| Bryan Konietzko | Hey, everybody. This is Bryan Konietzko. |
|---|---|
| Michael Dante DiMartino | And this is Mike DiMartino. |
| Tim Hedrick | Hi, I'm Korra writer, Tim Hedrick. |
| Joshua Hamilton | And I'm Josh Hamilton, also Korra writer, and the writer of this episode, [Tim gives an affirming murmur.] "The Sting". |
| Bryan | Tim had his name legally changed to "Korra writer, Tim Hedrick". |
| Tim | Yeah. [Josh laughs.] So, really, people just call me "Korra writer" most of the time. [Bryan chuckles.] |
| Josh | [Laughs.] "K. W. T." is... [Tim laughs.] |
| Mike | [In the background.] So, this-the... |
| Tim | [Interjects; pronouncing and abbreviating the "W" in "Korra writer" as "dub".] What up, "K. Dub". [Josh laughs.] |
| Bryan | [Laughs.] "K. Dub". |
| Mike | ... this is one of the, [Laughs.] the episodes this season that Korra's uh, not in it very much. [Josh affirms.] This was our chance to uh... |
| Josh | [Refers to when Korra wakes up, washed up on the shores of an island in the Fire Nation.] Just a glimpse at the end. |
| Mike | ... do a little Mako-Bolin, uh, Asami storyline. |
| Josh | [Refers to Mako helping Asami investigate who is responsible for hijacking her ships.] This is a great-just a detective story, [Mike affirms.] like r-running around the city. |
| Bryan | And I... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] It's kind of like Book One-ish vibe 'cause we're back in the city. [Tim gives an affirming murmur.] |
| Bryan | Yeah, more city, g-more triad members. [Mike affirms.] Yeah, I mean, this is-it's kinda weird, structurally. It's the first of three episodes where Korra is hardly [Mike affirms.] featured at all. And then Tim was like, "why did I change my name to 'Korra writer'? [Mike chuckles; Tim affirms.] She's not even in the show." [Josh chuckles.] |
| Tim | [Laughs.] Another big mistake. |
| Bryan | It's always a little-a little tough for us to get the network on board with episodes where the main character isn't really in it. Uh... |
| Tim | [Interjects; laughs.] Yeah. |
| Josh | Yeah, and, you know, I went and saw the reactions online, which I don't know, like, what that really means, but everyone loved this episode, they were really happy with the episode, and written... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Everyone? |
| Josh | And I... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Everyone loved it? |
| Mike | Well, people were... |
| Tim | [In the background.] Every single person. |
| Josh | The majority, yeah. The majority. |
| Mike | I think it was 'cause people were not happy with uh, Korra's behavior [Tim affirms.] in the earlier episodes, they were like, "I need a break." |
| Bryan | No, it's true. "I need a break [Mike chuckles.] from the intensity." [Mike affirms.] |
| Josh | Right. But all that setup the awesome ending, guys! It's setup. |
| Bryan | You see, I was so, like, so expecting just, you know, exponentially more hatred of Mako piling on top. [Josh affirms.] Did not see the uh, [Mike affirms.] did not see the left hook comin'... |
| Mike | [In the background.] No. [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | ... that was everyone hatin' on Korra. [Josh laughs.] But, you know, we've-as we've explained in multiple interviews this year, pre-last year, that you gotta take your characters through arcs, they gotta... |
| Josh | [In the background.] Right, they change and grow, yeah. |
| Bryan | ... go have highs and lows, and-and uh, you know, Aang, I mean, remember in uh, like "The Desert" episode? Aang was... |
| Josh | [In the background.] Angry. |
| Bryan | ... he was not pleasant, [Josh and Tim affirm.] very angry, spiteful, vengeful. |
| Mike | [Refers to the mover of Nuktuk walking through the frozen tundra with his animal companions, Roh-Tan and Juji.] Alright, now we get to see... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Alright. |
| Josh | Yeah. |
| Mike | ... Nuktuk in his-all his glory. |
| Bryan | [Refers to the shot zooming in on the Evil Unalaq's lair, which is clearly just a miniature model.] That, like that. |
| Tim | Look at that. [Josh laughs.] That's a beautiful place. |
| Bryan | Making like... |
| Josh | Those are boxes! |
| Bryan | ... it's a good-bad drawing, [Mike affirms.] you know? Like, it-it's-you-you... |
| Mike | [Interjects; refers to Nuktuk, Roh-Tan and Juji's shadows being cast on the matte painting background by the stage lighting.] And you see like the cast shadow [Bryan affirms.] of... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Right on the background. |
| Mike | ... them on the... [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | [Refers to the gaps between the drywall pieces making up the matte painting background.] Seams, there are seams, [Refers to the gouged out bits near the of the drywall.] you can see a little paint chip, there, at the top corner. |
| Josh | [Refers to Juji, the snow raccoon played by Pabu, and Roh-Tan, the arctic panda played by Naga.] Is that Juji and Roh-Roh-Tan? [Tim chuckles.] |
| Bryan | And so-yeah. |
| Josh | [Laughs.] "Juji". |
| Bryan | I know, [Tim affirms.] it's hard... |
| Mike | [In the background.] Another... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] This is going to be some fine vocal performance [Mike affirms.] from me. |
| Bryan | [Refers to the guards standing in front of the Evil Unalaq, bare-legged and wearing long tunics that cover their waists.] It's hard to tell in black and white, but these-these guards don't have pants. |
| Mike | [Laughs.] Yeah, they don't. [Tim laughs.] |
| Bryan | Which was compl-we-we did a lotta referencing of old Flash Gordon serials, and uh, they-they don't have pants, [Mike chuckles.] these guys. So, there's a little watch-but... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Lo-long-long shirts? What's-I don't... [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Yeah, they had these like tunics that, you know... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Wait. |
