Dan & Phil Part 78: have the courage to exist.

[knq]

One of the elements that makes this video so interesting is the shift in roles. When they play scary games it’s usually Dan who gets scared and Dan who controls the game while Phil is making jokes or getting scared by Dan screaming.

With Dan choosing the game, Phil having control, and Dan role playing as the psychologist guy-in-glasses we get to see them in new roles. I don’t at all think those roles are foreign to them in their normal lives—Dan is often a reassuring person outside performing and Phil’s talked about his home invasion fears before as well as getting up to check that a door was locked in a few live shows way back. But I do think those roles are more foreign to them as performers.

This really stands out to me in three places—obviously Dan’s whispered ‘are you okay?’, but also Phil saying the game made him feel like there really was someone in the house and Dan calmly asking if he wanted to check the door. I’m just speculating obviously, but Dan’s tone and the sort of uncertainty in their exchange afterwards made me think that Dan was expecting to pause the game so Phil could check the door, not keep discussing Phil’s fear for the camera/spooks.

Another moment that stood out for the same reason was Dan thinking Phil was trying to scare him and then getting high pitched and adorable asking the audience “why’s he saying shush? What is that voice he’s doing right now?’ That felt very genuine and new to me. I didn’t think Phil was trying to jump scare Dan right then, I think Dan is just not used to Phil being more immersed and spooked by a game than he is and was startled after looking at Phil and presumable realizing Phil wasn’t trying to scare him. (There are other points where it’s obvious Phil is trying to scare Dan and Dan knows it and totally brushes it off and this felt quite different to those.)

It’s a dynamic I’d like to see more of on the gaming channel if that’s something they’d find fun. They discussed Phil being immersed and Dan less so because Phil had the controls, so if they want to they can make more videos like it. Or not because who knows if Phil actually enjoys being scared. But it was just cool to see them in this new dynamic and acknowledging that it felt different to them too.


Also if we don’t remind them to tell us about the apartment they didn’t rent because murders I will be so disappointed in us as a fandom.

[Ataraxia25]

okay i just rewatched it at the gym in a totally not spooky atmosphere and it was okay.
still didn't like it that much because it's the kind of game that has a real impact on me and also i have a really big pathological fear of home invasion but if it wasn't for that, i think i would have enjoyed it a lot more!

i have to say, as much as i love him, dan was just so annoying with the ghosts thing! yes dan, we know, you don't believe in ghosts, amazing, but other people do. phil always said that he thought he experienced ghosts and it really bothered me that he ended up clicking on "unsure" both times

but dan kinda made up for it with his cute "shut up you idiot" at 12:09

i think that the video was too scary for me because the test was TOO REAL. so i hope we're gonna have a really fictional game tonight hihi

also thanks to everyone giving advice and cute thoughts, made me feel better to read them

[flarequake]

Just caught up now outside in the sun and didn’t find it scary. I saw the live show in the middle of the night and saved the video until the morning cos I’m in a hotel and my mind starts going to ghosts every time I’m in a new place. It seemed like the climax would be a jumpscare, it feels lame that that’s the best they can come up with, but some of the questions were creepy. The IP address bit was a funny touch.

The most interesting thing for me was how immersed and spooked Phil got and it was nice that Dan checked in on him. I loved the acute bit too.

Phil’s jumper seems too big on him, he’s a bit swamped. Dan looks great in those glasses, though. I love the “do they know about that?” It’s interesting to realise they have things we don’t know.

[snokoplasmic]

I'm only about half way through my first watch on the video so far, but I have to agree with the people who are saying that Dan was annoying with the ghosts thing. Acting like Phil shouldn't believe in ghosts because he's a fully grown adult, and then being annoying about it again during the "I often think about ghosts in my house" question.... Sometimes I want to (lovingly) throttle him. News flash, people are allowed to believe in things you don't particularly believe in, and you don't need to make them feel stupid about it! Not that I know that it made Phil feel like that, but I kind of hated that he changed his ghost answers. If he knows that he believes in ghosts, and it does seem like he fully knows that he believes, why are you trying to make him question it? Because you don't believe? Okay
I know this probably sounds really mean but I really can't help but get annoyed at him

[karma_yeah]

Haven't seen the live show yet, but really liked the video, primarily because it was a quiz video. That made it easier for me not to get immersed too much myself, making it less scary, and gave us more glimpses into their, primarily Phil's, personalities and some more "authentic" bants (recognizing it's still an entertainment video).

Good job boys!

Anxiously awaiting #3

[missemma]

I haven't watched the Granny video as yet but the Phil's mind one I watched last night and didn't find it scary at all. I actually really enjoyed it (I'm not a fan of scary things). The second jumpscare was really funny as was so unexpected.

