Tyranny Ep.13 “Y2K” | A Webseries Review on The Watch List

A Sci-Fi Web Series

4 Swirlies

“The love of money is the root of all tyranny.”

This is one of those episodes that leaves you with a real sense of… huh.

Huh. It’s not exactly a cliffhanger, but it did leave me wondering what would happen next. There’s a weird effect at the end, but we know that the world doesn’t end, cause we have seen scenes from the future. It’s a sweet episode, that feels like we’re taking a breather before the fit hits the shan.

From YouTube Description:

Episode 13 of Tyranny the Web Series:
“Y2K”
As the clock ticks down to the end of the millennium, Daniel realizes he must know for certain whether Isabelle can accept not only his eccentric view on life, but his possible hallucinations.

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Casual S02E04 “Fragments” | A Web Series Review on the Watch List

A Romance Drama Web Series

5 Swirlies

Casual 2.4: Fragments from Altermotion Pictures on Vimeo.

“It doesn’t work. Whatever you’re running away from comes back.”

Another great episode – with lots of back and forthing in time.

I’ve gushed over this show so many times. Let me just say – everything is at the same high quality as ever. We get to see a bit more into the main characters’ work lives, and get teases of the things that I assume caused them to break up. Lot’s of great lines and moments in this episode, again – as always.

There’s two more episodes left in Chapter Two. I hoping that the cliffhangery ending of this episode drives us to the end of the series and some answers about why they’re no longer together, and whether they’ll try again. I also noticed that season 3 of Casual has just been released! Go guys go! I’ll keep posting and hopefully catch up to you in four weeks or so.

From Vimeo Description:

Casual Episode 2.4: Fragments
Starring Lauren Marini & Brian Thomas Smith
Guest Starring Mary Jo Deschanel
Featuring Regina Saldivar, Victoria Brianne Ramirez and Jon Lewis
facebook.com/​casualseries

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Night of the Zombie King Ep.5 “Thoughts of Darkness” | A Web Series Review on the Watch List

A Drama Web Series

3 Swirlies

“Back then, it was the last time that I felt like I was good, you know?”

Okay then.

If I could split up my review, I’d give the first half of this episode of Night of the Zombie King a 1 and the second half a five.

I don’t get it. How can one scene make me want to just skip posting it, and the next scene make me want to sing its praises from the hilltops? When it is the real world, drama stuff it is at once cheesy and artificial. When it is the game stuff… the series soars. Is it just the music that gets me? Maybe, but I don’t think so.

When it comes to the real world stuff, I keep wanting someone to shrug and say, “We were kids. Now we’re adults. Let’s deal with some adult stuff.” I got nothing against adults playing games, I do have a problem with adults obsessing over some poor choices they made in high school and crying because they wanted to recapture the magic of sleep overs.

And when it comes to the game play stuff, I’m surprised and delighted, despite the fact that I’m struggling with myself not to turn it off. It grabs me, it drags me back in to the fiction, it makes me like it. It works, it feels more real than the drama scenes. But then, you couldn’t really have a show that was just a group of people playing the game? You have to have the game resonate with what’s going on the actual lives of the characters. That’s where the game play adds a strong dramatic value.

From Blip Description:

Jaz pursues Hicks, trying to coax him back into the game. Hicks explains his difficulty in coming to terms with the past, and they stumble upon a plan to salvage the adventure. Featuring music from Bellavista – www.thevue.com/bellavista

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Break Ups: The Series Ep.7 “Nicky & Tim” | A Web Series Review on The Watch List

A Semi-Improvised Dramedy Web Series

4 Swirlies

“Don’t forget to send the thank you card to your aunt.”

I bet a lot of break ups happen during breakfast.

This episode is a little hard to watch, just because there’s next to no dialogue and only one wide shot. This episode is very much about the subtleties of what’s going through these two character’s minds as they eat their breakfast in uncomfortable silence.

On the one hand, it is brilliant masterwork of acting and confident direction. On the other hand… it can be hard to sit through the whole five minute piece without clicking away. While I don’t subscribe to shortened attention spans, I did find my attention wandering. You sort of have to force yourself to watch in order to really appreciate what’s going on in this scene. And, of course, the title provides the context. If this series was called “Falling in Love” the same scene could be watched with very different expectations and energy.

This is one of those things that I like the idea of, more than the piece itself. Other episodes are more watchable and entertaining. I’m not slagging it… I’m just saying that my tastes run a little more towards having more stuff going on in a scene.

From YouTube Description:

Happy spring everyone! Feel free to share this or “like” it as all the kids are doing nowadays.