| Bryan | ... it's long for a tunic, but not long enough... |
| Josh | [In the background; refers to Juji calling Nuktuk him and Roh-Tan's best friend.] Here's uh... |
| Bryan | ... for not having pants. |
| Mike | [Refers to Roh-Tan agreeing with his characteristic catchphrase "Nuktuk-ity".] Yeah, let's just-let's give a sh-sh... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] That's a Tim Hedrick! |
| Mike | Tim Hedrick as uh... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] "Nuktuk-ity." [Josh chuckles.] Yeah, that's me. |
| Mike | ... as uh, Roh-Tan. |
| Tim | That is, if not my finest performance, [Mike chuckles.] certainly one of the top three. |
| Bryan | [Refers to the background moving behind the characters while Roh-Tan's limbs stay still.] This is one I like, you can tell that Naga is not walking... |
| Josh | [In the background; laughs.] Yeah, it's so good. [Tim laughs.] |
| Bryan | ... they're just sliding the matte painting behind them. [Refers to Nuktuk's exaggerated movements and posing as the shot cuts to some Northern soldiers getting splashed with water.] So, the idea is that Ma-Ma-Bolin's doing really bad... |
| Josh | [In the background; refers to Nuktuk high-fiving Juji and Roh-Tan, the animal's respective paws being recreated props.] The paws. [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | ... waterbending. |
| Josh and Tim laugh as a geyser of water falls onto a lone Northern soldier, Nuktuk balancing on one foot, kicking the other out behind him, and pointing his fingers toward the evildoer. | |
| Mike | That-that's one of my-yeah, that's an awesome move. |
| Bryan | That's a good one. Sometimes, you can see the bucket coming in. |
| Tim | Yeah, there's a lot of "Ember Island Players" [Bryan and Josh affirm.] in this, which is great. [Refers to the narrator singing Nuktuk's theme song.] And the-writing that song, I think, you know, that was a highlight. [Mike chuckles.] |
| Josh | Right, that was perfect. |
| Bryan | Tim-Tim and Josh like to write-they-you guys wrote uh, like "Secret Tunnel" and stuff, right? |
| Josh | Yeah. [Bryan affirms.] Yeah, I went into Tim's, and uh, where I was like, "I gotta write this song," and-and I was looking-he gave me a reference to look at and I kinda like wrote a first draft, and then he uh, you know, I had like-musta had like four lines for it, which is maybe half of the song, and Tim goes back and writes, like, three verses. [Bryan and Mike chuckle.] |
| Tim | [Laughs.] There's a lot-think there's a lot more of the song that didn't make it out. |
| Mike | Oh, there's more-more of the song, huh? Do you... |
| Tim | [In the background.] Yeah. |
| Mike | ... did you remember? |
| Bryan | So, do you guys remember when Tim joined the Avatar writing staff, his-he-I think part of the like, you know, trying to get the job, you had to turn in some sample premises of [Tim affirms.] what you-where you would take the show, and all of Tim's... |
| Josh | [In the background.] I know where you're... |
| Bryan | ... were titled after Seventies... |
| Josh | [In the background.] Pink Floyd? Oh. [Tim laughs.] |
| Bryan | ... Seventies like prog rock songs and classic rock songs. [Mike chuckles.] |
| Josh | I remember that. |
| Bryan | And I was like, "hire this guy". [Josh laughs.] I think he-he had like a Pink Floyd, he mighta had some Rush in there, [Tim affirms.] and I was like, "we gotta get this guy on." |
| Mike | [Refers to the thick rope hoisting Nuktuk off of Roh-Tan.] This one, they don't even try to hide the-the ropes. |
| Bryan | [Refers to Nuktuk balancing on his toes with one foot while leaning forward and kicking out his other leg, causing a geyser of water to horizontally shoot out at the Northern soldiers from out of frame; laughs.] That-I love Bolin's end pose there where he's like leaning past [Josh chuckles.] his-his toes. [Refers to the two Northern soldiers the Evil Unalaq sends out.] So, I don't know if you can tell, but the-no pants. [Mike affirms; Tim laughs.] So, to any cosplayers out there, [Josh laughs.] uh, just wanna make sure you got the memo. |
| Tim | See ya at Comic-Con with no pants. |
| Mike | Hey, you can... |
| Josh | [Interjects; refers to Nuktuk, Juji and Roh-Tan being caught in the Evil Unalaq's large anti-energy net.] This looks like a normal net, but... |
| Mike | ... I guess 'cause, yeah, 'cause it's black and white, it's hard to... to... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] It's hard to tell, they might have [Mike affirms.] tights on, or tight pants, [Tim affirms.] but... [Refers to the shot slowly zooming out from Nuktuk, still caught in the energy net with Juji and Roh-Tan, lazily punching the net as he weakly says his power is weakening.] I just love how boring that is, [Tim laughs.] it's just... |
| Josh | [Refers to Roh-Tan remarking that the situation is "Nuk-terrible".] There... [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | Tim... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] I mean, you just want more. |
| Bryan | Tim, I don't know if you know, but I have-I pitch for you to do a lot of voices. [Mike chuckles.] |
| Tim | I'm-I love it. |
| Bryan | [Refers to the The Adventures of Nuktuk: Hero of the South title card with Nuktuk and Ginger depicted in a dramatic pose.] This-I really like that... |
| Tim | [In the background.] I'm always available. |
| Bryan | ... this title card graphic. |
| Tim | Yeah, that is cool looking. |
| Josh | That looks so great. |
| Bryan | Really great. |
| Josh | Who did that? Was it Colin? |
| Bryan | But then it-then it cuts to this-no, no, Colin had drawn the-the mo-like the big movie poster. |
