Long-form

Is there anything that Mario can’t do? Nintendo has placed the iconic plumber in as many professions as the Japanese publisher has deemed marketable to a mass consumer base. He’s been a race car driver, referee, golfer, and even a giant gorilla tamer. Obviously, Mario can do anything if he sets his mind to it; a true renaissance man.

Over the years, serialized television has become increasingly more prominent. Condensed-time and arc-based series are the dramatic norm, on cable at least, with the most culturally significant and critically acclaimed series falling into this category. With television viewership dwindling, niche shows are increasingly sustainable, making cult, new-viewer-unfriendly programming less of a risk for struggling networks. …