumor (and now Dropout) but that just was not for me
Dropout is absurdly underated. When they go deep it's so so good and their comedy always feels so fresh and so often like you're listening in on a restaurant kitchen joking around.
I got into DROPOUT because of game changer, but then started watching dimension 20 and I can’t even count the number of times that show has had me break down sobbing
I was into CollegeHumor back in the Adam Ruins Everything days, rediscovered them through Um Actually and Brennan’s CEO videos, but when I discovered Game Changer I was hooked. I still think it’s one of the best premises for a TV show ever conceived.
Game changer is a 10/10 show and I'm happy to pay the dropout price for it; I hope we see more seasons soon.
@@allyabernathy4098 lol same old premises as amir and streeter prank war, borat, Nathan for you, any dare for money show, even any wresting show and countless other TV shows over the years
They have over 14 million subscribers. They’re anything but underrated.
Total Forgiveness was a unique experience, but I’m not sure if I could ever watch it again even while knowing the ending. The psychological toll it took, especially on Grant, was heartbreaking and uncomfortable to watch. I really appreciate your conclusion here - if this was a show intended for multiple seasons, it wouldn’t be what it is and it would be a wildly hollow, cruel experiment. Ally’s last choice in the ‘game’ was the only way this could’ve ended okay.
I think the turning point was Grant selling nearly everything and still losing the challenge. He lost so much, he walked away with all his possessions in one suitcase and it still wasn't enough.
After that episode it hurt to watch.
@@chuckle5253 I watched that episode all the way through, but subsequently had to skip large parts of the next episode because I felt so bad.
To this day it's one of my favorite shows, but I can only watch the end of the last episode where Ally loses on purpose. I can't watch the rest of it.
@@chuckle5253 Agreed. Ally, whether on purpose or by accident, devised challenges that cut much, much more deeply than anything Grant could or would cook up. I fully skipped to the end after that, I still haven't gone back to watch Grant's day at the park.
@@chuckle5253 yeah, that episode was so hard to watch and tbh, it's my only problem with the show in general - Sam should've vetoed that challenge since it went against the purpose of the show
the fact that ally and grant were the ones who pitched the show, and insisted on doing it when sam expressed his reservations about the concept REALLY colors a lot of the energy of the show. at its worst, total forgiveness is dark and uncomfortable but without that sense of agency from the contestants being the ones orchestrating the gauntlet of debt fuelled unpleasantries, it'd be unbearable. the fact that its uncomfortable to watch, though, makes it meaningful imo. i think there is power and poignancy in a work being intentionally hard to watch, if done right
The thing with Grant is that the series really starts by showing everyones antagonistic relationship with him. Almost all of the early bits include ppl poking fun at him while showing sympathy for Ali. (Best example is the funeral of Ali turning into a Grant roast.)
Ofc this is normally all in good fun, and it's a running theme with content on dropout that he's obviously okay with it. In Total Forgiveness, it really shows how much he can handle, and how it goes too far. They said it really well in the reunion podcast, but the fact that Grant just leaves the performance without an extra word is so unlike him. He's the class clown, and loves it. But this time it was too far.
It makes the ending hit so hard too when everyone shows the genuine care they have for him, that underneath it they are all friends. Ali especially, who throws away so much money just to show how much they genuinely care for Grant.
God, it's just amazing.
The full video of Ally reading their diary publicly is my comfort video. There’s something about the insanely uncomfortable yet beautifully vulnerable experience of them reading their unedited teenage thoughts that makes me feel less alone
The ending brings deep and incredibly complex meaning to the entire show and i'm glad they did this. At first they just wanted to show how far people are willing to go for the chance of reducing their enormous debt to a predatory corporation, it shows us the reality of modern US society where human lives are ruined for the profit of a select few, but by the end the same contestants pitching this show realize just how flaud the premise is and even in this profit driven society there is nothing more meaningful and fullfilling than friendship and love, Ally intentionally giving up on a huge amount of money for Grant shows us that even though you can be broke, under constant stress of debt and dreaming of a better life, everything becomes meaningless if the price for this dream is ruining your current friendships and relationships which essentially bring meaning to those same dreams of a better life.