| Josh | The poster? Oh. |
| Bryan | He had done like an early concept for it. |
| Josh | Ah, I see. |
| Bryan | Um, but uh, Christie-well, Ryu drew it in the storyboard, and then Christie Tseng cleaned it up. [Refers to when the shot cuts from the title card graphic of Nuktuk, to Bolin sitting in the theatre with Ginger.] And uh, but then it's like the most on-model Bolin, and then it cuts to about the most off-model Bolin [Mike and Tim chuckle.] that had ever been in the series. So, it's a little bittersweet. |
| Tim | [Laughs; refers to when the shot panned over to Zhu Li telling Varrick that another one of his ships was captured.] Always love to see Zhu Li poppin' in there. |
| Bryan | Yeah. [Refers to the photo of Mako and Korra putting their heads through a photo stand-in at the Glacier Spirits Festival.] I like that little photo, too. [Mike gives an affirming murmur.] It's very charming. |
| Josh | He's just thinking about Korra. There she is, she's in the episode! [Mike chuckles.] |
| Bryan | So... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] Yeah. |
| Bryan | ... in case you didn't figure out... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Act one! |
| Tim | Oh. |
| Bryan | ... that was from the-the uh, s-what was that called? |
| Josh | The carnival? |
| Mike | Southern Water [Tim affirms.] Tribe festival. |
| Bryan | Yeah, but it... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] It was supposed to be... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Glacier Spirits, [Mike and Josh affirm.] yeah, the Glacier Spirits Festival from the beginning of the season. |
| Tim | [Brief pause.] The good ol' days. |
| Mike | [Refers to Lin interviewing the Varrick Industries ship captain whose ship and cargo was stolen, asking him to go over what he witnessed.] Oh, I think that was one of the lines that Tim had done the scratch for, for Beifong, [Josh chuckles.] that we got very used to. |
| Tim | Oh. [Laughs.] |
| Mike | [Laughs; imitating Lin with a haughty tone.] "It's been a long day." |
| Tim | [Imitating Lin with a haughty tone.] "But walk me through it." [Mike affirmingly murmurs.] |
| Josh | He does the mobsters, too, right? Like when they're on the boat in this episode. |
| Tim | Oh yeah. |
| Mike | Oh yeah, we did that one. |
| Tim | [Refers to when Shady Shin talks to Viper about freshening up for his date after the sting operation.] When they were talking about their dates. |
| Josh | [Refers to Lu stroking his moustache and saying the recent hijackings are going to turn his "black beauty" grey.] Black beau... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] I was... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] "Black beauty" is the name of his moustache. |
| Bryan | Exac-I wa-I-I [Mike and Josh laugh intermittently.] was pretty against that line at every phase of the writing process, through animatics, into color... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] It is one of those ones you just... |
| Bryan | ... at the mix! |
| Josh | ... "and this thing is gonna get cut." [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | I really just don't know that the audience is gonna know. |
| Josh | Now they know. [Laughs; Bryan gives a discontented grumble.] |
| Mike | [Laughs.] Who else could it be? |
| Tim | The truth comes out. |
| Bryan | Imagine they're like, "what, is this like a literature reference in the [Mike and Josh chuckle.] Avatar world, or something?" |
| Tim | Josh does love horse books, [Bryan and Josh laugh.] and a lot of his books-a lot of his lines come from his... [Bryan affirms.] |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Ho-oh, horse books. |
| Tim | ... horse books, yeah. |
| Josh | Yeah. [Laughs.] Random horse books. [Tim gives an affirming murmur.] |
| Mike | [Refers to Varrick lamenting the loss of his fifth favorite ship, the Rocky Bottom, named after his mother.] You also named Varrick's mom "Rocky Bottom". [Bryan snickers.] R-random... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Right. Well, that's a nickname. [Josh and Mike laugh.] |
| Bryan | That one, yeah, that-that surprised me, too. |
| Tim | [Brief pause.] And here... |
| Bryan | [Interjects; referring to and imitating the ship captain as Mako shows him the remote detonator.] "Well, how do you function it? [Refers to the red button on the device's transmitter, and the clamp trigger on device's grip.] Do you-do you [Tim and Mike laugh.] squeeze the clamp or do you hit the red button?" |
| Tim | You hit the button on the side. |
| Bryan | So, they... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] It's gotta be both. One's a safety, so... |
| Tim | Can hap... |
| Bryan | Was it in a s-it-that is-Josh, thank you. That's-the idea was the clamp is for safety, and then... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] I get it. |
| Bryan | ... you-and then you hit the button. But uh... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] Right. It's like a dead man's switch, kind of. |
| Bryan | ... don't-don't watch 212, it-do-don't-it doesn't uh, doesn't happen. [Brief pause; refers to Varrick entering the interrogation room with Asami.] Some-some good... |
| Josh | Oh right, in comes Varrick. |
| Bryan | ... Varrick's stuff, very funny, here. [Refers to Varrick calling Lu and Gang the dynamic mustachioed duo; Bryan and Tim laugh.] This was funny, here. |
| Tim | [Interjects; refers to Varrick's exaggerated expression as he points toward Lu and Gang.] His eyes kinda bugout, there. |
| Bryan | Yeah, it was like this Ryu drawing. |
| Mike | Yeah, between Lauren and Ryu, there was a plethora of crazy, absurd Ryu-oh, I mean uh, Varrick stuff going on. |
| Bryan | Varrick, this is, like, this like... |
