Bob and Andrew S02E06 “The Decision” | A Web Series on The Watch List

A Comedy Web Series

5 Swirlies

“Con: Amy often hides certain articles of clothing that she doesn’t want me to wear. Like my scarf.”

I’m loving this new season of the web series Bob and Andrew.

The first season was mostly episodic, and this season has much more of a serialized story. Which makes it a little less sitcomy, but not any less funny.

This episode is pretty much perfect - and it is all Bob and Andrew. They both come to a deep realization about their relationships… after much eating of sandwiches and playing of RockBand.

There’s some brilliantly funny dialogue here, but the “breaks” are the funniest parts as the guys desperately devise ways to make the decision process more bearable. There’s only two more episodes - a two-parter - and then season two is done. Dare I start hoping for a season three?

From YouTube Description:

Bob and Andrew process their relationship problems in a marathon strategy session that includes RockBand, sandwiches, dogs and long speeches delivered while looking out the window.

Follow us on Twitter: @bobandandrew

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Orange Juice in Bishop’s Garden S01E08 “Midnight, Hunter’s Moon, Pt. 3″ | A Webseries Review on The Watch List

A Drama Webseries

4 Swirlies

“She loves the spotlight. It’s like food. She lives on it.”

This is the end of the three part episodic mini-trilogy, Midnight, Hunter’s Moon.

Mood wise, this is strange episode of the always emotional engaging Orange Juice in Bishop’s Garden. It has more of a literary slice of life to it, rather than a wild party “Weekend at Bernie’s” vibe, which is kinda what I was half expecting. Not to have a dead guy they had to pretend that was alive, but that it was going to a ‘shit hits the fan’ episode. It feel more like a denouement, like the wrap up and cool down after the moment of highest tension.

I am constantly blown away by how simple but still confident and effective this show is. The simple shot in the bathroom, framed both in the mirror and er… not in the mirror, perfectly captured the moment. Of course, a lot of the credit has to go to the actors.

The one misstep, for me, was the scenes with Hunter and her boyfriend. I don’t get Hunter, I’m not sure how we’ve supposed to feel about her. We’ve seen her be mean to Beth many times, but now we get this scene where we’re supposed to identify with her missing her boyfriend? Or her boyfriend missing her? We’ve never really been given a reason to forgive her for her treatment of Beth, but she has this screen time that doesn’t really tell us much new about her as a character. It comes off flat to me.

And to be entirely honest, I’m not sure why the three parter is called Hunter’s Moon.

Still, what really sells this series is the fierce, almost way-too-close, friendship between Sarah and Kris. Kris all but forces Sarah out of her funk about Jake and Maggie. Does that mean that Sarah will go back to Jake? We’ll have to wait and see.

Oh, and the music? Amazing.

From YouTube Description:

And then it really HITS THE FAN. Jake seeks Sarah — he’s all puppy-dog eyes & wants to TALK because he LIKES her. Gulp. And Adrian (secretly) hunts the much younger Rox. So where will Sarah end up, in this Maggie-Jake-Sarah love triangle? And what about Beth and the Beth-Adrian-Rox situation? Who ends up coupled? And who just ends up alone? Something tells me… THIS is one of those nights where all questions gets answered.

—

“Orange Juice in Bishop’s Garden” (OJBG) is a fiercely local and independent web series set in Washington, D.C. about the lives of a group of teenagers growing up and getting down in the 90′s.

Visit us at http://OJinBG.com/ to check out our episodes, blog, news updates, character bios, and more!

Follow us on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/OJBishopsGarden/

Find us on Facebook:
http://facebook.com/OJBishopsGarden

“The bad things we do. The things we get caught for-and how they are never the same.”

French Subtitles by: http://www.univers-l.com/

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Casual S03E02 “Uncertainty” | A Web Series Review on the Watch List

A Romance Drama Web Series

4 Swirlies

Casual 3.2: Uncertainty from Altermotion Pictures on Vimeo.

“It’s not like we’re back together or anything.”

Casual season three hits its stride.

This is an awesome episode about how it can feel to be in that uncertain stage where you’re not together but you’re not really apart. There’s some great, true to life moments, and some strong acting, particularly from Brian Thomas Smith. This episode takes place, largely, at various outdoors places around L.A., which is fun. We don’t have food trucks here in Canada, and so to see them all parked together in a food truck lot is cool.

But there’s a draw back to this season – after the hook up, the break up, the reunion… there’s not much in the way of romantic tension. At least, not in the beginning. Midway and at the end are two big moments when the ambiguity of their relationship causes trouble and confusion.