I think as a long term college humor fan the show shines bright especially when compared to what feels like it's direct predecessor the prank wars. Where Total Forgiveness actually confronts the tension and ultimately resolves it. The prank wars ends with something closer to a truce in the face of mounting odds and growing anger. It feels as if drop out itself matured
I've finished Total Forgiveness just because my friend has watched it and said that it ends fine. I was really upset after the episode with flea market sale and almost cried after episode 9- and did end up crying at the end.
Neither Grant nor Allie are my favorite cast members, but they're cool, I like their friendship and as a foreigner American student loan debt horrifies me. I'm also surprised and upset that College Humor got shut down, it has such a huge legacy and managed to evolve with times unlike many other comedy companies.
Modern media landscape laser focused on constant growth (hello, capitalism) is driving itself into the ground.
I don’t know if CH quite got shut down so much as morphed into Dropout
@@nootdraws the company got screwed over by Facebook which promised a lot of money to creators and companies that switched from making contnent for RUclips and made stuff for Facebook pages instead. In the end, it turned out that Facebook was lying about the amount of reach it would produce for creators and ended up losing Colledge Humour a ton of money. In the end, the company was saved by Sam Reich buying out Colledge Humour and switching production from being reliant on other companies to being reliant only on themselves and their fanbase. So I would say it's fair to say that Colledge Humour was shut down; they couldn't continue as College Humour anymore, at least not in the same form they existed in before.
Almost all of the cast are still working at Dropout.
@@Decomposing-Roses yeah, I know, I'm a subscriber now (before I found out they're on their own I used my friend's account). I'm mostly talking abt how now they don't have the financial backing they had before and have to rely on fans (and sponsorships I assume?), even though CollegeHumor is a whole legacy brand (ಠ_ಠ)
@@DariaElGrellPozina this was pre adpocalypse so I'm assuming if they were to re intro the idea it would sail a little better hopefully but I think the cast really enjoys freedom from bs RUclips rules and the liberty to create whatever they want FOR the people who WANT it. It's metamorphosis.
Total Forgiveness is the reason I paid for Dropout. I watched the short clip episodes on youtube, but they don't have the finale. And even though I knew Ally and Grant were still friends, I desperately needed to see it
I straight-up cried for most of the last episode
I remember I couldn't stop talking about this show as it was airing, when Grant sells almost everything he has, lowballs his possessions and backs himself into a corner so that he can't actually get the money he's required to in a panic driven blunder, much like the way one would jump into an aggressive loan with extremely high interest to pay back when pushed to the brink. The sight of him going home with nothing, no possessions, no prize money, legally obligated to only use the money he's won so far on his debts. The way that that scene crushes him, how it changes everything that happens in the show afterwards, the real desperation with real consequences being shown in a comedy service. It was uncomfortable, it was visceral, I'm positive the show could never be profitable but my God was it unforgettable content
Total forgiveness is the most important piece of content Dropout has ever produced. And I love their other stuff. I’ve watched it through twice, and the finale still makes me tear up. It’s a really beautiful show.
I have this peculiar sense of loneliness around Dropout. None of my friends watch, which just leaves me with other viewers and their enjoyment. Dropout viewers have a sense that we are all in on a little secret, tho we should know that the company needs and deserves a bigger audience.
I've never felt more respect for someone than when after Grant went through his second to last challenge and Ally was trying to apologize. He kept saying "I get why this is funny" and practically refused to become upset with his friend. I don't know if I know anyone who would've been able to keep their cool after a situation like that, especially with how rough the previous challenges were.
I decided to watch total forgiveness because I just wanted to check it out for a few minutes and after that I was gonna go to sleep. I ended up staying up watching the entire thing having cried (most of the time from the stress) multiple times. I wanted it to have a happy end so badly I just couldn’t go to sleep without knowing it at least ended less miserably than it felt in the middle
The show is a real nightmare for most of it but the ending really makes the whole think work. I'm glad someone is drawing some attention to it!