| Mike | [Interjects; refers to Varrick rising up in front of Asami and Mako, having previously been right beside them.] This-like, where'd he go? |
| Josh | That's awesome. |
| Mike | [Refers to the shot cutting to a full view of the room, with Varrick kneeling in front of the table.] How'd he get down? [Tim and Mike chuckle.] |
| Bryan | Yeah, like did anyone notice that he had g... |
| Tim | [In the background; laughs.] He just crawled on the floor. |
| Bryan | ... dropped down to the floor? [Mike and Josh chuckle.] |
| Tim | And crawled between their legs. [Mike and Josh chuckle.] |
| Bryan | [Refers to the pouch attached to Lin's belt as she tells Mako to leave.] I always wondered what Beifong has in that little-that little hip pack. Joa-Joaquim likes to design these little hip packs on everybody, [Tim laughs.] and I-I like to think it's those little like uh, some like sesame-dried sticks that're kinda like pretzel sticks. [Josh gives an affirming murmur.] |
| Tim | [Laughs.] Just if she uh... |
| Bryan | [In the background.] She knows how to-she just... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] A snack! |
| Tim | ... she's on a stakeout somewhere, and she needs something to eat. |
| Mike | That's all-that's all she eats. |
| Bryan | Well, we-there's some other thing where she just eats rice, like I think she's a carbs person. She just likes starchy carbs [Mike chuckles; Tim gives an affirming murmur.] and things. [Refers to when the shot cuts to Varrick, suddenly right beside Mako and Asami, offering them a ship for whatever they're doing.] Another Varrick just showing up. [Brief pause; refers to the pouch attached to Mako's belt as he talks with Asami outside Police Headquarters.] Like, what's-what's Mako-maybe he has a little sesame stash [Mike chuckles.] in his little hip pack. |
| Josh | Yeah, what's in that? I always just thought it was a book or [Mike chuckles.] so-a guide to being a police officer. |
| Tim | It's a comb. [Mike laughs.] It's hair-hair supplies. |
| Bryan | You just never know, they just don't want... [Laughs.] they don't want him getting hungry on the-on the beat. |
| A brief pause in commentary until Varrick responds to deliberately not being informed of Mako and Asami's planned sting operation, with Bryan, Mike and Josh laughing as the business tycoon enthusiastically states he loves not knowing things. | |
| Bryan | I love that doesn't ring suspicious... |
| Tim | [In the background; laughs.] No. |
| Bryan | ... to them. [Mike chuckles.] |
| Tim | One time... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] He wants to be in, but doesn't want to know anything. |
| Bryan | They're like... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] Yeah, I mean, he's such an absurd character, it was like-the idea was, hopefully, that you wouldn't really suspect him [Bryan affirms intermittently.] 'cause he seemed too [Josh affirms.] ridiculous. [Laughs.] Um... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] The voice director, Andrea, saw me in the kitchen right before um, I guess it's not this episode, it's like three episodes from now where we reveal it's him, [Mike affirms.] and she was just like, "so, he's a bad guy?". She seemed really shocked. |
| Mike | Yeah. [Josh laughs.] No, I think uh... |
| Josh | [In the background.] It's like we did a good job. |
| Mike | ... I think it mostly worked. [Josh affirms.] |
| Bryan | Yeah, I think he was just so goofy and likeable, that it threw you off. |
| Tim | He's not a bad guy. [Mike affirms.] Eh, he's done some bad things. [Josh gives an affirming murmur.] |
| Mike | [Refers to Mako and Bolin's apartment being furnished with a wood fired hot tub, a screen, a gong, and a fruit stand.] Here we go, now we get to s... |
| Josh | Now the apartment looks nicer. [Mike laughs.] |
| Tim | Yeah. [Brief pause; refers to when Bolin tells Mako he's maintaining his "instrument" by staying in the hot tub.] And this where we learn that Bolin has-has kind of a-a method to his acting, [Mike affirms.] he talks about his instrument, a little bit. [Bryan gives an affirming murmur.] |
| Josh | That line directly from the Michael Jackson trial. |
| Mike | [Laughs.] It did, yes. [Everyone laughs.] There was-there was an actress who, [Josh affirms.] who was talking about her "instrument". [Tim gives an affirming murmur.] |
| Bryan | Yeah. [Bryan and Josh laugh.] |
| Mike | And uh, we thought that was pretty funny. |
| Bryan | Wow. [Josh affirms.] You know what? |
| Josh | Word-for-word. |
| Bryan | I love when in a commentary, I learn something. [Mike chuckles.] That's like-Josh had written all those popup episodes of uh, [Josh and Mike chuckle.] of Avatar, and-and when I catched him in the kitchen here at-at the studio, I'm always like, "oh, really? I didn't know that." |
| Josh | [Laughs.] Really? |
| Bryan | Yeah. [Tim laughs.] |
| Josh | That's weird. What-I wonder what that had. |
| Bryan | Always-there's always some little tidbit. |
| Mike | There you go. |
| Josh | Huh. |
| Tim | You know, we used to have to write a lot more backstory about [Josh affirms.] characters and stuff. |
| Bryan | Yeah, that was somethin' that like the-the-the Nick website, they wanted [Josh affirms intermittently.] backstories and stuff. Now, they're like, "yeah, we need a video game for every episode..." |
| Tim | [Interjects.] Right. [Laughs; Josh affirms.] |
| Bryan | ... you know. It's a bigger demand. |
| Tim | So, every single thing had, you know, like a backstory [Mike chuckles.] that was unpublished [Bryan chuckles; Josh gives an affirming murmur.] and unseen by anyone until... |
| Bryan | [In the background; laughs.] Including me, yeah. |
| Tim | ... popup video came out. |
