Thanks for the background, Noel. (Is there anything AV Club staffers don't know?) Still though, you would think a better host would have at least showed some enthusiasm on camera, if only to look into possible cheating once the red light went off. As it is now, one of the most amazing TPIR moments is pretty much…

A while back a contestant got his showcase showdown bid exactly right, and Drew Carey reacted with the level of excitement one would expect from a dry cleaner telling someone their clothes are ready. (The clip is on the internet somewhere, I just can't be bothered to find the link right now.) It made me want to punch…

I agree that "Package Thief" is a better video, and possibly the greatest video of all time (come on, how are you going to beat pogoing puppets?). But like Jesse, "The First Part" was the first one I saw, and it instantly made me fall head over heels in love with them. And also like Jesse, that love continues unabated…

I also vote for analysis over plot recap. Episode outlines are a dime a dozen, while in-depth analysis like yours is much more rare (and much more appreciated).

I would argue that the Kid shows some empathy when he chooses not to kill the wounded Shelby after "winning" the lottery (chapter XV), or rather when he makes Shelby choose whether or not he wants to be killed. Of course, he does tell Shelby "You won't thank me if I let you off," acknowledging that not killing him…