Lol everyone who wasted time watching it loves to say how actually it's totally good and funny and so meaningfuland so so real not a production at all beside obvoisly been scripted. Almost like they try to convince themselves "oh no yeah it's a good show and I didn't waste my time on it"
@redditrecall439 You're trying to be contrarian just to be contrarian. What was scripted? That Grant was depressed for over a year and had/has trust issues? Maybe beginning is staged - meeting with Sam. All what the rest of the cast/writers say are just spitting like: it's too far even for that show and can impact your friendship (which it ended up really doing) or it's to easy maybe do this instead since they are terrified. Maybe Grant on the verge of tears while not getting enough money after selling everything he had? After which he takes a break and says he's fine because he's conditioned to keep emotion bottled up like any "man" also his obvious anger and embarrassment after public defecation as an "art form" when he stormed out of the building and said not even goodbye to the crew. If Ally didn't feel bad and didn't feel pressure from cast and other producers that they went too far or they did an impossible challenge (bell challenge, you can't have a boner because you want to, especially while being filmed and timed to do so. They would go even more nuts in a last challenge and got all the money. Which at that point paid 75% of their student debt while Grant was without any furniture and just a phone and a laptop (which would cost him 5-10k to replace back in) he would've gone pennies, maybe he could pay 5k max. I can see how Grant could leave CH (doesn't matter if it went belly up and never contacted Ally, maybe after a few years. Yes, they kept everyone in a dropout, except Brennan, he was only one left from cast in CH but I can see Grant leaving just after the show or just taking part when Ally doesn't
(Sorry if I've used she/her, I can't find any instance anymore but I had it like 3 or 4 times and corrected to they/them)
i love this! total forgiveness was a really difficult show to watch, and i think you really captured why it hits so hard despite - or because of - how uncomfortable it can make its audience
First, if you haven't watched Total Forgiveness, go watch it. Dropout has a free trial. Leave, don't get any spoilers, watch it, ugly cry, then come back.
Total Forgiveness is really a show that has to be binged. The only way to truly go on that emotional ride without destroying yourself is to watch it all the way through without stopping, and then ruminate on it after. Each episode is theoretically standalone, but nothing clicks until you watch it all the way through in order.
It's also the only thing on the whole platform that isn't primarily comedic, because it became a tragic drama completely on accident. I have a huge amount of respect for the producers & creators for allowing its to become what it did. As a comedy company, I would assume that they would have asked the contestants to act a little happier, edited the show more selectively, or scrapped the last few episodes and filmed a quick conclusion, but they allowed the story to play out naturally. I don't usually cry at television, but boy, they had me weeping at that last episode.
The success of the reality tv genre has, ironically, relied on fiction to become as successful as it is- the people on reality tv are caricatures, and editing creates a polished story that is entertaining above all else. But Total Forgiveness didn’t make Grant & Ally into caricatures, and the editing didn’t cut the parts that were unpleasant or uncomfortable to watch, so in depicting the reality of the situation the show kinda failed at being a reality show in the best way. Great vid!
I had the same sense feeling at the end of the show, "this ending would probably be hard to replicate, and the actual debatuary and human indecency might prevail in the end."
When Ally Beardsley read their diary, I cried for almost as hour.
Finding out that everyone else was unable to watch the show fully or will never be able to watch it again is very interesting as someone who enjoyed the entire way through and will happily watch it again whenever I feel like it
Have watched it twice myself
I know things get too far a lot of the time. But by the end I really admire the friendship Ally and Grant share
i binged total forgiveness last night because of this video. i watched the intro and knew i had to watch it, and now i'm back to finish the whole video. man, i'm so glad you made this. total forgiveness is crazy and absolutely remarkable.
I cannot stomach any amount of second-hand embarrassment. But this review has prompted me to at least watch the last episode of Total Forgiveness.
