YMMV / Nerdy Prudes Must Die

• Alternative Character Interpretation:
  • Near the end of the title song, Max forces Richie to repeat this passage: "Who will pray for me? When I'm gone? Or until another Richie comes along?" Considering how Hatchetfield treated Max's disappearance as little more than a footnote, with some even feeling happy that he's no longer there, is this Max just playing with his food, or is it him projecting/venting his own fears and insecurities upon seeing his hometown thriving just fine without him?
  • How much of Grace's behavior was a Face–Heel Turn born of corruption, and how much was simply her true nature bubbling to the surface? Despite her insistence that she and the others only scare Max and not harm him, she flips on a dime after Max's death and hatches a plan on the spot to dispose of his body, including resources like bleach that most can't readily find in an old abandoned house. Perhaps deep down, she did want to kill Max and was simply hoping something would happen in the old house, given she likely knew about its lack of structural integrity.
  • Did the Lords in Black accept Grace giving up her virginity as the sacrifice because, even if it wasn't how they hoped it would play out, she did honor their agreement to the letter? Or did they realize that Grace having access to the Black Book would be better for them in the long run, since they realized that, unlike Peter or Steph, she'd use the Book to summon them again?
  • Would the Black Book and the Lords in Black have corrupted whoever wound up taking their deal, or was that just Grace's Sanity Slippage reaching its logical conclusion?
• Alternative Joke Interpretation:
  • When Solomon calls Steph his "October surprise," is he snarking about how her bad academics are going to ruin his political image (since Homecoming is coming up, it's not improbable for this scene to take place in the fall)? Or is he alluding to Steph perhaps being a Surprise Pregnancy, which could explain his abusive treatment of her?
  • Dan’s entrance during “Hatchettown” has him singing that hes “Never known darker times and [he's] covered the protests live at the Hatchetfield Kennel.” The joke is either that Dan is so out of his depth that the closest thing he can think of to compare it to is a protest at an animal shelter, that Dan is so out of touch he doesn't realize how absurd it is to compare a series of attacks from a serial killer to a protest at an animal shelter, that this particular Hatchetfield timeline is so boring that a protest at a kennel truly was the only "dark" thing to happen before the killings, or that given it's Hatchetfield, whatever happened at those protests was horrifying enough to justify the comparison. All four interpretations fit.
  • When Steph tries to offer up her phone as a sacrifice, the Lords in Black all exasperatedly scream "WE DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOUR PHONE!". Is it them being appalled that she would actually think that would work, or, given that they confirm they already know who the kids are, did they know in advance that Steph's mind would go there first and were pre-irritated about it? Or has someone else tried to sacrifice their phone before and they can't believe someone's trying it again?
• Big-Lipped Alligator Moment: The Barbecue Monologues, following in the footsteps of Workin' Boys and Santa Claus Is Goin' To High School. A meaningless, extended glimpse into a surprisingly good number from a shitty in-universe musical is clearly Hatchetfield tradition at this point.
• Continuity Lock-Out: There are sizeable circles of Hatchetfield fans who've seen all three feature-length musicals but have no idea of the events of Nightmare Time seasons 1 and 2, giving them no context for the Lords in Black, having no idea where that plotline is going until Wiggly makes his grand entrance, and being utterly blindsided at the appearance of his four brothers. You can often see them speculating on the nature of Pokey, Blinky, Tinky, and Nibbly, having no idea that most of what they're wondering has already been explained in Nightmare Time.
• Draco in Leather Pants: Max Jägerman was practically destined for this trope. In particular, fans point to the scene where he initially appears to reconcile with the protagonists, his line suggesting an abusive father, and the surprisingly tragic circumstances of his death as evidence to suggest he's a more tragic and sympathetic character than he first appears. However, while they certainly add nuance to his character, these moments shouldn't distract us from the fact that Max even pre-resurrection was a violent, remorseless bully with a serious God complex. Hell, in the reconciliation scene Max only indicates that he'll stop bullying them specifically, not that he'll stop bullying period.
• Ensemble Dark Horse: Richie is Max's first casualty and thus doesn't have as much screen time or depth as his friends, but he's still quite popular due to his nerdy Occidental Otaku personality, his haunting final sung words, and for giving Jon Matteson a new prominent role.
• Evil Is Cool: Max Jägerman, full stop. His hilariously boisterous yet vicious personality, catchy villain song(s), and an utterly phenomenal lead performance by Will Brenner has made the character an instant fan favorite amongst Hatchetfield's rogues gallery.
• Fandom-Specific Plot: A lot of fic and headcanons for this musical center around the question, "What if Max didn't die?" This is largely due to Max displaying hints of Hidden Depths before he died and came back as a vengeful ghost, and the fact that he seemed poised to make peace with the nerds if he hadn't fallen to his death at the exact wrong moment. Many fans like to imagine what it'd be like if Max actually did befriend the other characters (or at least try to), especially in how his relationships with Grace and Richie would develop, or how Max might (or might not) become a better person.
• Fan Nickname: 'Babygirl' for Max. Because, well, look at him!
• Shocking Moments: The sight of all five Lords in Black appearing in the flesh was a welcome treat for Hatchetfield fans, since this is the first time we've seen them all in one place—and they get to sing! Many fans speculated that one of the Lords would play a part in the plot, but no one anticipated the whole gang making an appearence. For anyone going in with this as their first Hatchetfield story, with no prior knowledge of the lore — or even coming in straight from Black Friday while skipping over Nightmare Time — it's also a surprise to see a spoof on Slasher Movies suddenly involve a Deal with the Devil and five Eldritch Abominations (with those who skipped Nightmare Time instead receiving the shock the moment Wiggly returns, accompanied by four others for whom they have no context).