Directed, Edited, Shot by
Ted Tremper

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Orange Juice in Bishops Garden S01E03 “Boys Night Out” | A Webseries Review on The Watch List

A Drama Webseries

4 Swirlies

“We’ll be talking. Everything will be going so great. It’ll be so perfect. And then she’ll realize that we’re actual talking. That we’re actually having a conversation, and she’ll get all weird and quiet and man, it sucks!”

In this episode of the slice of life webseries Orange Juice in Bishops Garden, we get to know the guys.

I still like the first episode best, and there’s some rough “I’m drunk” acting, but the dialogue is what really shines. In the last episode, I felt like the plot was drawn from real life, but in this episode - although it could have been, maybe - I really get the sense that the writer/creator Otessa Ghadar really understands her characters, and just characters in general. And for all it’s simplicity, the sound and camera work is good, too. I’ve probably said it many times, but sometimes the hardest thing to pull off is having your camera and sound help tell the story without getting in the way. And shooting at night without a budget isn’t easy. It is actually lit very nicely - I wonder if they used their own lighting or if they made good use of the existing lighting? Either way, it looks great.

I feel like there’s not enough webseries out there like this one - honest and small but still being accessible and universal.

From YouTube Description:

It’s a boys night out at Bishop’s Garden. Jake wants to talk about the ladies, ahem, Sarah… but Trip is too faded to be of any help. Meanwhile, Travis takes the stage and tonight’s showing - “The Kauffman Family Dsyfunction’s Greatest Hits”. Should be a riot.

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

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Radiance Ep.7 | A Webseries Review on The Watch List

A Science Fiction Drama Web Series

4 Swirlies

“Why do you all look guilty?”

As the realization sets in that they are in this for the long haul, it is time for someone to try to take charge.

It’s an interesting twist, just as I was thinking, ‘okay… now what?’ I find this little series, with its super-short episodes, incredibly interesting. Of course, in hindsight it is obvious that someone’s gonna step up and demand some sort of pecking order. Usually with them at the top. Maybe it is the short episodes, not giving me any time to predict what’s gonna happen, but this show manages to surprise me and entertain me.

I do feel like the end of this episode is a little soap opera-y, as in as soon as the story inches forward we move on. It’s not like there’s much in the of a story arc in 1 minute and 19 seconds. Some of the acting is a little stiff, and the natural lighting, and the handicam cinematography still feels a little too amateurish for me, but creator Jim Hansen has created an intelligent, claustrophobic thriller.

This series is a real diamond in the rough, and I do suggest that you’ll like it best if you go back and watch it from the start.

From YouTube Description:

Ten friends in Los Angeles experience an unusual event together- and try to survive.
Starring:
Brian Gattas
Jade Gordon
Tom Lenk
Chad Lindsey
Alisa Mcronald
Sam Pancake
Jack Plotnick
Christos Prevezanos
Chris Shea
Doug Stockstill
and
Rachel Stolte

Written and directed by Jim Hansen

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Casual S02E03 “Elephants” | A Web Series Review on the Watch List

A Romance Drama Web Series

5 Swirlies

Casual 2.3: Elephants from Altermotion Pictures on Vimeo.

“I think if you don’t start taking chances you’re gonna regret it.”

Out of the 9 episodes I’ve watched so far, two were rated at 4, the rest were 5s. Every time I go to watch one of these episodes, I think that they just can’t keep being a 5 swirly episode every episode. That there will be some misstep, some tiny wrong note that will make me think “It was good, but it was no previous episode of Casual.”

And then, I watch the episode, in the short length of time that I’m allowed with each one, I’m transported. And it’s not like a whole heck of a lot happens. In fact, almost nothing happens in this episode. You get no closer to knowing why they broke up, or whether they are going to get back together, but you do get some rich, perfectly executed character moments.

I hope this series goes on forever.

From Vimeo Description:

Casual Episode 2.3: Elephants
Starring Lauren Marini & Brian Thomas Smith
Featuring Janna VanHeertum, Jessica Rich, Derek “D-Bone” Reckley and Michael Hobert
casualseries.com
facebook.com/​casualseries

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Out With Dad S02E01 ”Out With Dad” | A Web Series Review on The Watch List

A Family Drama Web Series

4 Swirlies

NOTE: Probably won’t work on iOS devices.

“Maybe we are.”

Okay, here we go. Fresh from Blip.tv is the world premiere of Out With Dad, Season 2!

I don’t want to spend too much time talking, you should watch it yourself, but this episode transitions from season one to season two without a bump. The moment we’ve been waiting for happens, and it goes more or less as we knew it would – Dad was cool. Nathan had a nice little speech about the stages as he went through them, but the big problem in Rose’s life – even know that she’s out – is still Vanessa.

