Online content creation has become a widely successful profession, especially in the current day. With more and more people going viral on many sites such as YouTube, comes success and with success comes expansion. Expansion into whatever new trend that can make internet celebrities more money, such as food, businesses, movies and especially shows. There are a wide variety of shows made by youtubers and there are examples of it doing exceptionally well and examples that completely missed the mark.
Mark Fischbach, also known online as Markiplier, is one such internet celebrity who has created several series, with some examples such as “A Heist with Markiplier,” “In Space with Markiplier” and most recently “The Edge of Sleep.” The first two examples are YouTube specials that play on the concept of a series led by a well-known internet celebrity well, by creating an interesting choose your own adventure style narrative with clear passion and effort put into the quality of the series. The writing and acting are well-executed, the comedy is effective and it works well to execute its own narrative. “The Edge of Sleep,” is also an example of a well-executed show, as it does well to play on its horrifying premise.
James Stephen Donaldson, also known online as MrBeast and his show “Beast Games,” is an example of the opposite, however. For one, it is a very clear rip-off of the successful Netflix show “Squid Games” and lacks any sense of originality or creativity. Not only that, but “Beast Games,” revels in materialism, greed and the idea of sacrifice for monetary gain, which is exactly what the original Netflix show at its core criticizes. Furthermore, the production of “Beast Games,” was problematic, as according to Movie Web, “Contestants claimed that there were dangerous conditions on set and neglect. This included contestants being forced to sleep on stadium floors, injuries caused by poor planning and withholding of medication they brought with them.”