Completely unrelated to Total Forgiveness but People Watching shaped me into the person I am today. I was 17 at the time of the first episode and that show forced me to look at myself thoroughly and really think about who I wanted to be. Shows like this de-radicalized and helped me become a healthier and more level headed person.
Fantastic work! I love Total Forgiveness, and it’s great to see someone talking about everything that *I’ve* thought about the show.
really glad ally reshared this video, a testament to the quality of the analysis! probably wouldn't have found it otherwise
I love this video so much, though I hope with that final note nobody assumes that stuff like this is truly gone from Collegehumor.
Every show on dropout, while wholly unique from eachother, carries the same spirit of Total Forgiveness: creators and performers pushing the limits while still caring about eachother and being friends.
It is genuinely the only subscription service i pay for and feel like it's worth every penny. Even just recently, Gamechangers newest episodes have been insane, from the surprise escape room to the Grant Bachelor show. Each of these could've been phoned in, but they're done so well because of how far everyone goes. I implore people to check it out for themselves.
That bar scene in the last episode will always make me tear up
so glad people are spreading the word abt this show, genuinely helped me so much in scaring me out of a private 4 year college and kickstarted my awareness on a lot of my student loans knowledge.
as someone who cant handle public humiliation i often had to skip through some of the challenges but i was still able to cohesively follow the narrative. Such a fucking good show. Cried when Ally tipped the glass over the edge of the bar with a smile on their face :)
Im happy for the heart warming ending bcs ngl the show was hard to watch at times. Partly bcs of how scary the American student loan system is but mostly bcs some of Grant's challenges were so absolutely mortifying to me. I know he was in on it and has no qualms in the end, was willing to go the extra mile for the joke etc etc etc but my god, stuff like the poop gallery and selling all his possessions just felt cruel.
Wow, been a Dropout subscriber for over a year and a College Humor (nonpaying) fan for over a decade, yet still didn't know about this show. Thank you
I think total forgiveness is the North Star of dropout! While everyone is willing to go the extra mile for a good laugh (with others or at themselves), no one is willing to do it at the expense of their friends. There is a long walk of Grant being the butt of the joke. Grant is a great sport but no one is ever mean spirited. In Game Changer, Grant (innuendo king) got to meet his favorite porn star as part of a jeopardy like category (aptly named dog toy or sext toy). In the sequel episode, he had to tell sex jokes and the reveal of his mother being there and becoming his partner in the second half. In the Dropout version of the Bachelor, they made Grant the bachelor! For this empire of a franchise, Game Changer managed to make a concept and show I truly despise, actually endearing. It included both men and women as contestants, respecting Grant’s Bisexuality. While grant was on dates with various “contestants”, while friends and family showing all of Grant’s Flags (one being a tweet about the best flavor being fruit punch, posted at 4:20). In no way erasing or hiding the funnily unique things about him but not turning him into these unrealistic “romantic leads” to be put on a pedestal. With two male contestants left at the end (those given the “friendship rose” got constellation prizes as they left), grant couldn’t choose! So Sam allowed Grant to take both men to Cabo! That would never happen on any of the Bachelor shows.
Truly, the flexibility allowed to exist because of the nature of them all being friends, creates such a rare and fucking incredible atmosphere for a SHOW. That is insane to me, shows are never ever like this. It just makes 6$ a month worth it.
Thank you for talking about this. Total Forgiveness is one of the best pieces of reality TV I've seen and it has not been acknowledged enough. Really appreciated the insight into how the specific form, platform, and participants added together to make something unique.
I went into Total Forgiveness completely blind (aside from knowing Grant and Ally in their various sketches and shows), not realizing how emotional it would get. At first it was hilarious stuff, and then turned into cringey, second-hand embarrassment inducing challenges.
And then the flea market episode. That was when I knew it was real. Like...really real. I'm never that far from financial ruin myself, and the thought of having to sell everything I have and *still* not making enough, scared me. The $1000 goal was seemingly arbitrary, but that's a month rent and utilities for me. Seeing what Grant went through, selling off everything and still coming up short, it was too real.
