Editing Best of the Worst

{{About|the show|the award|Best of the Worst (Award)}}
[[File:Best of the Worst title card.png|alt=The title card for "Best of the Worst"|thumb|The title card for "Best of the Worst"]]
'''''Best of the Worst''''' is a variety film panel show stylized as a movie night among friends who love bad and critically panned movies. The show features a rotating panel with no permanent guests. Celebrity guest panelists occasionally show up, as well as specialist episodes with mid-episode panel changes.

Many episodes are themed around a specific topic that is shared among all three films, such as “sequels to films already featured”, “films featuring dinosaurs”, and “films with ‘Kick’ in the title”. In later episodes, the hosts have admitted that this is an artifact of the format, and themes are much less prevalent to keep the panelist's interest during the screening process. Themes have become more abstract or more based around specific actors as the show has gone on.
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== Format ==
[[File:Vlcsnap-2024-06-04-02h51m37s495.png|thumb|A typical example of the screening segment.]]
[[File:Vlcsnap-2024-06-04-03h15m22s812.png|thumb|The discussion period being held at the BOTW Table.]]
The show has three major segments. During the introduction, the panelists and crew will explain their film choices and read the description of the film on the back of the DVD or VHS tape box where applicable. This is interspersed with clips from the screening.

After all films have been showcased—and after the films have been watched—the discussion period begins. The person who begins introducing the discussion is considered the de facto host of the program for that day. Panelists will bemoan not becoming the host, since the host selects who will be describing the plot of each film. This process is largely honorary as descriptions of the films are spread out amongst the entire panel.

Each film is given a discussion period where the plot of the film is recapped in broad strokes. Throughout, the film is criticized by the panelists who give their opinions and often includes notes about proper filmmaking—or lack thereof.

After all films have been described, the host asks each person at the table which film is the Best of the Worst. Panelists will then give their answers and occasionally an explanation.

There are no official rules for Best of the Worst, but the winner is often selected based on the criteria of the most entertaining “for any reason.” This specific phrase has been repeated in multiple episodes when justifying or clarifying certain selections.
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== Losers ==
{{Main|Best of the Worst (Award)#List of losers}}

In earlier episodes it was common to pick a “loser” in addition to a winner. This tape would [[Destroyed objects#Best of the Worst losers|usually be destroyed]] or otherwise humiliated in a sketch. As the series continued, however, this fell out of favor unless a tape was particularly disappointing or offensive.

== Gimmicks ==
In addition to the standard format a number of gimmicks have been devised to keep the show fresh. Some will even harbor sub-gimmicks. Some are minor, while others are entire series unto themselves.

=== ''Battle of the Genres'' ===
[[File:Vlcsnap-2024-06-04-03h21m54s125.png|thumb|The ''Battle of the Genres'' title card.]]
{{For|the episode named "Battle of the Genres"|Battle of the Genres}}

In a ''Battle of the Genres'' episode three films are selected in the different genres of “Action”, “Science Fiction”, and “Horror”.

While a lot of ''BOTW'' episodes feature a film selection from disparate genres, ''Battle'' episodes are unique as the Best is decided based on which film represents it’s genre the best. For example, a film may be less entertaining than the others, but because it represented Action-themed movies better than the others represented Sci-fi and Horror it will win the competition.

As mentioned previously, themes are less common on traditional ''Best of the Worst'' episodes to keep the show fresh. Jay admitted in [[Spookies, Action USA, and Alien Private Eye]] that “now every episode is kind of a battle of the genres.” As a result, this gimmick is rarely seen.
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=== ''Wheel of the Worst'' ===
''Wheel of the Worst'' episodes include the [[The Wheel of the Worst|titular wheel]] loaded with a variety of tapes and DVDs. Unique to this format only is that the tapes are not feature films, but instead are direct-to-video publications like self-help tapes or vanity projects. This wheel is spun to determine which videos will be shown.

=== ''Plinketto'' ===
Named after [[Harry S. Plinkett]], ''Plinketto'' is an alternative method of selecting tapes that includes [[The Plinketto Board|a massive pegboard]] along which VHS tapes and DVDs are placed. A ball is dropped from the top of the board, where it bounces down to one of the entries below. Whichever it lands on is selected to view.

=== ''The Black Spine Edition'' ===
''Black Spine'' is an alternative tape selection process where tapes are placed, spine-out, in a shelf or shelves facing the panelists. Panelists are tasked with selecting a tape at random, without seeing any visual information about the tape beforehand. ''Black Spine'' candidates are only tapes, and the only criteria is that they must not have anything written along their spines.

''Black Spine'' has only appeared twice without alterations aside from a minor appearance in [[Wheel of the Black Spine Plinketto]]. It’s commonly cited by panelists as one of the worst gimmicks on the show.

=== ''Black Spine Junka'' ===
''Junka'' is a jumbling tower party game using a 5x5 tower of ''Black Spine'' candidate tapes. Contestants remove tapes one by one from the tower and add a copy of ''Nukie'' to the top of the tower. Whosoever collapses the tower loses the match. All tapes collected by the winner over the course of the game are used as the showcase material.

Due to the sheer volume of tapes collected during this process, panelists are allowed to abort any viewing if a tape is too boring, uninteresting, or creepy. Only a fraction of ''Junka'' tapes make it to the discussion period. [[Rich Evans]] has mentioned a fondness for ''Junka'' due to this clause allowing them to skip particularly awful tapes. {{When|date=June 2024}}

=== ''Bad Movie Scavenger Hunt'' ===
In a ''Bad Movie Scavenger Hunt'', two or three panelists are tasked with finding a tape that meets up to 3 different criteria with regard to its title or box art. These can include things like “is a painted cover” or “has ‘Blood’, ‘Death’ or ‘Kill’ in the title”.

== ''Spotlight'' and ''Blacklight'' ==
''Spotlight'' episodes are used for individual movies that are already known to the panelists. While ''[[re:View]]'' is used for culturally significant films and ''[[Half in the Bag]]'' is for newer and more high profile releases, ''Spotlight'' episodes tend to be specifically about weird, unprofessional, and “so bad it’s good” movies.

''Spotlight'' episodes often forego a plot synopsis in favor of describing and analyzing specific parts of the film. These episodes trend towards analysis more than any other ''Best of the Worst'', owing perhaps to the fact that these films have been viewed multiple times by the panel.

''Blacklight'' episodes are a specific variant of ''Spotlight'' episodes for films that aren’t particularly funny or baffling, but still interesting enough that the panelists want to showcase it.

== Settings ==
A few common settings are seen during episodes of ''Best of the Worst'':

* The introductory segments are often filmed in [[the movie room]]. Even when introductory sequences are filmed elsewhere, the movie room is always used for the screening process.
* During ''Wheel'' and ''Plinketto'' episodes, the introductory segments are filmed [[backstage]].
* Since it’s construction, most discussions take place at the [[Best of the Worst Table]].
* Halloween episodes often take place in specially-constructed sets, which are marked on the pages for those specific episodes.

== See Also ==

* [[List of Best of the Worst episodes]]

[[Category:Series]]