| Bryan | I... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] I-I wrote a lotta those backstories 'cause I got paid like overtime to do it as a writer's assistant at the time, and I loved it; I was like, "this is great". Mike would just approve 'em, [Mike chuckles.] or whatever, he'd tweak things. |
| Bryan | Yeah, I would-Mike and I used to share an office back in those days, and I would just look over and he'd be like, "yeah, I'm writing a backstory," and I'm like, "I wonder what... |
| Josh | [Interjects; laughs.] What're we going to do with them. |
| Bryan | ... different yarns they're spinning uh, [Mike affirms; Tim chuckles.] about this world?" [Josh chuckles.] |
| Mike | Just kinda make stuff up, it's kinda fun. [Josh gives an affirming murmur.] |
| Tim | It was. I remember that there were like three different newspapers in Ba Sing Se, was one of the [Josh laughs.] fun ones. |
| Mike | Man. |
| Josh | Really? |
| Tim | Yeah. |
| Josh | It's whatever you made up, [Tim affirms.] so that's what it was. [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | You know what? We... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] I made it up. Um... |
| Bryan | ... we actually-we-we did that for um, Book One; there are three different newspapers in Republic City, and I had S. L. Lee do uh, translations for-man, I-do you remember the names? It was like... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] I have no-I don't... [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | ... The Elemental Times, [Josh and Tim laugh.] and all this kinda stuff. |
| Josh | That's pretty funny. [Tim affirms.] |
| Bryan | The Republic Reporter, or, I don't know, I-I'd have to go look at the translations. |
| Josh | Republic Repor... |
| Mike | [Interjects; refers to Mako and Asami partnering with the Triple Threat Triad, including Viper and Two Toed Ping, for their unofficial sting operation.] So, yeah, so we see these-these Triple Threat guys uh, were seen in the very first episode of Book One, [Refers to when Shady Shin calls Viper "boss".] and since Zolt got his bending taken away, and-this uh, this guy, Viper, kinda, guess he was second-in-command, he took over; he was the guy... |
| Tim | [In the background.] He stepped up. |
| Mike | ... that Korra, froze his head when she was fightin' him [Bryan affirms.] in the-in the street. But uh, he worked his way up the ranks, and now he's uh, now he's in charge. |
| Bryan | [Refers to Two Toed Ping conversing with Mako on Varrick's ship.] And this... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] And this guy, too. |
| Bryan | Two Toed Ping, he was-he was uh, the third one to try to attack Korra. |
| Mike | Aw, yeah, he was... |
| Josh | [In the background.] Was he? Oh. |
| Mike | ... the firebender guy [Bryan affirms.] who got chucked through the window, I think. |
| Bryan | Yeah. [Referring to and imitating Ping's accent as he questions why Mako is being so evasive about describing what it's like to date the Avatar.] "Why you so weird about it?". [Mike chuckles.] I love that line. [Tim laughs.] |
| Josh | [Laughs; refers to when Ping agrees with Mako about keeping quiet for the ambush while rambling on about his experience ambushing people as a gangster.] He just loves talking, he's such a chatterbox... |
| Tim | [In the background.] Yeah, it's... |
| Josh | ... that's what I love about this guy. |
| Bryan | [Refers to Asami idly standing behind Mako and Ping as she listens to their conversation, rolling her eyes at Ping's ramblings, not speaking up until Mako mentions he broke up with Korra.] I love how bored Asami is [Laughs.] in the background until [Laughs; Josh affirms.] she hears this little, juicy tidbit of gossip. |
| A brief pause in commentary as Ping laughs in disbelief that Mako was the one to break up with the Avatar, with Josh and Tim joining in his merriment. | |
| Mike | [Refers to Ping telling Shady Shin and Viper about Mako's breakup with Korra, who are both just as skeptical.] He's just like a high school gossiper, [Tim, Bryan and Josh affirm.] girl gossiping about stuff. |
| Bryan | Well, it's the start, I-I mean, we get a bit of it with Bolin and Ginger, [Laughs.] but the idea of this kind of lowbrow like uh, you know, tabloid [Josh affirms.] press going on in the city, where it's like, "who's-who-which famous people are dating who?" |
| Tim | [Laughs.] Right. |
| Josh | [Brief pause; refers to Nuktuk trying to rescue a bound Ginger from a large, spinning drill descent toward her.] This-this scene really makes me nervous 'cause I'm, like ... |
| Bryan | [In the background.] It stresses me out. [Mike laughs.] |
| Josh | ... I'm really scared about that thing even though it's a prop, it's probably made out of plastic. [Tim affirms.] |
| Bryan | It really-we-I feel like we shoulda made the... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] It's very pointy. |
| Bryan | ... the tip of it not so pointy. [Tim affirms; Mike and Josh laugh.] It-it kinda stresses-but the idea is it's a parallax, it's not actually, it... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Spinning? |
| Bryan | No, it's not actually over her. |
| Mike | Directly above her. |
| Bryan | It's... |
| Josh | [In the background.] Oh, I see. |
| Bryan | ... it's-it's-the id-the idea is it's actually... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] Oh! |
| Bryan | ... two feet... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] Movie magic. [Mike chuckles.] |
| Bryan | ... yeah, towards the camera. |
| Josh | In front of her, okay. |
| Bryan | [Refers to Varrick cutting the filming after Bolin departs from the script by kissing Ginger.] So, Varrick is not the director of The Nuktuk Chronicles, but, I think he just kinda stepped in-in to... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] No, he is the director, he has assistant directors for later episodes. |
| Bryan | He's the director? |
