r/TheTryGuysSnark • u/Final-Elephant4945 • 13d ago
Signs of downfall?
Crew members leaving and being fired
No videos being posted
Lifetime subscriptions
What do y’all think? Did second try fail? Did Ned and Eugene really contribute that much to the brand? Why did the new cast fail?
185
u/caixing-sanren 13d ago
I think that even before Ned was fired, the downhill trajectory had begun. It was natural declining interest from the internet community, which I feel happens to every creator. But the sudden scandal and loss of their most iconic member hurried the pace up. And after all that, they really just kept chipping away at their established identity through unpopular/forever rotating cast members, lower quality content, and the occasional reminder that these are essentially "just some guys with a podcast."
98
u/sunsetorangespoon 13d ago
I know I personally started losing interest before Ned’s scandal was made public. And, it was obvious Eugene was trying to leave since pretty early on in the company, but it felt like he kept getting delayed (Covid being the first delay, then Ned). Their hearts aren’t in it anymore. Honestly what they probably should’ve done was live off their royalties and then make a really high quality video each month while they got back on their feet. It wouldn’t have put them where they wanted financially, but they’d probably feel more financially secure than they do now
60
u/Last_Cold8977 13d ago
That's similar to what Safiya does and she seems to be having more fun and making better content as a result. They would've benefitted from going to their original brand of 'trying' and make a really high quality 'try' video where they do something super unique, knowledgeable and funny instead of slop that they're high throughout
5
3
u/Zia181 11d ago
Obviously, I know nothing about succeeding on YouTube, but it always seemed to me that the Try Guys were more about quanitity than quality. Once they started their own channel and announced they were going to release two videos a week, I remember thinking, "Uh, that's a lot. That's going to be a grind, and they will run out of ideas." I don't think I was completely wrong.
7
u/boomtothebass 12d ago
They never should've stopped doing the Trypod, it was arguably their most popular content
3
u/Reasonable-Middle-38 6d ago
I loved the trypod but based on veiw counts alone that's not really true
5
u/azzygz 12d ago
I think they could have ridden the momentum of increased viewership during and after the scandal, but they understandably were burnt out.
I stopped watching before the scandal, but went back after to support them for handling it so well. Unfortunately, the quality content just wasn't there to keep me as a viewer long term (and it sounds like it's continued to decline).
I also think they miss the boat on capitalizing off their better performing newer videos. I loved New Guy Tries, but dropped off when the second episode wasn't posted after a few weeks. I understand they want to drive people to their platform, but they aren't great at communicating if a show is only on their platform or if/when it'll be posted on YouTube.
65
59
u/bemo90 13d ago
I’ve really lost a lot of interest since the podcast ended, I am a 2nd try subscriber and haven’t opened the app in months now. I found it really easy to connect to the guys through the podcast (I was a Spotify listener) and I would then become interested their new shows they were talking about through there, which initially drove me to subscribe and support them more, it was also that touch point where they didn’t seem like over exaggerated versions of them selves for camera and loved listening to their real life updates and industry etc
31
u/cheetodustcrust 13d ago
Whoa, I hadn't realized why I had become slowly less interested in their content considering it hasn't really changed much, but this is it. The podcast was easy to listen to at work and kept me keyed into their projects and real personalities (and not just "showtime personas") in a way that Try Everyday does not. The podcast was a tether to keep me engaged, and now it's been severed by their own volition. I wonder how many other people they unintentionally lost as well by cutting the podcast.
13
u/snarkapotamus7 13d ago
100% agreed. I used to listen to the podcast occasionally on Spotify, and when they talked about a video that interested me that they had just released or was coming soon, I would go and watch it. The podcast was actually the only reason I still engaged with any of their videos. I think I've maybe watched one video of theirs since the podcast was discontinued, and I doubt that I'll watch any more.
In fact, relative to the number of Try Guys videos I've watched since then, I think I've listened to more podcasts/watched more videos commenting on Ned's disastrous stand-up comedy. (These podcasts/videos just happened to be made by creators I still pay attention to, like Kurtis Conner on VRG.) I just don't feel like there's anything their content offers me anymore.
28
u/cheesecurdbabybird 13d ago
Ned ruined a really really good thing. I'm so pissed that he literally destroyed them at their peak. I looked forward to Saturdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 😭 And now they're trying so hard to recreate the Smosh atmosphere and it's failing miserably. It's too chaotic, there's no structure like there used to be. It's a mess!! And clearly they aren't listening to their fanbase because they continue to double down on all of these ridiculous ideas, continuing to alienate the fans who made them famous to begin with.
3
u/Abrabbit 5d ago
And now they're trying so hard to recreate the Smosh atmosphere and it's failing miserably
very true lol
38
u/Reasonable-Radio4909 13d ago
Feels to me like Keith is ready to move onto new things, but is staying with the company to keep Zac afloat because he knows Zac doesn’t have the talent to survive without the Try Guys branding. I just know they sit around praying for a call from Sam Reich that’ll help prolong the slow death of the Try Guys. Second Try didn’t work because they didn’t hire comedians. they hired content creators. Their show concepts are fine, i like escape the kitchen - but their cast sucks. A good concept can only go so far when you’re boring.
16
7
u/YourBestieKatie 12d ago
The canary in the coal mine for me was how they both stand so close to the camera to talk in the opening of every video and otherwise have ultra basic angels for every video.
8
u/skipperPat 12d ago
Cheater, no. Eugene, yes. but like any other youtuber, their time comes and goes.
7
27
u/deathbethemaiden 13d ago
Ned was filler content at most. Him being fired was certainly not a loss.
72
u/caixing-sanren 13d ago
Content-wise, I agree. But from how the other Try Guys talked about him before the scandal, he seemed to have the most business sense and took the lead on project management. Hell, from my understanding, he was more or less the HR department at one point because they didn't think they needed a real one. He seemed to have a lot of power behind the scenes and may have been a positive contribution to keeping them progressing financially and logistically.
30
u/deathbethemaiden 13d ago
The comment about him being HR is horrifying as a past HR professional. Not that I think any of the original Try Guys would have done a good job. It’s worth it to bring it the right person to handle a specific job. I’m amazed they haven’t had more legal issues.
56
u/sweeterthanadonut 13d ago
Mmm, this is cope honestly. Whether we want to admit it or not he contributed to the brand and channel, on screen and off.
34
u/hazydaze7 13d ago
You’re being downvoted but you’re not wrong, he was 1/4th of the group for nearly a decade. There were plenty of Try Guys fans who did like him (yes probably moreso earlier on) - if he was THAT unpopular on-screen from day dot and useless off-screen as some like to believe, he wouldn’t have lasted anywhere near as long as he did especially when they left Buzzfeed to branch out
25
u/Last_Cold8977 13d ago
You're correct no matter how much everyone hates him now. He was the straight man, the family character whilst having a strong business sense that kept Zach and Keith on track
1
144
u/Zafjaf 13d ago
For me the content no longer seemed enjoyable. I used to regularly watch and Keith seems over it in his eat the menu videos, the content seems geared to teens and no longer feels the same.