I found it interesting that one of Phil's biggest fears is someone coming into the flat un-invited, same bro, same. I have that exact same fear and when I'm on my own I literally hear every single noise the flat makes, all the creaks and wow, it's scaaaaary! So I definitely know where Phil is coming from.

[gnostic]

The last video really made me appreciate being a single young professional living in a studio flat in London. Ain't no way someone can invade THIS microscropic space without me noticing. In fact, if they can squeeze past my bathroom door they are probably incorporeal

[Stakhanov]

Lol - when the rent is so high and the studio's so small home invaders can't even properly swing their hammers at you

You know I thought it was funny how they both gave some clues about where there house could be located in the same vid Phil shares his fears for home invasions.

[alittledizzy]

Timestamps for The Creepy Mind of Phil Lester - which, btw, they get definite props for going the Shane Dawson parody route for the title/thumbnail. I actually laughed when I saw it.

:10 - Dan asking Phil if it was he got the shirt for his birthday or Christmas - Phil has no idea. (But it's funny that Dan expected him to.)
:30 - Dan both critiques and compliments Phil's jumper. "Ugly but in a really cool way. I love it."
:48 - Natural Phil voice, meaning he fully didn't expect for that to be something that they leave in but when Dan addresses the audience instead of Phil, Phil's instantly fine with it being left in.
1:25 - Crossy Road is the most exposure that Phil's ever had.
1:33 - Dan's super into bisexual susan's name, isn't he?
1:55 - Dan pausing his sentence to facepalm and yet genuinely laugh at Phil's dumb joke about The Square.
2:13 - Dan is the psychologist in this roleplay scenario because under pressure Phil isn't good at reading.
2:26 - Dan's visceral reaction of "ohhhh no no no, he did it" when the words "I'll be the top" come out of Phil's mouth.
2:53 - Some real cute sweaterpaw Phil touching his face acting.
2:58 - Phil makes a cheese joke; at this point Dan is letting Phil get away with the obligatory branding-appropriate jokes. (Which I want to clarify is not me saying Phil not liking cheese isn't also reality, but Phil likes the easy lolz and Dan coaxing Phil out of that comfort zone of easy lolz answers is like the theme of this video.)
3:52 - Dan says "But you are very fragile and sensitive." about Phil and I'm not actually sure he's joking? I am fascinated by and yet relate to the fact that Phil loves horror but also seems extremely sensitive to some horror things. (It makes me think of him being upset by the bodies of dead children in Outlast 2 when they played it together.)
5:10 - Dan knows some barefooters out there. "It's a valid lifestyle."
5:21 - Dan mentions snails as an anxiety of his.
5:30 - Macrophilia reference.
5:38 - Dan expands on the snail anxiety.
6:17 - "The person in my brain - who is me."
6:58 - Phil would be proud if his cat gave him a mouse. Dan would feel inconvenienced. I kind of love that Dan has a healthy respect for death that's part of a natural process re: predator/prey relationship, but feels guilt over something like snails dying because it's people stepping on them and killing them in that situation.
7:33 - Phil very sweetly: "Oh no. I hope it's not gory."
8:03 - The ghost question. I don't think I view this as Dan talking Phil out of Phil's genuine answer. "For real, just be - people on youtube, after all these years, they want some realness. You've had weird experiences. Do you, grown adult Phil Lester, believe in ghosts?" Dan's approach isn't I think you're wrong - it's Give us your real answer. I think this is more an indication that Dan and Phil have had this conversation a lot of times privately and that the conclusion Phil usually comes to is that it might be ghosts but he's not sure if he believes in them, but that Dan knew that Phil would give the answer that he thinks would be most entertaining to the audience as a first instinct - which would be the confirmation to say he believes in ghosts.
8:37 - When Phil answers unsure on his own for 'have you seen a ghost' Dan is super supportive and thanks him, presumably for being real and giving the honest answer.
9:06 - Mention of the place they almost rented where three murders happened in the bedroom. "That's a long story." "Another time." I'm holding you to that, boys.
10:13 - Phil believes the house he grew up is haunted; Dan already knows that it was a new build.
10:40 - Phil struggles with the moral question until Phil gives him a new perspective; Phil agrees that people that want to die deserve to (be able to) die.
11:04 - Phil goes to grab Dan's shoulder and then aborts the move but it's still super cute.
12:01 - Dan calls Phil out for trying to make Dan jump.
12:11 - "Shut up, you idiot."
13:14 - Starts the discussion of Phil's home invasion fear.
13:37 - Dan asks Phil if he wants to check and see if the door is unlocked, Phil declines and says he'll "trust the fear."
14:15 - Their neighbors don't know them and do hate them.
14:27 - Dan defends the fact that Phil can run fast. "You're a long boye."
14:40 - Phil says his method of conflict resolution is to cry.
14:57 - They both agree they actively avoid conflict. Therapist mention; Dan says he can negotiate other people's conflict well. (Which must come in handy for Phil.)
15:36 - With the Ferrish Wheel question, Phil says no one will be able to catch him because he's too heavy.
16:25 - The image won't speak, according to the game; I think Dan mouths 'it's going to move' where Phil can't see.
16:57 - Cannibal mention.
17:03 - Phil is jumpscared by the static; Dan very quietly says 'Are you okay?' to which Phil says no but keeps playing.
17:32 - Phil has done boxing and Muay Thai, Dan has done Taekwondo. I wonder if these were all during the personal trainer stuff? Dan did say that what they did with the trainer was 'varied exercises' so it sounds like maybe they just had a sampler of a bunch of things to see what worked best for them.
18:16 - The game shows their IP address; they blur it.
19:02 - Dan's "I'm a cute" response and Phil's having none of it - lmfao.
19:20 - Phil takes us through some breathing exercises and tries to jumpscare Dan.
20:32 - Phil is still a bit scared about the locked door.
20:39 - He's also unsure if he's having fun, looks to Dan for an answer.
21:38 - Windows feature update popup. (Dan is correct; the real horror is when Windows updates.)
22:08 - Screamer/jumpscare #1.
22:18 - Phil sounds so young when he says, "I didn't like that at all!"
22:27 - Screamer/jumpscare #2 and yeah I'm pretty sure Phil says "Fuck!" right before he pops Dan on the shoulder.
23:08 - Phil would be more afraid of a hammer than a knife because he feels like he could kick the knife away but a hammer is heavy and has swing to it.
23:29 - They opt not to do the bonus test. Dan needs a drink and for the game to shut up.
23:48 - Dan jumpscares Phil, Phil hits him in the shoulder again.
24:07 - Dan gives bisexual susan another shoutout.
24:13 - They both agree that the game was stressful because the fear of home invasion is actually real, and Dan says he would have been scared playing it if he were alone. Phil - despite being tense and afraid throughout the whole game - immediately starts thinking of ways he would have actually made it scarier if he were making the game, to improve it.

