I don’t mind the zoom call version at all. ive always tended to watch the weekender on the weekend and then batch watch the xlbs in a go after a few weeks.

I must admit I like the set they have for the Weekenders is just nice, it gives a polished vibe. Not saying it isn’t a polished product, but the set naturally looks built up but also a bit tv-talk-show-esq visual look, which is hard to implement on zoom etc

Zoom is probably easier to share hobby in some ways, for example indie of the week or showing the hobby theyre doing at home as it is around them.

i also feel ben is on a more even footing now as sometimes when he was on the tv, i felt the ‘live’ members probably talked over him a bit, or maybe a bit of lagginess you could tell he wanted to but in but the conversation passed by. and really only had larger talking points when he was filling in news parts/kickstarters etc, not a problem at all, but i guess the latency he had is much fairer now that everyone has it ahaha.

but it probably limits other bits. For example, coo-ing over someones painted miniatures/hobby which they bought into the studio or new miniatures that have been sent in or the packages they used to get (eg: anzac day ones) probably loses something on zoom, because as watchers we miss out on the tactileness of someone enjoying someone else’s hobby and going “awesome job”, whilst turning it in their hands and ALSO being able to get it under a hi def camera which visually IS FAR better than webcams so I think that helps too.

I do feel like the zoom ones have their own vibe however which I also like, they are a little more chilled, less showy-more-flowy

Maybe not everyone has to be in the ‘office’ eg: have 2/3 in the studio and a couple on cam, best of both worlds.

Another big factor we might not be thinking about is can that space they have for the show be used in a better way in their facilities eg: is it taking up room they can use for something else/better/or so people aren’t on top of each other in a post-covid work space