It’s Brain Survival November

That’s right!

• Series three of The Devil’s Plan begins on Tuesday 10th on Netflix, fourteen episodes over three weeks, and this time it sounds like they’ve gone “how close can we legally be to The Genius without being The Genius” featuring loads of top contestants from The Genius, some from Bloody Game, a new set-up so you’re not eliminated by running out of garn pieces and are eliminated through gameplay (some of that happened last time out as well). I’m hoping they’ve finally sorted out the prison system, there was a kind of rich-get-richer element to the previous series so prison was difficult to escape, although everyone in the prison seemed to be having a more fun time even if they also had to survive twice as many games. Fingers crossed! We’ll be discussing it in #geniuschat on the Discord. Incidentally Idiotape have a new album out soon, how funny would it be if some of it popped up on here.
• Thanks to Juner to alerting us to Rock, Paper, Landmine coming to Amazon Japan from the 13th November – my only reservation is that it might not be a worldwide release and that would be a pity as it sounds Very Much Like The Sort Of Thing We Like. They describe it thusly: “It’s a “people mind battling over high stakes games” kinda show in the same vein as Liar Game, Kakegurui etc. The games are more complex versions of classic japanese childhood games, e.g. the first is glico (weighted rock paper scissors) where the players are trying to get to the top of a staircase, but can both place three ‘landmines’ on steps that force you back 10 spaces if you land on them. It’s based on a novel which I’ve heard great stuff about and have been hoping gets translated eventually.” Youtube trailer in Japanese here.
• Not brain survival but something I watched recently which might scratch a sort of itch is K-Drama Dead End Job on Netflix – a short series, around 8×40 (of which five of those minutes each episode are credits) – indebted guy whose Dad went mysteriously missing takes on various jobs featuring paranormal phenomena for increasing amounts of cash from a mysterious agency. Horror, Violence and Adult Themes all feature, but the jobs are pitched in a mildly challenge-y way throughout – you’ll like the milk delivery job, and in fact there’s a central story element based around what appears to be a recognisable Korean version of Happy Family Plan/Moment of Truth. Quite entertaining and doesn’t outstay its welcome.