Dan Bell / This is Dan Bell
Do you like dead malls? Creepy abandoned buildings? Dirty hotel and motel rooms? Then this is the channel for you! The quality of Dan Bell’s videos is insane – though his posting is occasionally sporadic, each upload is worth the wait, as his projects are always polished and it’s clear that a great amount of effort has gone into them. His Dead Malls series, where he documents the tragic downfall of American shopping malls and other related retail establishments, is compelling to watch, especially for those who remember the glory days. Also, the Another Dirty Room Series is well worth a watch, where Dan and his crew (including the hilarious Rick Serra) do in-depth inspections of hotel and motel rooms, often to outrageously disgusting, yet hilarious results. Though I don’t recommend watching those videos while eating… especially if the sight of a bed bug or two will ruin your appetite.
Criminally Listed
Of all the true crime channels I follow on Youtube, I think this one might be my favorite. This channel covers a variety of different true crime topics and cases, many of which are not as widely known as others, with video titles like, “3 Creepy Unsolved Church Mysteries” and “3 Bizarre Cases of Revenge.” I’ve learned about a ton of different cases from this channel, and they are all discussed thoroughly, and with plenty of detail. The narrator’s voice is fairly mellow, well-paced, and isn’t computerized, which is a major plus.
Smosh
Smosh is the very first Youtube channel I ever watched, way back when they first started posting videos, even before Youtube blew up with creators and popularity. I even saw the original Pokemon lipsynch video before it got taken down for copyright. Obviously, since they’re an OG Youtube channel, a lot has changed in the years since they first started… new members have joined, one of the founders left, and they’ve branched out into gaming and numerous other video types, instead of just sketch comedy. I don’t follow them quite as closely as I used to, but I do enjoy a lot of their new videos, and I also go back and watch classic ones to recapture that nostalgia of the original Youtube era. The Food Battle series is fantastic, and their “If _____ Were Real” are fun to watch as well. Smosh has transformed and adapted to fit into the current Youtube algorithms and trends, but the spirit of the channel has remained the same.
A Chick Called Albert
A video from this channel recently popped up in my recommended bar and it was an emotional journey I was NOT prepared to experience, so much so I binged every video on this channel in one day. I laughed, I cried, and I developed a new appreciation for birds that I’ve never had before. This channel is run by a man who lives in the Netherlands, and he chronicles his life and experiences with various animal friends, primarily birds, after he was able to hatch a chick from a quail’s egg bought at the supermarket – a chick named Albert. Fans of the channel seem to refer to him as “Bird Dad,” and honestly, it’s an accurate name. His videos, though sporadic, are just so wholesome, cheerful, and wonderful to watch, plus they contain some interesting educational tidbits on how to properly treat and care for certain animals.
Blind Wave
I am generally not big on reaction channels, but I primarily watch Blind Wave for the post-reaction discussions in their videos, which seem to go more in depth than a lot of other channels. They watch a lot of series/films, like Marvel stuff, anime, Doctor Who, GoT, that I’m also interested in, so hearing their perspective is a treat, especially as they analyze a series as it’s going along. It’s cool to see someone’s first time reaction to things like the Red Wedding or Envy’s death, and to hear opinions and see reactions that are different from mine.
Frostwritten 