{{Short description|Scottish novelist}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox social media personality | name = Will Jordan | birth_date = | birth_place = Fife, Scotland | other_names = The Critical Drinker | occupation = {{hlist|Writer|YouTuber}} | years_active = 2012–present | youtube_handle = TheCriticalDrinker | youtube_display_name = The Critical Drinker | youtube_handle2 = TheCriticalGamer83 | youtube_display_name2 = The Critical Gamer | youtube_handle3 = TheCriticalDrinkerAfterHours | youtube_display_name3 = The Critical Drinker After Hours | youtube_years_active = 2017–present | youtube_genre = Movie reviews | youtube_subscribers = 2.4 million<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE WITHOUT UPDATING stats_update BELOW --> | youtube_views = 938 million <!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE WITHOUT UPDATING stats_update BELOW --> | stats_update = January 5, 2026 }}
'''Will Jordan''' is a Scottish novelist, film critic and YouTuber.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=13 October 2012 |title=Redemption |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1057258229/ |work=Irish Independent}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=YouTuber Will Jordan: Unkorrekter Trunkenbold gegen woke Hollywood-Dilettanten |url=https://www.welt.de/kultur/plus238904919/YouTuber-Will-Jordan-Unkorrekter-Trunkenbold-gegen-woke-Hollywood-Dilettanten.html |access-date=7 September 2025 |website=Die Welt |language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716050306/https://www.welt.de/kultur/plus238904919/YouTuber-Will-Jordan-Unkorrekter-Trunkenbold-gegen-woke-Hollywood-Dilettanten.html|archive-date=July 16, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Romir |first=Peter |date=2020 |title=Whisky, Wahnsinn und Weisheiten |url=https://www.nordbayern.de/kultur/whisky-wahnsinn-und-weisheiten-1.10653779 |access-date=7 September 2025 |website=Nordbayern |language=de}}</ref> On YouTube, he runs a movie review channel named '''The Critical Drinker''', in which he discusses popular media.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Unthank |first=Kennedy |date=2023 |title=The Critical Drinker |url=https://www.pluggedin.com/youtube-reviews/critical-drinker/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250719012942/https://www.pluggedin.com/youtube-reviews/critical-drinker/ |archive-date=19 July 2025 |access-date=6 September 2025 |website=Plugged In |publisher=Focus on the Family |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=20 July 2023 |title=Unlikely summer hit Sound Of Freedom opens new front in US culture wars |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/unlikely-summer-hit-sound-of-freedom-opens-new-front-in-us-culture-wars |access-date=6 September 2025 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> Jordan is the author of the Ryan Drake series.<ref name=":1" /> His novel ''Redemption'' (2012) was nominated for the McIlvanney Prize.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-08-10 |title=Crime Book of the Year shortlist - Bloody Scotland |url=https://bloodyscotland.com/scottish-crime-book-of-the-year-the-shortlist/ |access-date=2026-01-06 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":2" />
==Early life== Jordan was born and raised in Fife. He completed an honours degree in Information Technology before working in web design for Sky Digital.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Will Jordan: How I write series fiction |url=https://www.northbanktalent.com/2018/03/15/will-jordan-series-fiction/ |date=March 15, 2018 |access-date=April 3, 2026}}</ref>
==Career== Jordan began publishing movie reviews on YouTube during the 2010s. Many of his critiques are focused on identity politics and plot inconsistencies in modern films. According to him, a number of such movies have at times prioritized the promotion of leftist ideologies at the cost of effective storytelling. Jordan occasionally makes videos showing positive examples of Hollywood films. Most of his videos are narrated by his humorous "drinker" persona, which ''Die Welt'' described as "an exaggerated version of" Jordan himself.<ref name=":4" />
Jordan has criticized movies such as Captain Marvel and the Star Wars Sequels for their feminist messaging and portrayal of men. His review of Captain Marvel, in which he played his persona for the first time, caused his channel to grow substantially. His review of Ghostbusters (2016) was also positively received in the platform.<ref name=":4" />
According to Matt Dinniman, Jordan collaborated with the third book of the ''Dungeon Crawler Carl'' series. Dinniman later wrote in 2025, as an adaptation of the books was being produced, that he regretted Jordan's participation in the project. Jordan responded on social media that he found Dinniman's response "interesting since he was VERY excited to work with me and claimed to be a big fan when it benefited him".<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Gray |first=Teresia |date=2026-04-07 |title=Failed Filmmaker Turned YouTube Grifter Is Mad People Are Distancing Themselves From Him and His Grift |url=https://www.themarysue.com/critical-drinker-dungeon-crawler-carl-author-youtube-explained/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260408122015/https://www.themarysue.com/critical-drinker-dungeon-crawler-carl-author-youtube-explained/ |archive-date=April 8, 2026 |access-date=2026-04-12 |website=The Mary Sue |language=en}}</ref>