Now, maybe this is just me – after a break up, I have a policy of a clean break. No contact, no post break up sex. Granted I’ve had very little in the way of big relationship break ups. But I kinda can’t get over the idea that all of these problems would go away if they were both up front with each other. Well… they’re not me. They are extremely well crafted and performed characters that aren’t doing things the way I would. And I can totally get into that… but it still leaves us with the basic dramatic problem that the characters goals aren’t really made that important to the audience. There’s not much in the way of stakes for us as a viewer, cause whether they get back together or say goodbye; we’re seen it already. Creator Jay Diaz has kinda backed himself into a corner. I’m eager to see how he gets out of it – I’m sure in three episodes I’ll be crying as the final credits roll.

Great episode, great series.

From Vimeo Description:

Casual Episode 3.2: Uncertainty from the Final Season
Starring Lauren Marini & Brian Thomas Smith
casualseries.com
facebook.com/​casualseries

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Bob and Andrew S02E05 “The Realization ” | A Web Series on The Watch List

A Comedy Web Series

4 Swirlies

“The only thing I’ve ever been taught about the world is that it is against me. And that it is covered by 14% water. And nobody can prove that dragons aren’t real.”

A stellar episode of the web series Bob and Andrew. The guys double date with their respective current significant others - Amy and Spencer. Much gin is consumed.

There’s a bunch of stuff I like about this episode. First of all, it makes an almost perfect balance between the wackiness of Andrew’s banter and the reality of the scene. Often I feel like Andrew’s comment are cartoony and kind of out of context of the reality - but it is forgivable because they’re so funny. Other times, less often, Andrew’s dialogue fits in the scene and is less wacky. Here, he’s at his wacky best and it feels well integrated to the scene. I like (in a ‘I’m glad it’s not me’ kinda way) how the evening quickly devolves into Bob and Andrew hanging out while their “others” bond with the guys watching from afar. I guess neither of their relationships are headed for “happily ever after.”

Shooting something set in a bar or night club can be tough, production wise. Pulling off a location like that on a ultra-low or no budget shoot is all but impossible. You can’t really shoot in an actual nightclub - it’s way too dark and noisy. But trying to recreate the look and feel of a night club in full swing is really tricky - it often ends up feeling…flat. Bob and Andrew try to blend the two, and it just doesn’t really match up. Pulling off a location like that on a ultra-low or no budget shoot is all but impossible. In contrast, check out the bar scenes in Casual to see it done flawlessly.

But back to the things I like, it is fun that dialogue is contained to three specific conversations through the night. And there’s tons of very smart, funny dialogue. Gin!

From YouTube Description:

Bob, Andrew, Spencer and Amy go on a double date to a night club. Bob realizes his true feelings for Spencer while Amy is actually kind of nice to Andrew… in a wierd, sadomasochistic kind of way.

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Orange Juice in Bishop’s Garden S01E07 “Midnight, Hunter’s Moon, Pt. 2″ | A Webseries Review on The Watch List

A Drama Webseries

4 Swirlies

“These are the hands of Morgan Freeman”

Awesomeness.

This is part two of a three parter from the ‘growing up is hard’ webseries Orange Juice in Bishop’s Garden.

There’s a lot of fun stuff going on - maybe favorite bits is the girls tittering over cute boys, and the simmering, quiet jealousy of Beth, played by Sarah Spencer. I think it is amazing because the whole storyline rests almost exclusively on the actor’s ability to emote. It can be risky, as a writer and director, to rely on your actor to communicate something that will make or break a moment. You’ll notice that pretty much all TV and movies have the characters telling us what’s going on at all times. Orange Juice in Bishop’s Garden has some great acting and some not so great acting, but Beth’s role in the drama is to give longing glances out of the corner of her eye. A strong, subtle performance.

Then there’s the bizarre freestyle chant of “These are the hands of Morgan Freeman.” Is that a thing? Is that a reference to something? Or is it just something that Otessa Ghadar cameup with for this scene? It is kind of brilliant and deeply confusing at the same time. The delight the party goers have in joining in makes me think that there’s something going on here that I don’t know about. But then, much of the series gives me a voyeuristic sense, it is so believable and so specific.

My only complaint is that the YouTube description promises craziness, and except for the Morgan Freeman stuff, there’s not much craziness. I could have used more craziness. The episode is more about relationships - and while it works very well on that level I was hoping for a little more in the way of antics.

