Reply threads: which video answers which
The channel read as a correspondence. Each pointer is a passage in which a video names or describes an earlier vlogbrothers video ("your video on Monday", "as I said last week", a title) — answering it, continuing it, correcting it, punishing it or imitating it. Topical echoes without such words are not counted.
697 pointers from 613 of 2523 videos (2007–2026; 6 with a target derived by the linker): John answers Hank 235×, Hank answers John 213×, self-continuations 236, other (guest or joint videos) 13. The brothers correct each other in 26 of the 448 cross-brother pointers (6 %).
Pages: exchanges over several videos (107) · pushback (50 corrections) · unidentified pointers (64; 6 more resolved by date window or title match, derived) · by year: 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026
Who answers whom, by year
"Answered" counts videos of one brother that the other brother points back to — a rough measure of who set the agenda that year.
| year | videos | point back | John → Hank | Hank → John | Hank videos answered | John videos answered | self-continuations | corrects | median gap (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 258 | 119 (46 %) | 59 | 45 | 55 | 42 | 39 | 16 | 1 |
| 2008 | 130 | 25 (19 %) | 10 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 11 | 4 | 3 |
| 2009 | 185 | 43 (23 %) | 10 | 16 | 9 | 15 | 21 | 2 | 3 |
| 2010 | 157 | 52 (33 %) | 26 | 15 | 26 | 15 | 16 | 6 | 3 |
| 2011 | 155 | 49 (32 %) | 21 | 10 | 21 | 10 | 26 | 4 | 3 |
| 2012 | 111 | 25 (23 %) | 13 | 7 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 4 |
| 2013 | 107 | 31 (29 %) | 15 | 8 | 15 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 4 |
| 2014 | 114 | 30 (26 %) | 11 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 5 | 4 |
| 2015 | 115 | 30 (26 %) | 13 | 8 | 13 | 8 | 13 | 3 | 4 |
| 2016 | 114 | 26 (23 %) | 9 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 4 |
| 2017 | 113 | 15 (13 %) | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 4.5 |
| 2018 | 109 | 18 (17 %) | 6 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 2019 | 110 | 19 (17 %) | 3 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 4 |
| 2020 | 108 | 15 (14 %) | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3.5 |
| 2021 | 106 | 16 (15 %) | 3 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 4 |
| 2022 | 108 | 16 (15 %) | 6 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 11 |
| 2023 | 107 | 23 (21 %) | 6 | 12 | 6 | 11 | 12 | 1 | 7 |
| 2024 | 114 | 15 (13 %) | 4 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 2025 | 107 | 22 (21 %) | 6 | 13 | 5 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 2026 | 95 | 24 (25 %) | 5 | 12 | 5 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 |
Kinds of reply
| relation | John → Hank | Hank → John | self-continuation | other | total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| answers | 90 | 83 | 5 | 1 | 179 |
| continues | 104 | 102 | 168 | 4 | 378 |
| corrects | 14 | 12 | 24 | 0 | 50 |
| punishes | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| imitates | 13 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 27 |
| refers back | 11 | 12 | 38 | 4 | 65 |
"refers back" = a pointer recorded only on a thread event (a result, callback, update…) without a reply edge. A video can answer one video and correct it at once, so a pointer may count under two relations.