And the next episode hit me hard in a different way. It's funny, after all of the stuff I've learned about Grant over the years, I initially thought that this one would be a cake walk for him. But like was pointed out in this video, I had fallen into the trap of thinking I knew someone because of the body of their work. It's something I've tried to avoid doing and yet...I did.
The last episode nearly made me cry, and honestly, it almost seems like it's too perfect an ending, like it was scripted. I truly believe it was spontaneous and unplanned, but I'll be damned if it wasn't perfect. If it had ended any other way, I don't think...I don't know, it would be so dark and terrible.
So bravo to Grant and Ally (and the rest of the College Humor/Dropout cast and crew).
thank god you mention the change in tone before major spoiler because I'm only halfway through the series, and definitely avoided major spoilers. definitely glad this video exists to boost dropouts amazing show
I watched this show thinking it was going to be a light hearted prank war between friends and ended up crushingly depressed by the end, the ending was nice but it was a huge struggle to get there
Even listening to a description of that final episode I tear up still, that show has left a mark on my soul.
I’ve only just now realised that the title, Total Forgiveness, isn’t just about forgiving Ally and Grant’s debt, it’s also about how the two end up totally forgiving each other of what has ended up happening over the course of the show. Brilliant
This video pushed me over the edge to subscribe to dropout and now they recommended it on their newsletter - truly coming full circle
I still haven't seen the original show, and the drink pour I have only seen in this video still makes me tear up, despite the fact I've only seen it in this (brilliant) review
Great essay. this show was so hard to watch at times, but I’m so glad it had a happy ending. I love grant and ally so much!
When I watched Total Forgiveness the first time, I legitimately cried at how much fun Jess and Katie and Grant had at the beach.
The final episode of Total Forgiveness is so deeply important to me. It's a shining light in showcasing how people matter to each other. The idea for the show *wasn't* bad, it became bad, but these people overcame it. It was so heartfelt, honest, and an excellent demonstration of what makes good people so good. It will live with me forever, and I'll never be able to watch episode 10 without crying.
This friendship and show are gold.
Total Forgiveness is so fucking good that it's worth anyone's 5$ or whatever it costs to subscribe to Dropout for a month. i'm an annual subscriber and i've never once regretted it. they're putting out some of the best comedy content out there right now, and they aren't afraid to get 'real' from time to time either.
I love Total Forgiveness precisely because the name completely tricks us; the premise of it being about debt hides the true core of the show. As you hint at in the video, reality shows are almost predicated on messiness and betrayals: people willing to do anything for money. I feel that's evolved on youtube as well, as people increasingly use every part of their lives for content at the sacrifice of the relationships with their families and friends. Not even to be free of debt, just to make more content
Ally and Grant both decided that the content and the money just wasn't worth it. That the reality and the youtube rat race wasn't as important as each other. That capitalism just isn't worth it and getting to love each other, cheesy as it is to say, is. To forget this crazy show and just forgive one another.
Total Forgiveness was a wild show. It felt deeply personal in such a raw way.
I started to get uncomfortable with the show's tone when Grant had to sell all his stuff, because even if he won the challenge, he would have to spend some of it to buy the stuff back. During the next episode, I chuckled at Ali's bits, but there was not a laugh to be had at Grant because of how clearly upset he was by the whole thing.
And then in the final episode, he says while enjoying time at the boardwalk something to the effect of, "I would be having an even better time if Ali were here." That got me. Even despite it all, it showed that those two really did care a lot about each other and that Grant wasn't going to hold a grudge over anything that happened. Phenomenal.
0:15 Gamechanger is listed as only having one season??? What? We're like 5 seasons in to this beautiful madness, BABY!
It's all love.
just so people are aware not only is the ending great, ally and grant are still incredibly close if anything closer than they were before this show. they’re working on a film together now
Ally just shared this in their Instagram. Your praise is being noticed by the creators 😁
brilliant essay, i'm a dropout fan but haven't watched total forgiveness yet and i think you might've sold me on it. fingers crossed your future videos do well!