| Mike | Yeah. |
| Bryan | 'Cause we have a design of a director. |
| Mike | Oh. [Refers to when the assistant director prepares the set for Nuktuk's running explosion scene.] No, there is-well, that, yeah, when he's not around, he's got his... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] That's the assistant director? |
| Mike | He's the assistant director. |
| Tim | He... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] I better go change my caption [Mike and Tim laugh.] in the-in the art book, [Josh laughs.] I had that wrong. [Refers to the closeup shot of Ginger as she turns toward Bolin, frustratedly telling him he's confusing her character's attraction to Nuktuk with her nonexistent attraction to him.] That's a nice drawing of Ginger, there. |
| Tim | Well, he's definitely the creator. [Mike affirms.] |
| Bryan | Oh, for sure, and he... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] And the writer. |
| Tim | Yeah. His-does... |
| Bryan | ... I-I he's-he's-he's the executive producer [Mike chuckles.] extraordinaire, but I-I didn't think he was the man, you know, sayin' "action" and "cut". |
| Mike | Yeah, well, just when he's there. [Bryan affirms.] He doesn't show up all the time, though. That's why he's got his-his director dudes. |
| Tim laughs as Ping wiggles the extra two outermost toes he has, one for each foot, to Mako and Asami's shock. | |
| Bryan | That is some impressive toe control, right there, yeah. |
| Tim | Yeah, it is. Just wiggle the little ones. |
| Josh | Right, yeah. Next to the pinky, without the one right next to it? That's impossible. |
| Tim | I think those are the only ones that can move. |
| Bryan | I don't know, we-can we... |
| Josh | [Interjects; laughs.] The rest are numb. [Tim affirms.] |
| Bryan | ... can we call those the pinky? I feel like they need a-another-their own name. |
| Josh | They're um, smaller than the pinky. [Bryan affirms.] |
| Tim | Like the "sixties". |
| Bryan | The "winkies". |
| Josh | "Pinky plus". [Bryan affirms.] "The winkies"? [Laughs; refers to Ping telling Mako to relax like him and take his shoes off.] I like that he takes his shoes off to relax. |
| Bryan | [Refers to Shady Shin and Viper discussing how they were paid by someone to work with Mako and Asami and keep them distracted.] So, this is one that Tim-Tim had done the-the scratch track, and man, I got so used to it. But we already had... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] Here's Tim... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] This is the one I did, too. |
| Mike | ... Tim and me, I think, I forget. |
| Bryan | Yeah, but... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] Yeah, that's right. |
| Bryan | ... but we had already heard uh, Shady Shin's voice [Mike affirms.] in the first season, so, you know, we had to use... |
| Mike | [Brief pause; refers to Mako listening in on Shady Shin and Viper talking about the former's date, before they segue into talking about their true objective.] Yeah, and this was a little scene we had added like [Josh affirms.] after the animatic 'cause we needed, like, we needed some more like chitchat before they like revealed, [Bryan affirms.] you know, what they're-what they were up to. |
| Bryan | [Refers to Shady Shin's static smile when he complains that his date isn't going to be happy.] The drawings are nice, and the acting's good, but it's weird 'cause they're [Laughs.] s-he's smiling as he's complaining, [Mike affirms.] 'cause it doesn't really match. |
| Tim | [Brief pause; refers to when Asami drives a speedboat through Yue Bay, outmaneuvering the pursuing Triple Threats.] Now, we're getting to what is always one of my favorite parts, which is Asami driving something. [Mike chuckles.] |
| Josh | [Laughs.] She drives great. |
| Tim | That always looks awesome. |
| Bryan | She drives many things. [Mike affirms.] Yeah, it was fun having a character who, you know, like Sokka in the original series, he's the non-bender... |
| Josh | [In the background; refers to Mako and Asami's speedboat impacting on the water after Mako burned away the ropes securing it in the air.] Ah. |
| Bryan | ... but he had the kinda MacGyver thing to offer the-the group, and Asami is like master of all things mechanical, you know? So... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] Oh yeah, she is so cool when she's driving her car around Republic City, [Mike chuckles; Bryan and Josh affirm.] or she's in a plane, or the boat; I mean anything. |
| Bryan | Korra-Korra, if-if Korra was driving, the ser-the-these chase scenes would be terrible, they'd be really short. [Josh laughs.] She just... |
| Josh | [Imitates Korra.] "We wrecked." |
| Bryan | Yeah, [Tim laughs.] she'd stall out in an intersection. |
| Josh | [Laughs; imitates Korra.] "Hang on. Put it in gear." |
| Bryan | [Refers to Viper bending large, buoying ice spikes out of the water, right in Mako and Asami's path.] So, I was always impressed by Viper's bending, here; like, wow, he's actually pretty good. [Mike affirms.] |
| Josh | [Refers to Viper standing on the bow of the speedboat.] And his balance. [Tim affirms; Josh and Mike chuckle.] |
| Bryan | Well, he used to study the ballet. [Mike affirms.] |
| Josh | [Laughs.] Gotcha. That's his backstory. |
| Bryan | [Brief pause.] So, you know, that's the fir... |
| Mike | [Interjects; refers to the music that plays during the chase sequence.] Yeah, this-the music is really cool, too; the whole-this whole chase scene's [Josh affirms.] got a cool vibe to it. |
| Tim | Yeah. Republic City nights! |
| Bryan | Jer-Jeremy Zuckerman. [Refers to the chase sequence initially happening on the open waters of Yue Bay.] I like-I like this location of being way out in the bay, like further out in Yue Bay than we've been. |
