Dries Van Gijsel
Number of serial hours per week: “About five/six hours per week.”
First series ever seen: “Gosh, if I'm really honest, that was Dragon Ball, which I watched at a very young age.”
Best series ever: “There was one series that I followed with complete enthusiasm from beginning to end and that was The X Files. Wow, what a trip that was…”
Best series at the moment: “Stranger Things. It is exciting, intriguing and very 'lean back'. This is also a nice 80's throwback.”
Series planned: “Blue Eye Samurai!”
Dries Van Gijsel, his username is DriesVG1984, member of MijnSerie.nl for 2 months: “Dries Van Gijsel, I live in Lokeren (Belgium). I have always been fascinated by films/series and I still can't resist watching many of them. In the past I have made numerous short films and reports and was able to continue this through my secondary profession. I studied film and video arts at SASK (Sint-Niklaas) for a number of years and have therefore built up the necessary knowledge regarding scenario building and, among other things, critically viewing film. And yes, I just enjoy doing it. That is why I enjoy reviewing series for MySeries.tv.”
If you had to put together a personal top 5 of the best series you have ever seen, what would this top 5 look like and why is this your top 5?: “1. The X Files, 2. Game of Thrones, 3. Spartacus, 4. House M.D., 5. The Sopranos.”
What do you think is the worst series you've ever seen? Why?: “Willow. It was so bad that even Disney+, with every right, removed it from the streaming service. “
Which series are you following at the moment?: “A little bit of everything at the moment. I like watching animated series such as Terminator Zero and Twilight of the Gods. But lately, I have also been watching more docu series such as The Last Dance (Chicago Bulls) and I also quite enjoy the series The Movies That Made Us/The Toys That Made Us from Netflix.”
There are numerous genres in the series world. If you could choose one genre, what is your favorite genre and why?: “Science fiction. I can't resist stories about a surreal future with a certain philosophical tone.”
In addition to genres, there are also different countries where a series has been made. Do you have a preference for a country of origin?: “Not really. I mainly watch American series. But now that you mention it…I notice that I have been watching a lot of Korean series lately that were actually quite good… “
We now know the genres and country of origin, but do you also have a favorite actor and/or actress?:
Pedro Pascal is pretty much my favorite actor. A very versatile and pleasant actor.
Have you ever been addicted to a series, or binge-watched a long-running series in one go? How did that happen and how did you deal with it?: “Haha often. As I said, I was a very avid viewer of The X Files in my younger years. In my later youth I was a big Dragon Ball Z fan and I have also seen a lot of sitcoms over the years (Family Matters, Friends, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, ER…). At the moment I think Stranger Things is the most addictive series there is.”
What do series mean to you? Is it some kind of relaxation or something else?: “Mostly relaxation. But since I have a bit of a film background, I find it fascinating to analyze series and try to find out why that series does work or does not work. So it is also a bit of a learning experience from which I always learn something. So it remains interesting ;) And to be honest, a series/movie also works therapeutically for me. I can completely immerse myself in the story so that the busy outside world is put on pause :).”
Would you like to describe for us how you watch the series? Where are you and how are you (and with whom)?: “Mainly binge-watching at home. With whom depends on the type of series of course. Sometimes with the children, sometimes with my girlfriend and often on my own.”
Do you wait until the episodes of your series are broadcast on Dutch television or do you stream? Or both? And do you have an account on Netflix/Videoland/Amazon or another pay channel or streaming service?: “Especially Netflix, sometimes also on the free apps of VRT Max or VTM Go.”
What rating would you give yourself in terms of serial fanaticism? (on a scale of 1 to 10!) And why and how does MySeries fit into this, and do you write for MySeries, or do you do something else?: “7/10. To be honest, I naturally watch more movies. But since I became a reviewer on MySeries, this has seriously changed because I am giving more series a chance that I might never have given attention to in the past. This is also a kind of positive expansion of my world for me.”
Dries Van Gijsel (DriesVG1984) is no longer The Unknown Series Viewer. We now know what he likes to watch and where. Another series fan will be featured soon
For now, many thanks to Dries, see you next time.
With kind series-related regards,
Mandy
* Interview date: October 29, 2024
This column is always a lot of fun and it has been a while since we got to know a fellow MySerie member in this way.