I couldn't stomach the Herbalife/yard sale episode, and even though the finale thumbnail suggested a poignant happy ending, I couldn't return to the series. Thanks to you, I'll probably watch the finale after all
Based on the weird experimental shows that stick with you that you mention in the beginning, I heavily recommend Sex House and Porkin' Across America, despite the names and how short they are, they are two of the most affecting and excellent web series I have ever seen. (and are also ripe for video essay material)
This show was one of the most uncomfortable viewing experiences I've ever had, but I would still recommend it to most people because it's also one of the best reality shows I've ever watched. Great video!
i love dropout and all their shows, all the people who work on them are super talented. glad it’s getting some love
decided to watch this on a whim because i had a dropout subscription for d20. became totally obsessed
Love that this show is getting some love on the internet. Dropout is so great!
Knowing how the show ends only makes me want to watch it more. I never really got into the pre-pandemic dropout content but I will now
This show was so good I stayed up till 3am watching it
I never cry at tv shows or movies, but this silly reality show made me cry.
What I also love about total forgiveness is the playing around with this reality of reality shows. Like I am still convinced that the show is complete scripted and wouldnt be surprised if Grant himself suggested the flea market challenge. But because the people behind the camera are part of the show it seems so real. It really plays with its genre. I also love how it shows how reality shows can truly fuck with the lifes of their contestants. The people of college humor have a love \ hate relationship with reality shows (like many viewers), its shown on other formats too like Gamechanger, but Total Forgiveness is the best example. It is a reality show that has something to say about reality shows.
I don't think it is *completely* scripted but they had to have had a discussion about what was coming next before they filmed it. It's like you said - a comment on reality shows made by messing with the genre. I personally loathe reality shows. But I loved Total Forgiveness.
Drop out is one of the single best comedic/reality production companies out there.
As someone who has been a collegehumor fan for years and was an early dropout subscriber, Total Forgiveness immediately stood out to me. I’m so excited to finally see a video essay about it! Great work
This is kind of similar to the Joe Schmo Show. The producers found a guy to be part of a pretend reality show, but during the production he emotionally collapsed, and they decided to change the format of the show to make him look good.
Was that a format change? I can't think of any other way the show could have gone. Season 2 they for sure had to format change, because a contestant figured it out.
@@nathanhoffmann1747 maybe "shift" is a good way to put it. The producers turned Joe Schmo from a hole to a hero.
Total forgiveness is my absolute favorite reality show, I ALSO find myself thinking about it all the time! Glad you’re giving it the boost it deserves
College Humor continues to be one of the most impactful and entertaining streaming platforms.
Total forgiveness was the most emotionally exausting thing I ever watched, also I found this video bc Ally put it on their Instagram story so that's cool.
I already had a dropout subscription, but I guess now I know what I'm gonna watch next.
Paused and watched the entire show before watching this, thanks!
A great video about a great show! Watching Grant struggle so much in the second half of the show was so meaningful and made me genuinely uncomfortable. Total Forgiveness is so honest and that’s what makes it so good. I’d love to see more videos like this in the future!!
I loved the show, could never rewatch. That really hurt, seeing Grant so angry and lost.
Total forgiveness probably ranks as one of my all time favorite shows but, like other people have said, i don't know if i can watch it again knowing the depth of the emotional arc it takes. I also want to call out your ability to make a thorough point so concisely! This video absolutely feels longer than 8 minutes in the best way possible, covering all the beats of a traditional video essay quickly and skillfully. I'll regularly commit to 3 hour video essays and it never occurred to me that i could get just as rewarding experience without the.... sizable time cost 😬
So excited for The Disruptors from these two
www.imdb.com/title/tt21048468/
I saw this video in my recommended and decided to binge the series so I could watch it spoiler free. Jesus Christ, that went places I didn't expect, I'm glad it ended the way it did though.
