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Season 8
Season8
Genre Dramedy
Science fiction
Action
Format Live-action puppeteering / Machinima
Created by Jon Graham
Starring Microsoft Sam
Microsoft Mike
Jon Graham
Elizabeth Carr-Ernst
Opening theme N/A
Country of origin Canada
Language English
No. of episodes 17
Running time ?

The eighth season of Arby 'n' the Chief premiered on November 5, 2015 with the release of "Fatal Exception", and is currently developed and released on an irregular schedule. This season is the first that Jon Graham developed completely independently from Machinima Inc., under his new production studio moniker Imaginative Logo Productions; production of new episodes is funded via Patreon.

The season picks up where the previous one left off; after committing suicide, the main characters find themselves on a spaceship, in a weird afterlife/shared dream state, and finally end up reincarnated at Jon's new apartment.

Production[]

Throughout the last quarter of 2014, numerous teasers regarding the writing and production of an eighth season were released by Jon as well as a poll asking whether an eighth season should be made. Following the near-unanimous results (84% of the votes were in agreement compared to the opposing 15%), Jon confirmed through many posts on his Twitter that he was indeed working on the eighth season, culminating in a teaser trailer for the season being uploaded to Jon's YouTube channel. Since then, he has also uploaded over fifty songs that will make up the eighth season's soundtrack.

Details revealed[]

Numerous details and story elements of this season have been revealed in advance via Jon's Twitter and live streams:

  • The discussion of how Arbiter and Master Chief possess a consciousness despite being toys and what their purpose in life is.
  • The character of Jon Graham appearing again, possibly with a larger role.
  • A happier ending, similar to season 6's finale.
  • A returning villain, one that Jon Graham describes as (sic) "the most despicable villain in the series and could possibly make another appearance given the way he went out." There will also be two additional villains, both of which are also characters from previous seasons. [1] In a concept teaser released on August 30th, 2015, a character with a similar appearance to Adam made an appearance.
  • An "evil fortress-type" map in Halo: Reach will be one of the settings.
  • The show will contain numerous flash-forwards and flashbacks.
  • Adam McIntyre, Colin Hunt, Kylie, and Clyde have been confirmed to reappear this season by Jon, along with other former antagonists. Khail Anonymous was set to reprise his role as Adam McIntyre until series creator Jon Graham announced his exit from the project.

Cast[]

Episodes[]

Act I[]

Screenshot Title Air Date Code #
Mission control "Fatal Exception" November 5, 2015 8-01 90
Four years after forfeiting their lives to fiery oblivion, two action figures of the Halo series of games' principal characters inexplicably find themselves in a parody of Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey...
PAL-9001 next to an explosives sign "Nervewreck" December 15, 2015 8-02 91
Having awakened aboard the Cargo Ship Truth and Reconciliation, Arbiter and Cortana look to PAL for answers as to why exactly they're on board.
PAL-9001 looking up to Cortana "Party Time" February 20, 2016 8-03 92
In spite of PAL's unfounded misogyny, Cortana attempts to befriend the robot for the sake of the success of the crew's mission. With the two often at odds, Arbiter struggles with keeping the peace as well as his paranoia in light of the lethal contents of the ship's cargo bay and hallucinations of a mysterious stalker.
The Arbiter standing on the edge of the spaceship "Bad Dream" April 16, 2016 8-04 93
PAL reveals the cause of the ship's high alert status to be the imminent failure of a critical component of the ship's communications system.
Arbiter locked out "Reentry" June 22, 2016 8-05 94
Cortana makes the executive decision as the mission's Captain to deactivate PAL. Arbiter's torn between his odd-couple friendship with the robot and his respect for Cortana as his friend and superior. Meanwhile, PAL may have other plans.
Lockout "Lockout" September 15, 2016 8-06 95
Arbiter attempts a life-or-death negotation with PAL.
Triple Fault "Triple Fault" November 22, 2016 8-07 96
After PAL proves itself to be extremely dangerous, Arbiter takes drastic measures to disable the robot.
Warhead "Warhead" March 24, 2017 8-08 97
With the ship hijacked by deadly Space Allen soldiers obsessed with violating the rear ends of all lifeforms throughout the universe to death and led by the terrible alien king Xanthar, Arbiter is forced to fight or die.
Act I