Longest exchanges
- 2007-01-01 – 2007-02-06 · 10 videos (John 5, Hank 5), starting with Brotherhood 2.0: January 1st — first pointer: “downloading your 2 minute and 1 second video” (00:00:03)
- 2007-10-03 – 2007-10-15 · 9 videos (John 4, Hank 5), starting with Oct 3rd: Baby I Sold Your Dog On EBay — first pointer: “after your great song yesterday, you said that you wanted me to talk about the happy dance project today” (00:00:00)
- 2013-10-08 – 2013-11-01 · 8 videos (John 4, Hank 4), starting with Applying for Health Insurance: Then and Now — first pointer: “My last video was over four minutes long.” (00:02:44)
- 2007-01-03 – 2007-01-11 · 7 videos (John 3, Hank 4), starting with Brotherhood 2.0: January 3rd — first pointer: “in your last video, you asked me to continue our discussion of our differences” (00:00:00)
- 2007-10-29 – 2007-11-07 · 7 videos (John 4, Hank 3), starting with October 29th: It Just Isn't Fair — first pointer: “So I want to thank you for sharing the book I wrote when I was eight” (00:00:19)
- 2009-06-14 – 2009-07-17 · 7 videos (John 6, Hank 1), starting with Iran Election Fraud: 5 Reasons to Doubt the Results — first pointer: “one thing that I failed to mention in my original video” (00:00:00)
- 2014-11-07 – 2014-11-18 · 7 videos (John 2, Hank 5), starting with New Crash Course and Pizzamas! — first pointer: “When we said two weeks of Brotherhood 2.0 style videos” (00:00:00)
- 2007-04-19 – 2007-04-26 · 6 videos (John 3, Hank 3), starting with April 19th: For Sale?! — first pointer: “I'm extremely proud of your mathematics. That was some excellent calculating you did.” (00:00:57)
- 2007-04-27 – 2007-05-03 · 6 videos (John 2, Hank 4), starting with April 27th: Bad Day,,, — first pointer: “Hank, as you mentioned in your video last week” (00:01:02)
- 2007-07-18 – 2007-07-26 · 6 videos (John 2, Hank 4), starting with July 18: Accio Deathly Hallows (no spoilers) — first pointer: “Congratulations on your song yesterday.” (00:00:10)
Most-answered videos
Videos that later videos point back to most often.
- 2007-07-18 · July 18: Accio Deathly Hallows (no spoilers) (Hank) — answered by 10: July 19: A Day in the Life of a Writer (Who Has No Friends) (2007-07-19, answers, 00:00:10); July 20: Green Mohawk (2007-07-20, continues, 00:02:03); July 25: Brotherhood 2.0's Youtube Comments Are Answered! (2007-07-25, continues, 00:00:10); Re: July 18: Accio Deathly Hallows (2007-07-25, continues, 00:00:08); July 26: The Price of Fame (2007-07-26, continues, 00:00:51); Book Eight...Another Harry Potter Song (2008-07-18, continues, 00:00:30); This Isn't Hogwarts! A Harry Potter Song (2009-07-15, continues, 00:03:02); Open Letter to the Wizards (2012-08-17, refers back, 00:00:15); An Evening of Awesome at Carnegie Hall (2013-01-15, refers back, 01:06:09); Accio Decade Hallows (2017-07-18, refers back, 00:02:31)
- 2007-04-25 · Helen Hunt (Hank) — answered by 5: Brotherhood 2.0: April 26: Hollywood Meetings (2007-04-26, answers, 00:00:15); A Short History of the PUPPY SIZED ELEPHANT (2008-01-21, refers back, 00:03:14); Happy Birthday To Me! (2011-05-06, refers back, 00:00:09); An Evening of Awesome at Carnegie Hall (2013-01-15, refers back, 01:02:32); A Stunning Turn of Events (2015-04-21, refers back, 00:00:24)
- 2007-03-26 · March 26th: Stuff on Everyone's Heads! (Hank) — answered by 4: March 26th: Thanks (2007-03-27, answers, 00:00:00); March 28th: Taxes (2007-03-28, refers back, 00:01:13); Who Owns a Monkey's Selfie? And a Song About Meningitis! (2014-08-08, imitates, 00:02:29); So, um.... GOOD NEWS?!?!?! (2023-09-19, refers back, 00:04:54)
