X-Play

X-Play (previously Gamespot TV and Extended Play) is a video game review television show hosted by Adam Sessler and Morgan Webb. X-Play began on TechTV, but later moved to G4 after the May 2004 merger of G4 and TechTV. The show revolves around the two hosts' banter between reviews and previews of popular video games and the occasional quirky skits.

Trademarks

The disembodied voice announcer begins each episode with an often over the top introduction to which the hosts usually respond or comment. In March 2005, producer and disembodied voice announcer Jason Frankovitz, unhappy with the creative direction G4 was going in, quit X-Play. A new disembodied voice announcer has since been chosen.

Adam Sessler occasionally says "Dik-Dik", and has been known to wear a Dik-Dik t-shirt on-air. This is in reference to the manga and video game Ultimate Muscle, which contains a character named Dik-Dik Van Dik. Sessler has said that this is a subtle way to legally use questionable words on television.

Sketches are sometimes shown between reviews. These sketches are related to video games or video game related topics. For example, a recent episode had a sketch about the use of Engrish in video games, while another documented games you should never buy. Adam and Morgan are often seen playing recurring character roles in many of the sketches. Sessler is known to masquerade as Shad Grimgravy, an excessively flamboyant and overly dramatic Don King lookalike, and Webb as Morgan Von Vebb, a mad scientist-type character with a German accent and slight dominatrix-like qualities.

Constant themes show up throughout the series. Such themes include Adam and Morgan's eternal hate for card battle games and dating sims, the hosts' constant abuse of the show's interns, and regular appearances by Ratty, an obscenity-spewing hand puppet. Sessler also regularly makes remarks regarding his hatred for his own life and even suicide.

External link

• X-Play official site