[Birdie]

The last video really made me appreciate being a single young professional living in a studio flat in London. Ain't no way someone can invade THIS microscropic space without me noticing. In fact, if they can squeeze past my bathroom door they are probably incorporeal

I actually had the very same thought. Try sneaking into my flat without me noticing when I'm literally sleeping right next to the front door, good luck.

I liked the video a lot. It wasn't spooky really but I found it unsettling and I think if I had been the one playing it I might have been creeped out a lot. The jumpscares were kind of unnecessary though, they ruined the immersion somewhat and made me snap out of feeling uneasy. But overall I liked it, I especially liked Phil's explanations for the answers he picked, I found it really interesting and related to quite a few of them (especially the ghost ones, don't laugh).

You know I thought it was funny how they both gave some clues about where there house could be located in the same vid Phil shares his fears for home invasions.

Did they though? I know London and based on the very little information they gave about the house it could be anywhere. They're super careful with this kind of stuff and I'm glad they are. I found it funny that they gave some more information about their old house now that they don't live there anymore because I never realised it was an old London build which is cool but also creepy. I don't trust old houses.

[obsessivelymoody]

17:32 - Phil has done boxing and Muay Thai, Dan has done Taekwondo. I wonder if these were all during the personal trainer stuff? Dan did say that what they did with the trainer was 'varied exercises' so it sounds like maybe they just had a sampler of a bunch of things to see what worked best for them.

Ahh such lovely timestamps! I just wanted to pull this one because I thought Dan mentioned doing Taekwondo as a kid/teen, and I found a bit on pg. 217 of tabinof where Dan talks about doing lessons. I'd be curious to know if he did more of it with the trainer and Phil did Muay Thai instead, or if this was just one of those times where Dan was speaking for Phil because they both did it together.

[pastelspectre]

i already expected the jumpscares since i watched jacksepticeye play this game, but god it still got me good. the game is still super creepy to me. i really enjoyed the video though, as creepy as the game was.

[alittledizzy]

17:32 - Phil has done boxing and Muay Thai, Dan has done Taekwondo. I wonder if these were all during the personal trainer stuff? Dan did say that what they did with the trainer was 'varied exercises' so it sounds like maybe they just had a sampler of a bunch of things to see what worked best for them.