- 2007-01-01 · Brotherhood 2.0: January 1st (Hank) — answered by 3: Brotherhood 2.0: January 2nd (2007-01-02, answers, 00:00:03); Brotherhood 2.0.0.9 (2009-01-01, imitates, 00:00:37); Foolish · Beautiful (2020-01-14, refers back, 00:02:14)
- 2007-01-02 · Brotherhood 2.0: January 2nd (John) — answered by 3: Brotherhood 2.0: January 25th (2007-01-25, corrects, 00:01:05); October 24th: RANDOM NERDFIGHTING (2007-10-24, continues, 00:01:34); Changes to Vlogbrothers (2012-01-02, refers back, 00:00:00)
- 2007-01-04 · Brotherhood 2.0: Eating Toilet Paper (John) — answered by 3: Brotherhood 2.0: January 5th (2007-01-05, continues, 00:01:31); Brotherhood 2.0: January 9th (2007-01-09, continues, 00:00:34); Dec. 28th: John's Last Brotherhood 2.0 Video (2007-12-28, continues, 00:02:06)
- 2007-01-09 · Brotherhood 2.0: January 9th (Hank) — answered by 3: Brotherhood 2.0: January 10, 2007 (2007-01-10, continues, 00:00:10); Brotherhood 2.0: January 11th (2007-01-11, continues, 00:00:00); VOLT! A Dream Comes True. (2012-11-08, refers back, 00:00:29)
- 2007-01-12 · Brotherhood 2.0: January 12, 2007 (John) — answered by 3: Brotherhood 2.0: January 15th (2007-01-15, corrects, 00:01:05); Brotherhood 2.0: January 16, 2007 (2007-01-16, corrects, 00:00:12); August 30th: A Secret Project for Nerdfighters (2007-08-30, continues, 00:01:14)
- 2007-01-19 · Brotherhood 2.0: January 19th (Hank) — answered by 3: Brotherhood 2.0, January 22, 2007 (2007-01-22, answers, 00:02:23); Brotherhood 2.0: January 24, 2007 (2007-01-24, answers, 00:00:00); Brotherhood 2.0: January 26, 2007 (2007-01-26, answers, 00:00:03)
- 2007-01-29 · Brotherhood 2.0: January 29th (Hank) — answered by 3: Brotherhood 2.0: January 30, 2007 (2007-01-30, answers, 00:00:11); Brotherhood 2.0: January 31st (2007-01-31, continues, 00:00:00); October 23rd: Some Explaining to Do… (2007-10-23, refers back, 00:00:10)
- 2007-05-01 · May 1st: Neil Gaiman in Helena (Hank) — answered by 3: Brotherhood 2.0: May 2: Book Banning (2007-05-02, answers, 00:00:10); May 3rd Extended Edition (2007-05-03, continues, 00:00:10); May 3rd: Yetis, TMBG, Weeds and MoJo (2007-05-03, continues, 00:00:10)
- 2007-08-09 · August 9th: Anagramming Guide to the 2008 Elections (Hank) — answered by 3: August 13: The Fair!!!! (2007-08-13, refers back, 00:02:28); 2011 Presidential Anagrams!! (2011-12-21, continues, 00:00:00); On the Ownership of Ideas (2013-01-11, refers back, 00:00:00)
- 2010-05-21 · How to Make a Website in Four Minutes (Hank) — answered by 3: How to Be Green Without Being a Prick (2010-05-26, continues, 00:00:00); How To Do Everything (2010-05-28, continues, 00:02:26); Signing Psychosis, BlizzCon, TFiOS, Awesome Adventures, and URLatron (2011-10-21, continues, 00:02:26)
- 2010-09-06 · I HATE PENNIES!!!! (Also Nickels.) (John) — answered by 3: Giant Baby Attack (2010-09-11, continues, 00:00:00); Crime and Outrage (2015-11-24, refers back, 00:01:29); This Video Is Actually Three Videos (2022-02-01, continues, 00:01:07)
- 2011-02-02 · Top 5 Awesome Things About the Webb Telescope (Hank) — answered by 3: QUESTION FRIDAY: Spelling is Hard Edition (2011-02-04, continues, 00:00:20); Can I be Space President? (2012-04-06, continues, 00:00:00); 29 Days of Astronomical Terror (2021-12-24, continues, 00:00:00)