Jenny Nicholson’s Top 5 YouTube Video Essays

Longtime YouTuber Jenny Nicholson, who specializes in fandom culture, strange parts of the internet, and theme parks, is going viral for her spectacular and scathing review of the now-defunct Star Wars Hotel, officially known at Disney as Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.

Nicholson paid a whopping $6,000+ for the two-night stay at the hotel for herself and her sister, with the expectation of a luxurious setting and a meticulous live-action role-playing experience for Star Wars nerds.

While praising the quirky performances by actors and the endless buffet, the video details a litany of shortcomings, from small rooms with barely any room for luggage to a pole that prevented the audience from watching the musical dinner show.

If you haven’t watched the essay yet — or are still flicking through the four-hour, five-minute video — you can catch up below:

This project is just one of many from Nicholson, who regularly delves into the strangest corners of pop culture. I’ve watched many of her videos over the years, and if you’ve now joined her legions of fans, I’d like to share some of the best ones to watch.

The Church Play cinematic universe

Not only is this my favorite Jenny Nicholson essay, it’s also one of my top-rated videos.

It is an analysis of thirteen of the Easter music shows produced by Church of the Rock, an evangelical place of worship in Canada. Instead of just performing a traditional service, the pastor and members perform an incredibly elaborate play, themed around a well-known movie and/or franchise, mixed with pop songs.

These plays contain religious references throughout and incorporate elements of the traditional Easter story. For example, in 2009 they presented ‘Pirates of the Galilean’, with ‘Captain Jack Saviour’ as the main character.

This show uses an impressive replica of the Black Pearl ship on a turntable, complete with functioning cannons. During the story, Jack is crucified by Barbossa and tied to the mast of the boat. When he triumphantly rises from the dead, the cast sings “What Will We Do With a Risen Savior?”

Beware of the pastor’s repeated cameos and terrible impressions of famous characters.

THE Vampire Diaries video

Disclaimer: You don’t have to be a fan of The CW’s 2010 hit The Vampire Diaries to enjoy this video. In fact, it’s probably even better if you’re not.

Nicholson delves into the show’s baffling stories, from debating the effects of vampire blood on both humans and creatures, to leading Elena’s villainous arc in which she shows up at a party and makes scathing comments while Icona Pop’s hit ‘I Don’t Care ‘ pops. on the background.

She also includes a notable section about the lazy writing for the character Bonnie, including a love interest who is (sort of) her own brother. If you’ve ever seen any other CW hit like Supernatural or series in the Arrowverse, you’ll recognize the tacky editing style and crazy plot details.

With twelve million hits and counting, this is Nicholson’s most popular video, and it’s easy to see why.

An Unnecessarily Thorough Branding of Dear Evan Hansen (2021)

You may have heard of the musical Dear Evan Hansen, but not many people know how unhinged the film’s plot is. Luckily, Jenny is here to help.

Nicholson rips the film adaptation of the show, which was released in 2021. It starred Ben Platt, a 27-year-old man who tries unsuccessfully to cosplay as a high school character.

Evan should be the protagonist you root for, but as Jenny describes, his lies are malicious and a poor excuse for his loneliness. I won’t reveal how bad they are, but trust me… they are bad.

Nicholson often dresses up for her analysis, and this is one of my personal favorites, with a messy wig, dark bags under the eyes and an ill-fitting striped polo – not to mention the broken arm.

Something is wrong with Hallmark’s YouTube channel

If you’re short on time and can’t commit to a multi-hour Jenny Nicholson video, this twenty-minute Hallmark YouTube analysis is perfect for the job.

I didn’t even know Hallmark had social media channels like this, but Nicholson dives into the hilarious stories of everyone involved, including the rivalry between hosts Nicole and Lauren.

These videos are intended to teach viewers simple home hacks, but they are completely useless. For example, in a cocktail recommendation video, one of the examples involves a mystery punch that is made in advance (without the recipe being described in the video), with just a little dry ice added.

Nicholson picks apart these cheesy and unintentionally funny videos, and rightly so.

Evermore: the theme park that wasn’t

If you were intrigued by the theme park aspect of the Star Wars Hotel…I mean…Galactic Starcruiser, then you absolutely need to check out Nicholson’s experience with Evermore in Utah, which also went bankrupt.

In theory, Evermore sounded like a fantasy fan’s dream. This theme park was to draw inspiration from Renaissance fairs, The Lord of the Rings, steampunk and D&D, and provide a fully immersive experience with actors, animatronics and attractions.

If you thought the Disney experience was a flop, you ain’t seen nothing yet. This park opened half completed, with hardly any food options and no liquor license. Storylines and quests were a complete mess, with performers seeming as confused as the guests.

It closed for good in April 2024, so this video is one of the few remaining reminders of its existence. As always, Jenny digs into the park’s shortcomings and isn’t afraid to call out those who need to be held accountable.