Act II[]

Screenshot Title Air Date Code #
S8E09 showdown "No Purpose" May, 21, 2017 8-09 98
The '2001: A Space Odyssey' arc is over. Having awakened from their dream states, the toys find themselves alive and together once again within the confines of their owner Jon's bedroom. Chief's happy. Arbiter, on the other hand...
S8E10 chief controller "Future Shock" September 2, 2017 8-10 99
The toys are back inexplicably in Jon's room after being dead for four years. While Chief searches for Jon's copy of Halo: Reach so he can play it and troll people online, Arbiter uses Jon's computer and internet connection to catch up on current world affairs.
S8E11 disc reflection "Zeroes" December 13, 2017 8-11 100
More is revealed from the flashfoward in time seen in the first episode of this season. In the present day, Arbiter continues his search for purpose while Chief seeks means of obtaining the Xbox One X and the Master Chief Collection.
S1E12 Hello World "Hello, World!" June 8, 2018 8-12 101
As the toys continue to seek their purpose, an enemy approaches.
S8E13 amanda & cheese "Alt-Right-Delete" February 23, 2019 8-13 102
Master Chief gets he and Arbiter into big trouble with the Terms of Service Enforcement and Response Squad. A formidable new foe performs a field test of an extremely dangerous malware tool.
S8E14 no face 1 "Play to Win" November 9, 2019 8-14 103
Adam and Kylie form an uneasy alliance in leadership of both Kylie and Clyde's hacker armies, the latter leader now having been taken out of play. Feeling that TOSERS has ruined the Halo Reach online experience, Chief decides he's had enough with the confines of Jon's bedroom.
S8E15 Possession "Possession" August 18, 2020 8-15 104
The Arbiter and Master Chief deal with a disturbing turn of events since Jon's return to the house. Adam moves forward with a secret and terrible plan. Claire recalls her last meeting with the Arbiter.
"Zero Hour" January 19, 2022 8-16 105
Kylie wrestles with the loss of her clan and relationship with Adam in handling her partnership with him gone awry. The toys discover that Claire's hosting an online event on Halo Reach in memorial of them, believing them to be dead. Adam, now one of the world's most powerful crime lords, plots a number of attacks, one involving a devastating cyberweapon.
"Apocalypse" November 18, 2022 8-17 106
Adam's hired programmer Cody completes for him Hate Machine, a cyberweapon of mass destruction in the form of a program that steals data, lethally destroys power supply units and duplicates and re-executes itself using bots as hosts to spread exponentially, resulting in the deaths of up to hundreds of thousands of people. Arbiter and Chief make a last-ditch effort to stop him, paying a price they're not prepared to, and make discoveries there's no turning back from.
Act II

Reception[]

As of 2020, season 8 has been generally well received. Viewers have directed praise at the more clearly defined three-act structure and the interesting diversion of the first act, as well as the continuing development of the toys' existential crisis. The satire of contemporary gaming culture and politics has also been lauded; the episode 'Future Shock' in particular has been praised for reintroducing the protagonists to pop culture in a considered way, especially since the cultural landscape at the time of broadcast had changed considerably since the events of season 7. The plot point of Halo: Reach becoming a malware-vulnerable legacy title also placated the initial concerns of some viewers, who questioned its relevance in a season set in 2017.

However, some criticism has been directed at the season's length, with some viewers considering many episodes and scenes padded with long shots and introductions. Nevertheless, most viewers have expressed patience and good faith with Jon over the season's long production cycle.

Trailers[]

Trailer 1: Extended Teaser[]

Trailer 2: Concept Teaser[]

References[]


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