Ahh such lovely timestamps! I just wanted to pull this one because I thought Dan mentioned doing Taekwondo as a kid/teen, and I found a bit on pg. 217 of tabinof where Dan talks about doing lessons. I'd be curious to know if he did more of it with the trainer and Phil did Muay Thai instead, or if this was just one of those times where Dan was speaking for Phil because they both did it together.

Oh, good call, I would never have remembered that!

[susan2]

Phil in the club pub

It's really nice knowing there'll be a video today

[kavat]

I was socializing with people irl last night so I missed the wave of content. I tried to watch the video when I got home at 1 am but I had to stop halfway through because it was too scary. I had to continue this morning in daylight. It's still quite creepy, but I appreciate that we learned some new things about them, mainly Phil. It was interesting that he seemed genuinely spooked by the game, and how Dan was trying to read him and calm him. A+ for Phil's sweater paws and Dan in those glasses.

Timestamps for The Creepy Mind of Phil Lester - which, btw, they get definite props for going the Shane Dawson parody route for the title/thumbnail. I actually laughed when I saw it.

Big same, that was very funny!

I feel this, I saw a lot of very bloody people on the tube yesterday that freaked me out a bit.

[gnostic]

Lol - when the rent is so high and the studio's so small home invaders can't even properly swing their hammers at you

You know I thought it was funny how they both gave some clues about where there house could be located in the same vid Phil shares his fears for home invasions.

Due to the aforementioned lack of space, I keep my own household tools in my bedside chair (don't ask). Anyone with a hammer is welcome to get my screwdriver to the eye.

Returning more on topic, I would sacrifice burgers to get some footage of Dan Howell and Phil Lester, martial arts pupils.

[knq]

Yay! I always love your timestamps @alittledizzy. I ended up doing a weird kind of responding-to-your-timestamps-instead-of-actually-making-timestamps thing here, idk.

:48 - Natural Phil voice, meaning he fully didn't expect for that to be something that they leave in but when Dan addresses the audience instead of Phil, Phil's instantly fine with it being left in.

The best part of their editing is when they leave in the bits where they talk about editing. It's very meta. I love seeing the behind-the-scenes-but-not-really-behind-the-scenes-because-they-put-it-in-the-scene decisions they make while filming. 'Lets just not mention the snake I was stroking' is very Phil humor (which actually makes me curious if Dan's whole Haru thing was inspired by Phil.)

2:26 - Dan's visceral reaction of "ohhhh no no no, he did it" when the words "I'll be the top" come out of Phil's mouth.

Is this the first time Phil's reclaimed the top/bottom jokes on camera without Dan prompting him? Because I hate those jokes but I support Dan and Phil taking control of them so if that's the case I'm grudgingly proud of Phil. Goddammit.

3:52 - Dan says "But you are very fragile and sensitive." about Phil and I'm not actually sure he's joking? I am fascinated by and yet relate to the fact that Phil loves horror but also seems extremely sensitive to some horror things. (It makes me think of him being upset by the bodies of dead children in Outlast 2 when they played it together.)

I feel confident that Dan is always joking, but that doesn't mean it can't also be true. Phil did say he's more sensitive (to others' suffering) now that he's older and in the Granny video Dan defended being sensitive. If Dan Howell defends a trait there's a 99% chance it's a trait that Phil Lester possesses.

6:17 - "The person in my brain - who is me."

This quote from Phil made me laugh because I do the same thing sometimes talking about my brain as if I can separate it from 'me' and then realizing how illogical that is. It does make sense if you are aware you have a tendency towards certain irrational thoughts, like 'my brain is telling me the old lady is dangerous even though I know that's not true.' But in this context it's not actually irrational which I think was why Phil corrected himself.

6:58 - Phil would be proud if his cat gave him a mouse. Dan would feel inconvenienced. I kind of love that Dan has a healthy respect for death that's part of a natural process re: predator/prey relationship, but feels guilt over something like snails dying because it's people stepping on them and killing them in that situation.

I appreciate this insight as I wasn't quite sure what to make of Dan being concerned about the snails but indifferent about the dead mouse until you pointed out it's specifically humans doing the killing that he finds upsetting, which falls in line with other things he's said about humans. Also, Phil would make a great cat person and I'm sad he's allergic.