Something amazing about this is how it directly flys in the face of the viral series of escalating ill willed pranks that really launched college humor at scale.
Very interesting
Glad to see someone talking about this show, it has stuck with me so much, I remember watching it so clearly even thought it must have been at least 2 years ago, really something different.
Total Forgiveness is what sold me on Dropout and it continues to be my favorite series they’ve ever produced. I would love to see more stuff tonally or structurally like it. It made me cry and while i love dimension 20 with my whole heart, i miss the freer nature of total forgiveness. it’s not the desire to see a season 2, it’s just that it affected me deeply and i want to feel that again.
great work! this video totally deserves more views. you manages to capture all my thoughts about the show so concisely, and add some interesting new points i hadn't thought about before.
That was a fantastic video. I'm glad that I clicked on the video after seeing it recommended for 2 week... and didn't click off because of the audio issues.
This was one of the most amazing shows I’ve ever watched. Also I’m really glad that they won’t do a second season
It took me years to watch Total Forgiveness because of the reality of student debts looming in the background. I juat watched it and it was good. But it was hard to watch couple of the later eps until the finale. The ending was beautiful and I love it. And also pointing out how student loans are made to be complicated and overwhelming. But i don't think i could ever watch it again, but it was an amazing experience to watch from beginning to end.
My wife and I recently watched TF start to finish and both enjoyed it tremendously. It's great to see people still talking about it and that when they do, there's are thousands more people willing to listen.
this was incredible. and the commentary on dropout is right on the nose too.
i'm so glad this video exists!!
i watched total forgiveness when i was new to collegehumor/dropout because the premise was interesting to me. it was a bit hard to get through the last few episodes, but that's sort of what kept me going through the end because it was much realer than other types of competition shows, and the end made everything so good.
it was a very hard lesson in relationships to get through, but ultimately worked out very well in that regard and i'm happy it exists and that grant and ally are alright
Absolutely love total forgiveness, super happy to see people talking about it in 2023
genuinely wonderful video, thank you so much for the analysis!
This is such an interesting analysis of Total Forgiveness.
I remember watching it in 2019 or 2020 rather close to its release with a strong foundational parasocial relationship with both Grant and Ally (I’ve been watching CH for over a decade now and remember Ally joining the cast).
It is such an interesting show with so much depth and I really liked your brief analysis of it in this video (I say brief since it’s common for video essays to be 45+ minutes currently)
I didn't even know this was a show! even though you've told us the conclusion, I really want to watch it now- thanks for bringing it to light. This really is a show that has 'history' and could not have come from thin air. I hope they're bond results stronger because of this!
i really appreciated this as someone who could never get through the show because how difficult of a watch it is
Please make more video essays; this was really enjoyable.
When I watched it, at first it was suppsoed to be like a casual fun show to watch while eating, then as the episodes go on and you get more into the lives of Grant and Ally, hearing about how much debt their in and how difficult it has been for them, you get to see a very vulnerable side to them. Then in the last few episodes this vulnerability is not only put on full display but also further proven by some of the things they are willing to do and ultimately regret doing or feel that if they dont, they might never get out of debt. Its a very visceral and difficult thing to watch but I think anybody subscribed to Dropout should watch it
Total Forgiverness is a perfect series because it hurts so good.
Im a big college humor and dropout fan. Ive seen Total Forgiveness about 4 times. Its so real if youve ever had debt, and its dynamics and ending is really something
I remember my first watch through of total forgiveness. I was already vaguely aware of the premise from Grant and Ally mentioning it outside of the show, and I really loved how crazy it was at first. But like halfway through Grant needing to sell his stuff I started to worry about him. Then I felt terrible that he sold most of it without winning. Cut to the next episode which would make me equally uncomfortable in his shoes, meanwhile Ally has no problem with their challenge. The finale was truly heartwarming and a well needed break after the uncomfortableness from the previous two episodes. To this day I still watch it as a comfort show up to the last two because it gets too awkward to rewatch.