There’s lots of nice touches, and more awesome special effects as imaginary Rose and Nathan’s serve to let us in our their thoughts and emotions, a nice visual device. And really well done – the real Rose and the imaginary Rose have some great timing, which could not have been easy to achieve in the editing. Other than that, director Jason Leaver is smart enough to get out of the actors’ ways as they have this pivotal moment in their lives – the shooting, while strong, doesn’t stray too far from the standard close ups, allowing the conversation to be what we’re focused on. Although, I must admit that I spent part of their time in the car watching the scenery pass by, trying to figure out where they were when it was being shot.

I find myself wondering what’s coming next? The central question of season one – can Rose come out to her Dad – has been answered. Will her troubles with Vanessa take up the full second season? Now that Rose is out, will she be open about it to everyone? Either way, public or private, that’s gotta have a big impact on Rose’s life.

And what about Dad? In a show called Out With Dad, Nathan will surely have a big role in what comes next, but his worry about his daughter’s orientation is behind him and he doesn’t have a Vanessa in his life to take up the dramatic slack. Will his romantic life get in the way of helping his daughter navigate her early “out” days?

One of the things I wanted to talk about is the length – at 13 minutes, it is long by web series standards. Now, this is very popular show, with around 1.5 million views, I don’t think the length of it will be a barrier to hitting 2 million and beyond. And web series and general will get longer. But I do hope that longer episodes doesn’t mean more drawn out episodes. I hope that Out With Dad continues to pack the episodes full of story. And there’s no reason why this episode couldn’t have been two episodes – either way it would have been just as strong. So the choice is: longer episodes or more of them? Which would you choose?

I feel like this episode is more of an end to season one, leading us into season two. With so much resolved, I’m looking forward to the new conflicts that season two will bring.

Congrats to the cast, crew and creators of Out With Dad! I know you guys are celebrating your launch tonight, as celebrate you should. You guys make one hell of a web series. Can’t wait to see that rest of them!

From Blip.tv Description:

When we last saw Rose, she was practising coming out to dad ? but will she? Does she have the courage? Inside she knows it?s time. But how will dad react if she does? Coming out can be the scariest thing a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning teen will ever go through.

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Take Me Back Ep.6 | A Web Series Review on The Watch List

A Comedy Web Series

3 Swirlies

Take Me Back – Chapter 6 from Joe and Seth on Vimeo.

“I am open to you, I’m wide open. I’m like a golf tournament.”

In this episode of the web series Take Me Back, Al’s escape attempts with his cool radio phone sends his doppleganger’s attempts to woo Emma into a tail spin.

It’s cool and everything, and a good episode, but I feel like we’re coming aground on the complications inherit in the concept. First of all, where’s this show going? Many scripts and stories have their hardest time in what Sid Field called Act Two. Essentially, the middle stuff between the beginning and the end. It is hard to keep your story fresh, moving forward and interesting as you’re setting up what will be the ending. Here, I feel like the series is in a stall for the last couple of episodes. Al is stuck, and Allen is getting what he wants (until the end of this episode, maybe).

But what really starts tripping me up is the logic problems that you always run into in time travel. If the doubleganger, called Allen, is a future version of Al and has lived through what Al is living through, why does he always seem surprised at Al’s attempts to escape? Does he know what’s going to happen, or does he not know. In this episode, it is clearly implied that he should know – but he doesn’t. Maybe they’ll try to explain it away, but it starts to unravel if you pull at that thread.

As always – great acting, great filming. The static with the radio phone was great. This is very good show, but I feel like we’re not getting any deeper into the story or the characters, we’re just playing out the plot.

From Vimeo Description:

Al reaches out for help with his makeshift telephone while Allan spends the evening with Emma. Is either one successful?

This is the sixth 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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Radiance Ep.6 | A Webseries Review on The Watch List

A Science Fiction Drama Web Series

4 Swirlies

“What about a government conspiracy type thing?”

The fall out from last episode, and the deaths in the basement. Now that they are past the initial crisis, the reality is starting to set in that there are no easy answers. Will the household survive?

Another short, punchy episode in this webseries about surviving a mysterious event. This is one of what I think of as a bridge episode, moving the plot forward after a big event, but itself largely expository.

From YouTube Description:

Ten friends in Los Angeles experience an unusual event together- and try to survive.
Starring:
Brian Gattas
Jade Gordon
Tom Lenk
Chad Lindsey
Alisa Mcronald
Sam Pancake
Jack Plotnick
Christos Prevezanos
Chris Shea
Doug Stockstill
and
Rachel Stolte

Written and directed by Jim Hansen

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