From YouTube Description:

Watch the craziness unfold as Beth and her friends tag along at Hunter’s house party. Hunter’s party has it all- indie bands, hot musicians, booze, and the objects of much teen girl idolatry: Adrian and Jake…? That’s right — JAKE shows up and things get super rocky for Sarah, who’s already had a pretty rough summer what with the Sarah-Jake-Maggie love triangle from hell. And poor Beth isn’t faring too well on her side of the Beth-Adrian-Rox love triangle either. Oh yea, and “The Hands Of Morgan Freeman” make an appearance too!

—

“Orange Juice in Bishop’s Garden” (OJBG) is a fiercely local and independent web series set in Washington, D.C. about the lives of a group of teenagers growing up and getting down in the 90′s.

Visit us at http://OJinBG.com/ to check out our episodes, blog, news updates, character bios, and more!

Follow us on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/OJBishopsGarden/

Find us on Facebook:
http://facebook.com/OJBishopsGarden

“The bad things we do. The things we get caught for-and how they are never the same.”

French Subtitles by: http://www.univers-l.com/

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Casual S03E01 “A Rise/Fall” | A Web Series Review on the Watch List

A Romance Drama Web Series

4 Swirlies

Casual 3.1: A Rise/Fall from Altermotion Pictures on Vimeo.

“I can’t be the girl you want me to be.”

Welcome to season three, and what I understand to be the last series. But, I’ve been wrong many times in the past about web series release schedules.

Casual is one of the strongest ongoing dramatic web series that I know of. And I’m excited to see how they bring it in for a final landing. But I gotta say, while this episode is really strongly produced, I kinda feel like it is buckling under it’s own sprawling, time line defying narrative weight.

The first third or so of the episode is the gang of friends going to a Dodgers game. Which is one of the things I admire about this show – they almost always manage to pull off locations and settings that would drown a lesser series. In this case, I’m assuming that they actually shot during a game, or maybe they did some dialogue shooting at some other time. It really looks and feels like it is taking place during a game. And the dialogue is always crisp and clear, even in wider shots that would be difficult to record clean audio. This show is made by pros who know what they are doing.

Most of the rest of the show is flashbacks – a couple of new scenes that we haven’t seen before but then almost a clip show of highlights from the past two seasons. Even the new scenes felt like retreads, as they were largely filling in the blanks of things that came between moments we have exploded in depth. I mean, they’re still poignant and the acting is strong, but it still feels like a recap to get new viewers up to speed.

I loved them when they were together, they were so charming, and when they were broken up it still impacted me because they so clearly both wanted to be together, but this episode, where it seems they have more or less slid back into a casual relationship… I’m not feeling the chemistry as much.

I’m super excited to join the ride in season three, but I was slightly disappointed with its start.

From Vimeo Description:

Casual: A Rise/Fall
The premiere episode from the Final Season! Starring Lauren Marini & Brian Thomas Smith
casualseries.com
facebook.com/​casualseries

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Take Me Back Ep.8 | A Web Series Review on The Watch List

A Comedy Web Series

4 Swirlies

Take Me Back – Chapter 8 from Joe and Seth on Vimeo.

Click here if you don’t see a link to the video.

“Stop saying ‘we.’”

The two Al’s (Al and Allen) finally meet face to face. The scenes with the two of them are cleverly constructed so that the one actor can play both parts. It might be easy for big budget Hollywood films, but when you’re doing an indie web series, it can be challenging. And Joe and Seth pull it off flawlessly.

The problem was, for me, that the moment lacked any emotional punch – because we know that they’re two versions on the same guy. Well, the original, Al, already knows too but this is first time seeing the other, Allan. Still, there wasn’t any impact for us beyond imagining what Al is feeling and looking to see if we can tell how they pulled off the scene. The actor, Seth Mendelson, does a really good job of being in the moment and in both sides of the conversation. Technically and from a craft stand point, this series sets a high standard for other web series to follow.

It’s the story I’m struggling with. I kinda stopped caring a few episodes ago. There’s barely been a hint of why what has happened / will happen is so important that Allan travels back in time to fix it. I’ll be watching for the last two episodes to find out, but I remember how jazzed I was when I first started watching. I’d back in time if I could get to do that all over again.

From Vimeo Description:

With Neil on his side, Al tries to turn the tables on Allan and take control of the situation. Will his plan work? Will the mask finally come off?

This is the eighth of 10 chapters in the original web series, Take Me Back. New chapters air every Monday. Check the series out and leave your comments in its proper home at TMBtheseries.com

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Bob and Andrew S02E04 “The Advice ” | A Web Series on The Watch List

A Comedy Web Series

4 Swirlies

“I don’t read a lot into Christian medicine.”