8:03 - The ghost question. I don't think I view this as Dan talking Phil out of Phil's genuine answer. "For real, just be - people on youtube, after all these years, they want some realness. You've had weird experiences. Do you, grown adult Phil Lester, believe in ghosts?" Dan's approach isn't I think you're wrong - it's Give us your real answer.I think this is more an indication that Dan and Phil have had this conversation a lot of times privately and that the conclusion Phil usually comes to is that it might be ghosts but he's not sure if he believes in them, but that Dan knew that Phil would give the answer that he thinks would be most entertaining to the audience as a first instinct - which would be the confirmation to say he believes in ghosts.
8:37 - When Phil answers unsure on his own for 'have you seen a ghost' Dan is super supportive and thanks him, presumably for being real and giving the honest answer.

This is mostly what I set out to respond to in my comment before I started to waffle. I just want to add a big YES and also MORE PLEASE here. One of the elements that makes this video feel so new and so good is that realness they're willing to show us.

It also strikes me as growth (character progression!) from the moving live-show where Dan was explaining where he'd film videos and how he'd decorate the bedroom in the new flat, but also said Phil's filming location wouldn't change and something along the line of "Phil feels authentic enough already." It indicates that they both talk about these things pretty specifically off screen and also that Phil's decided he's willing to drop more of the AP branding recently, which is exciting.

14:15 - Their neighbors don't know them and do hate them.

I mean, understandable. But also why do they have a "hole" in their ceiling leading to the neighbor's flat? wat

14:57 - They both agree they actively avoid conflict. Therapist mention; Dan says he can negotiate other people's conflict well. (Which must come in handy for Phil.)

Their dynamic, man.

23:29 - They opt not to do the bonus test. Dan needs a drink and for the game to shut up.

How does Dan make change in tone of voice so goddamn funny?

24:13 - They both agree that the game was stressful because the fear of home invasion is actually real, and Dan says he would have been scared playing it if he were alone. Phil - despite being tense and afraid throughout the whole game - immediately starts thinking of ways he would have actually made it scarier if he were making the game, to improve it.

Their conclusion confused me as Phil seemed adequately spooked throughout the video and then he was like, yeah, if someone was watching this alone they might have been scared. When they say stuff like that I'm always happy for them that these two strange, I'm-introverted-but-also-can't-be-left-alone people found each other, because I don't relate at all. But it also kind of implies Phil wasn't that scared--or maybe only by the home invasion parts--which just makes me wonder if I've interpreted the video wrong.

[mm_sunny1993]

i just discoverd a new youtuber to watch and in the second video i watch she gets asked the question who her favorite youtuber is. She answers shane and her sister is like 'isn't it dan and phil?' and she's just like 'na i sold my vip ticket to meet them so i thought that would be obvious'. like how big is the chance that after months i watch a new youtuber and they talk about d&p they are seriously everywhere. i was spooked


but to bring it back to the topic:
i didn't like the first spooky week video. it was just boring but i really liked the second. i like these type of quiz videos but at the same time i could never play it myself because like phil home invasion is like one of my biggest fears. i'm just glad i wasn't alone at home when i watched the video
i did enjoy the liveshow as well but it was really laggy. good to know they complain about the bad internet while they are uploading as well. that was really smart but now they at least know the reason for the bad connection.

[SquishPhan]

I'm excited for this.

[alittledizzy]

THIS IS WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF. Or maybe nightmares. But I embrace it all fully.

[liola]

I fully fucking hate it and I haven't even started it. I hate that I love them and I crave content

[onceinaugust]

Haven't even watched most of the video yet, but can I take a second and appreciate the fact that their little Dan and Phil sprites have been in a different Halloween costume each video this week?
I went back and looked at past spooky week videos and they were usually just a negative version of the usual one, but this year they have adorable costumes on.

[sonicgreen]

Haven't even watched most of the video yet, but can I take a second and appreciate the fact that their little Dan and Phil sprites have been in a different Halloween costume each video this week?
I went back and looked at past spooky week videos and they were usually just a negative version of the usual one, but this year they have adorable costumes on.

Yessss, I remember seeing this twitter thread (that I think Phil liked later) and loved it! So cool, they've also been crediting the artist down in the description box.

[onceinaugust]

This is exactly what I wanted from spooky week. Genuinely scary games, good bants, and the boys scaring each other.

My main takeaway though? Phil bought the exact mask that the Arby's Witch used when she gave Griffin McElroy an all pizza game of Dark Souls. Which if you've never watched it, you should because Monster Factory is the best. https://youtu.be/_v1v0t8Q5xg

[alittledizzy]

This is officially my second favorite spooky week game they've played, after Silent Hill PT. I don't think I'll timestamp it, because the bants weren't the star of the show - it was actually the game itself and how immersive it was for Dan and their genuine reactions to it. I just... really, really enjoyed that.