| Josh | [Refers to Mako and Asami luring their pursuers through the ships in the Republic City harbor.] It took a little time to get in. |
| Bryan | [Refers to the saturated yellow lights of the Republic City skyline shining in the background.] And you-the city's just that glow in the distance. |
| Josh | Yeah, I love that, just looking at that. |
| A brief pause in commentary until Asami and Mako's speedboat stalls, slowly coming to a halt as the 3D modeled boat swerves around toward Viper's boat. | |
| Bryan | Some nice-nice uh, CG animation on that boat, the way it stalled out. I guess even Asami stalls. [Mike affirms.] It happens to the best of us. |
| Tim | [Brief pause.] Yeah, I-this could be an alternate show where like Bolin lives on a house boat with an alligator. [Bryan and Josh laugh.] |
| Mike | Mako's fighting crime. [Tim affirms.] |
| Josh | [Brief pause.] Like a pet alligator? |
| Bryan | Yeah, yeah. |
| Josh | They're like buddies. Okay. |
| Bryan | Pet-pet alligator. |
| Tim | With pet alligator. |
| Bryan | It's like Crockett. [Tim affirms.] Crockett! |
| Tim | [Brief pause.] Or alternately, it could be his partner. [Mike chuckles.] |
| Bryan | Ooh! |
| Josh | How... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] It's a talking alligator, wears a fedora, and they-they kinda... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] See, uh, audience; now you're hearing how the magic happens. [Mike chuckles.] |
| Tim | They run uh, a numbers racket [Josh and Mike chuckle.] on the side, but it's kinda like... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] This is how we come up with all our ideas. |
| Josh | Maybe it's like a psychic alligator, where it's like... |
| Tim | [In the background.] Ooh! I like that. |
| Josh | ... yeah, and when he chomps his... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] So, it's like Ps-it's like Psych meets... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] Psychi-gator. [Josh laughs.] |
| Bryan | ... Miami Vice. |
| Tim | [Brief pause; refers to Asami's voice breaking as she says she's ruined, having just found her warehouse of mecha tanks and biplanes empty.] Ooh, Asami. |
| Josh | The lowest point. |
| Bryan | Billionaire girl loses her [Mike chuckles.] giant corporation. [Bryan and Tim laugh.] |
| Josh | Well, they had it all, so it feels worse. [Tim affirms.] |
| Bryan | The lowest point for her! |
| Josh | People who don't have it all, you know, it's nothin'. [Mike chuckles.] |
| Bryan | [Refers to Asami's trying to stop Mako from figuring out who raided her warehouse, dejectedly saying it's over for her.] She's like, "now I'll have to use my inheritance." |
| Mike | Yeah. It takes a lotta money to keep these giant corporations afloat. |
| Tim | She probably used her inheritance to, you know, pay lawyers when her dad was going to jail. |
| Bryan | [Laughs.] That's true. [Mike affirms.] |
| Josh | [Refers to when Asami kisses Mako.] For the record, this next thing that's about to happen was Mike's idea. |
| Mike | Was it? |
| Bryan | Yeah, [Mike laughs.] pretty sure. |
| Josh | De-I definitely remember it being Mike's idea. |
| Bryan | [Refers to the extreme closeup shot of Asami, her eyes watering with tears after Mako says he's not giving up on her.] Really nice drawing, I like that drawing of Asami. |
| Josh | [Refers to Asami kissing Mako.] But I love [Elongates "it".] it. [Everyone laughs.] |
| Mike | [Brief pause; refers to Mako awkwardly reassuring Asami after she apologizes for kissing him.] I like makwards-Mako's awkward... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] "Mak-makward"? |
| Mike | "Makward". [Tim chuckles.] |
| Bryan | "Makward". I like that. |
| Mike | I just made up a new word. |
| Bryan | Whoa, coined a little meme, there. [Mike affirms.] |
| A brief pause in commentary until Two Toed Ping, face pressed against an ally wall by Mako, tells the cop he doesn't know who hired the Triple Threat Triad to double-cross Mako and Asami. | |
| Bryan | [Imitates Ping's desperate and fearful tone.] "I don't know!". I like how... |
| Tim | [Interjects; refers to when Mako puts a fire dagger up to Ping's face, threatening to cut off all his toes so he'll have to change his name to "No Toed Ping".] Mako's about to cross the line, here. |
| Bryan | ... like how whiny he is. |
| Josh | Fire dagger. |
| Bryan | Yep. That was one of the oldest bits of firebending we c-uh, came up with. [Tim affirms.] 'Cause I was learning-I was studying Northern Shaolin with Sifu Kisu, I was learning this double dagger set that I really loved, and I wanted to use it, but it wasn't as much about like striking as it were-was these like uh, s-sweeping motions, and stuff. So, this idea of Zuko fighting Aang, and he was using these fire daggers like-that were like a blowtorch. [Refers to Bolin, sitting at the mover set, ignoring Mako until he calls him Nuktuk.] This is a fun scene, here. |
| Mike | See, no one minds when Bolin acts like a-kind of a punk. |
| Josh | Right. It's like the comeuppance, yeah. |
| Bryan | Total punk. |
| Mike | [Refers to Bolin pretending like he didn't hear Mako.] I mean, he's being a total jerk, right here. |
| Bryan | Yeah. He gets pretty jerky this... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] He was-he's a little full of himself. |
| Tim | He's-he's just in character. [Mike affirms.] |
| Bryan | I think we shoulda called it Book Two: Jerks. [Mike, Tim and Josh laugh.] So, his method acting-acting is he's-he just stays in character the whole, [Tim affirms.] whole time. |
| Josh | [Refers to when Bolin becomes confused about how Ginger treats their on-screen personas as distinct from their actual selves.] That's why he's so confused about Ginger, like... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] He is, [Mike chuckles.] he's very confused. |