Jordan runs a podcast on YouTube. During a conversation with ''Project Hail Mary'' author Andy Weir, Jordan praised the movie adaptation of the book as a quality science fiction film that appeals to a modern audience that grew up with Star Trek. During the conversation, Jordan defended the position that Paramount should remove all modern Star Trek shows, from Enterprise to Starfleet Academy, from the franchise's canon.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hibberd |first=James |date=2026-03-28 |title=‘Project Hail Mary’ Author Andy Weir Says Paramount Rejected His ‘Star Trek’ Pitch: Their “Shows Are Sh**” |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/project-hail-mary-author-andy-weir-paramount-star-trek-1236549532/ |access-date=2026-04-12 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Publications == * ''Redemption'' (2012)<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Magson |first=Adrian |title=REDEMPTION |url=http://www.shotsmag.co.uk/book_reviews_view.aspx?book_review_id=588 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251015123307/http://www.shotsmag.co.uk/book_reviews_view.aspx?book_review_id=588 |archive-date=October 15, 2025 |work=Shots Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=22 July 2012 |title=Sunny Delights |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/754386643/ |work=Sunday Telegraph |pages=171}}</ref> * ''Sacrifice'' (2013)<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Wilson |first=Linda |date=February 2014 |title=Sacrifice |url=https://crimereview.co.uk/page.php/review/660 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017022706/https://crimereview.co.uk/page.php/review/660 |archive-date=17 October 2021 |work=Crime Review}}</ref> * ''Betrayal'' (2014)<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Wilson |first=Linda |date=2015 |title=Betrayal by Will Jordan |url=https://crimereview.co.uk/page.php/review/2073 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150617035727/http://crimereview.co.uk/page.php/review/2073 |archive-date=17 June 2015 |work=Crime Review}}</ref> * ''Black List'' (2015)<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jordan |first=Will |title=Black List |date=2019 |publisher=Canelo |isbn=978-1-910859-09-4 |edition=1st |series=Ryan Drake Series |location=New York}}</ref> * ''Deception Game'' (2015)<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jordan |first=Will |title=Deception Game |date=2019 |publisher=Canelo |isbn=978-1-910859-04-9 |edition=1st |series=Ryan Drake Series |location=New York}}</ref> * ''Ghost Target'' (2016)<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jordan |first=Will |title=Ghost Target |date=2019 |publisher=Canelo |isbn=978-1-910859-71-1 |edition=1st |series=Ryan Drake Series |location=New York}}</ref> * ''Deadly Cargo'' (2017, with James Patterson)<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Patterson |first1=James |last2=Jordan |first2=Will |title=Deadly Cargo |date=2017 |publisher=BookShots |isbn=978-1-786531-76-6 |location=New York}}</ref> * ''Shadow Conflict'' (2017)<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jordan |first=Will |title=Shadow Conflict |date=2017 |publisher=Canelo Digital Publishing Ltd |isbn=978-1-910859-72-8 |series=Ryan Drake |location=London}}</ref> * ''Downfall'' (2019)<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jordan |first=Will |title=Downfall |date=2019 |publisher=Canelo Digital Publishing Ltd |isbn=978-1-910859-73-5 |series=Ryan Drake |location=London}}</ref> * ''Something to Die For'' (2020)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=CHRISTOPHER |date=19 October 2021 |title=Book Review: Something to Die For (Ryan Drake, Book 9), by Will Jordan |url=https://www.mysterycenter.com/2021/10/19/book-review-something-to-die-for-ryan-drake-book-9-by-will-jordan/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250315083509/https://www.mysterycenter.com/2021/10/19/book-review-something-to-die-for-ryan-drake-book-9-by-will-jordan/ |archive-date=15 March 2025 |access-date=22 August 2025 |website=Mystery Center |language=en-US}}</ref> * ''Dark Harvest'' (2022)<ref>https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Dark_Harvest.html?id=LbeizwEACAAJ&redir_escy}</ref>
=== Reception === Adrian Magson described Jordan's debut of the Ryan Drake series as an action-packed "roller-coaster".<ref name=":2" /> Myles McWeeney said on the ''Irish Independent'' that the novel was "a thrill-a-minute adventure with likeable and well-drawn central characters".<ref name=":0" />
Novelist Linda Wilson wrote on ''Crime Review'' about Jordan's third novel ''Betrayal'' that "If you like your thrillers fast, complex and realistic, you’ll feel at home here."<ref name=":3" /> She has compared his writing style to Matt Hilton's and Sean Black's.<ref name=":1" />
== Awards == {{Awards table|3}} |- ! scope="row" | 2012 | McIlvanney Prize | ''Redemption'' | {{nominated}} | | <ref>[https://bloodyscotland.com/scottish-crime-book-of-the-year-the-shortlist/ Bloody Scotland Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2012]. Bloody Scotland.</ref> {{End}}
==Filmography== ===Web=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 2024 | ''Rogue Elements: A Ryan Drake Story'' | Cameo | writer and producer |}
== Personal life == Jordan lives in Fife, Scotland<ref name=":4" /> with his wife and three children.<ref>{{cite web | title=Will Jordan – the ScotsCare podcast – Episode 4 | Scotscare | url=https://scotscare.com/project/will-jordan-the-scotscare-podcast-episode-4/ |website=ScotsCare |access-date=January 6, 2026}}</ref>
== References == <references />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jordan, Will}} Category:21st-century Scottish male writers Category:Living people Category:Scottish YouTubers Category:Scottish male novelists Category:YouTube critics and reviewers Category:1983 births Category:YouTube channels launched in 2012 Category:Rippaverse Comics people Category:Rippaverse Comics writers