Andrew misses the signals, and Bob runs up on the limits of rainbows, in this new episode of the Vancouver web series, Bob and Andrew.

This one feels a little less broad and sitcomy than many previous episodes, much more like a cable dramedy than the almost-network sitcom it usually is. It is good, just in a slightly different way. Both the guys are having relationship troubles, but I suspect that Andrew has more troubles to come from Lauren.

From YouTube Description:

Andrew seeks relationship advice from Lauren while Bob helps Spencer and his friend James design a Pride float.

You can find us on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/wwwbobandandrewcom/30448589791

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Orange Juice in Bishop’s Garden S01E06 “Midnight, Hunter’s Moon, Pt. 1″ | A Webseries Review on The Watch List

A Drama Webseries

5 Swirlies

“Water the plants, do the dishes, and no parties.”

What a fun, focused episode of the web series Orange Juice in Bishop’s Garden.

I really like the storyline of Beth, her sister and her sister’s too-old boyfriend. I like the other storylines, too, but for the most part, Beth just quietly loathes her sister and crushes in the boyfriend, creating lots of subtle tension. The other storylines are more direct in the characters problems, like Sara being more or less a social outcast for sleeping with the guy that Maggie liked.

This is part one of a two parter three parter, and feels like it. I hope the next one is as fun as this one. (Thanks for the correction, Otessa!)

This series reminds me very much of the UK Skins at its best. As much as the drunken teen antics are played up for laughs and drama, there’s an honesty about it that sets it far, far apart from the almost unconscious moralizing that accompanies teen stories in mainstream fiction.

From YouTube Description:

Sarah is a hot mess after the fallout (ahem, being caught red-handed with Jake). She tries talking to Beth — but Beth’s just useless! However, Beth does have a parental-free house for the weekend. Score! Unfortunately, older-sister Hunter has some serious plans for a party without Beth. And, Hunter-the-Effortlessly-Cool-and-Scary… is used to getting her way. Totally pissed at the prospect of being kicked out of her own house — and the epic party — Beth plots revenge on Hunter (*and hocks something nasty in Hunter’s beloved CK-one perfume*). Then, Sarah and Beth decide to tag along + party-crash regardless and… well, just take a look and see!!

—

“Orange Juice in Bishop’s Garden” (OJBG) is a fiercely local and independent web series set in Washington, D.C. about the lives of a group of teenagers growing up and getting down in the 90′s.

Visit us at http://OJinBG.com/ to check out our episodes, blog, news updates, character bios, and more!

Follow us on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/OJBishopsGarden/

Find us on Facebook:
http://facebook.com/OJBishopsGarden

“The bad things we do. The things we get caught for-and how they are never the same.”

French Subtitles by: http://www.univers-l.com/

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Tyranny Ep.15 “Who’s Chasing Whom?” | A Web Series Review on The Watch List

A Sci-Fi Web Series

5 Swirlies

“I feel and see these guys inside my head telling me to do things I don’t want to do.”

Here’s a crazy new episode from conspiracy thriller web series Tyranny.

This episode goes from being a very realistic, domestic argument on the streets (don’t you hate that?) to a tense, action movie, Bourne Identity surveillance scene to a raw, intense foot chase, with a coincidental encounter with the FBI thrown in.

Sometimes, in the past, I haven’t been exactly sure about where this series was, what genre it was trying to be. After this episode, I don’t have to wonder anymore - Daniel’s not crazy. He is being followed and watched.

Both the conversation and the chase scene were beautifully shot. The sound work in the conversational scene is very crisp, so much so, in fact, that I suspect that the original location sound wasn’t useable and what we’re hearing is all ADR and Foley.

The chase scene is shot in such tight close ups, that it starts to feel like an experimental film. I think it is shot with an extreme fish eye lens, with some shots feeling like they are mounted on the body of the actor as they run. Both scenes must have taken for-freakin-ever to shot and to post. And there’s a shot that goes past some cops looking like they’re about to do a serious take down - was that just taken as they drove past some cops?

This episode, for all of its excitement, is short on story but that’s okay. It certainly makes up for it by being giant is scope. There’s a massive protests, helicopters, aerial shots… all of it (I’m assuming) done on a shoestring budget. It just goes to show you the short of thing that web series are capable of; so much for two people sitting in a room talking.

From YouTube Description:

The much anticipated EP: 15 of TYRANNY the web series.
It’s September of the year 2000 and Daniel and Isabelle get caught in a pre-election protest filled with police, which erupts into a chaotic foot chase.

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