| Tim | Yeah. This is just like what happened on the set of Lincoln. [Josh laughs.] |
| Mike | [Laughs.] Daniel Day-Lewis, [Bryan affirms.] yeah. |
| Tim | Yeah, Daniel Day-Lewis... |
| Josh | [In the background.] All the... |
| Tim | ... had to be referred to as President Lincoln, [Mike chuckles.] and Bolin is just as serious about his craft. [Bryan affirms.] |
| A brief pause in commentary until the scene cuts from Mako to a profile tracking shot of Nuktuk running down the mover set, with small, remotely triggered explosions rising up behind him. | |
| Tim | [Imitates Mako.] "Wait a second." [Bryan chuckles.] |
| Josh | I've been on a set with explosions. |
| Bryan | Oh yeah! |
| Josh | I was on Pearl Harbor as a PA... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] Oh yeah. |
| Josh | ... I remember... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Wasn't your-your first day was like the craziest like... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Airplanes flew [Mike chuckles.] through the Missouri batt-not through, but like in-between the Missouri battleship and another battleship, and they had a .50 caliber gun going off [Bryan chuckles.] and the explosions were like real explosions... |
| Mike | [In the background.] Wow. |
| Josh | ... and you could feel the heat, and I was scared to death. [Mike gives an affirming murmur.] |
| Bryan | Weren't there like shells falling? |
| Josh | Yes, on my head. [Bryan and Tim laugh.] Cuba Gooding Jr. was like in the .50 caliber above, and I'm like a PA, [Bryan laughs.] like, just ducking for cover, really. [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | Those like hot, metal shells were like falling on your head. And did-didn't some like grizzled veteran turn to you, and he's like... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Yeah. |
| Bryan | ... "kid, it doesn't [Josh affirms.] get any better [Mike and Tim chuckle.] than this." |
| Josh | "This is your first day, you're never gonna see anything like this again." |
| Tim | He was right. |
| Josh | Michael Bay. |
| Bryan | Our-our Michael Bay story-well, we have two; uh, we-we did some, this upfronts presentation with him that I completely bombed, [Josh laughs.] and uh... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Oh, for-'cause he was doing Turtles? |
| Mike | Yeah. |
| Bryan | And then uh, Mike and I were at Paramount, and we s-we came out and stumbled upon a uh, taco truck party that was being held for [Laughs.] Michael Bay at the Paramount lot. [Josh chuckles.] And uh... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Did you eat some tacos? |
| Bryan | We were offered tacos, [Josh laughs.] but um, I think we had to get back to work, and I didn't think they had any vegan options. So... |
| Mike | [Refers to Korra lying unconscious on the beach shore.] Here's... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] There's Korra. [Tim gives an affirming murmur.] |
| Mike | We found Korra. Yay! She's not dead. |
| Bryan | That was our argument to the network. [Tim laughs.] "No, no! She-she's in the episode, don't worry." |
| Tim | Yeah, this is... [Josh gives an affirming murmur.] |
| Bryan | There's about four shots. |
| Mike | So, and the... |
| Josh | [Interjects; refers to the Bhanti Fire Sages who find Korra.] Are these guys reminiscent of the Crescent Island um... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Yes. [Josh affirms.] |
| Mike | Yeah, they're the... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] The Fire Sages. |
| Josh | Fire Sage. |
| Mike | [Refers to the tropical, mountainous island Korra is on.] These-this is somewhere in the Fire Nation outlying islands. [Bryan affirms; refers to the sages.] And uh, these are-they're called the Bhanti... |
| Tim | [Interjects; refers to the female Bhanti.] And of one of them... |
| Mike | ... sages. But yeah, they're... |
| Tim | ... is Serena Williams. |
| Mike | [Refers to the female Bhanti and her male counterpart looking with concern at their third compatriot, Karu, after Korra asks who they're talking to when they said "Avatar Korra".] Uh, yeah, that lady. [Bryan affirms.] But she doesn't talk in this episode. |
| Bryan | Our good-our-a good friend of the show, [Mike chuckles.] Serena Williams. Always been a big fan and supporter of Avatar and Korra. |
| Tim | [Imitating and referring to Korra saying she can't remember anything.] "Including my breakup with Mako." |
| Mike | Yeah. She's not gonna remember that. [Bryan chuckles.] |
| Josh | That'll be a problem later. [Laughs.] |
| Tim | [Laughs.] That's obviously the biggest thing. [Josh laughs.] |
| Bryan | [Brief pause.] No-f-yeah, not knowing what the Avatar is; secondary to... |
| Tim | [Interjects; laughs.] Right. [Josh laughs.] |
| Bryan | ... boyfriend-boyfriends. |
| Josh | [In a mock incredulous tone.] She doesn't remember Mako? |
| Tim | Oh man. [Josh laughs.] |
| Bryan | Well, because it did-it didn't sink in because she was shocked they were breaking up at all, just [Josh and Tim affirm.] because they were having... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] Yeah, she was blocking it out. |
| Mike | Yeah, and sometimes your, like, there's amnesia where like the most recent memories get like... |
| Tim | [Interjects.] They're the first one to go. [Mike affirms.] |
| Bryan | It is a very real thing. |
| Mike | They don't stick, so... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] It's all based on science. [Mike affirms.] |
| Bryan | No, it-this happened to a friend of mine, and Mike and I had always been kinda fascinated; he lost three weeks of memory. It was terrible. |
| Josh | Weird, really? |
| Bryan | Yeah. |
| Mike | But knew everything else. Crazy! |
| Tim | Ooh! [Josh gives an affirming murmur.] |