Webseries Reviews

It all started with The Spot. Created by aspiring filmmaker Scott Zakarin in 1995, this Melrose Place meets The Real World concoction became the Internet’s first episodic website. Although it lasted for only two years before folding for financial reasons, it ignited an onslaught of other online webseries, each hoping to challenge television’s supremacy as a storytelling medium. Such an aim was ahead of its time, however, as Internet video in the late 1990s basically amounted to a two-inch screen of poor quality and low frame rates. It wasn’t until broadband developed into a better delivery system and the technology needed to film and edit dropped in price that the lofty ambitions The Spot had aspired to finally became reachable. The Internet landscape is now dotted with a variety of webseries—averaging around ten-minutes per episode—created by both relative unknowns like Felicia Day (The Guild) and television veterans along the lines of Joss Whedon (Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog). Below you will find reviews of the best of them.

—alterna-tv.com

Pioneer One Webseries Review

“We could have been on Mars twenty years ago,” Dr. Zachary Walzer tells a congressional committee in the webseries Pioneer One. “We could be pushing the boundaries of a whole new frontier world. We could be sparking innovation and raising a whole new generation of dreamers who would push us even further than the generations who came before thought possible. That future lies on Mars. And if it’s not us, it will be somebody else that gets there first.”

Dr. Walzer is just one of a small handful of characters drawn into the mystery of Pioneer One when a young Russian male is discovered in Canada and evidence suggests that he arrived there from Mars. Like Walzer predicted, the Soviet Union apparently initiated a secret mission to the distant planet over thirty years earlier, and the descendent of those anonymous cosmonauts has found his way back to a home world that he has never previously seen.

Pioneer One is not an adventure story of “boldly going where no man has gone before,” however, but a political and psychological narrative of both Cold War and War on Terror intrigue. The Russian, known merely as Yuri (Aleksandr Evtushenko), was found in the wreckage of an old Soyuz spacecraft that leaked radiation across a swath of rural Montana. The initial reaction of the US government is that the action was an intentional act of terrorism, and any evidence pertaining to space exploration is a cover-story to hide the true intent of the culprit. Although instructed to retrieve Yuri from Canada and bring him back to the United States as an enemy combatant, Homeland Security Agent Tom Taylor (James Rich) defies his superiors in an effort to decipher the facts surrounding the event.

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Awkward Embraces Webseries Review

Although the medium is still relatively young, it is amazing how many webseries share the same basic premise with increasingly mixed results. While the concept of twentysomething female friends experiencing the trials and tribulations of both life and love has found success with the likes of Fourplay in LA, Freckle and Bean and We Are with the Band, for instance, there are a number of other webseries with the same focus that lack any sort of originality. The dating scene is another subject filled with potential comic fodder, but here again the majority of entries in this category come across as both flat and overdone.

At first glance, Awkward Embraces appears to fall into this same vein of redundancy as three female friends swap stories about their failed attempts to find male companionship. The group gathers after work and verbally share these moments of happenstance while flashbacks fill in the visual elements of each narrative. It is a “been there, seen that” storyline if ever there was one, and not only on the Internet but television as well. There is a major difference, however, between Awkward Embraces and the scores of other similarly themed shows—Awkward Embraces is actually good.

First of all, there is nothing awkward about Awkward Embraces from a production standpoint. While professionally filmed webseries have become the expectation rather than the exception at this point, it is still relatively rare to find comedies that are indeed funny and actors who can truly act regardless of the medium. The trio of actresses in Awkward Embraces, on the other hand, exhibit natural ability and demonstrate a perfect sense of comic timing. Whether they are deadpanning a satirical remark, more dramatically reciting a witty one-liner or even utilizing physical humor that borders on slapstick, Lyndsey Doolan, Jessica Mills and Candis Phlegm bring their characters to life with effortless precision. It helps, of course, that the scripts are filled with more laugh-out-loud moments in under ten minutes than most half-hour television sitcoms—from the situations to the dialogue to the overall narrative, everything clicks like clockwork in each installment of Awkward Embraces.

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Voyage Trekkers Webseries Review

In March of 2008, it was announced that the FOX television network had picked up a new pilot from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia executive producers Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton and Charlie Day. The show, entitled Boldly Going Nowhere, was based on a concept by their assistant Adam Stein and in essence took the Always Sunny brand of irreverent humor to the far reaches of outer space. “We grew up watching shows like Star Trek, anything having to do with the future, and it was always about the adventures they’d go on,” McElhenney explained at the time. “We thought it would be funny to watch what goes on in between those adventures, when they’re waiting for the next big thing to happen. How do they keep themselves busy?”

Unfortunately the road from concept to actual television series proved long and arduous for Boldly Going Nowhere. The pilot episode was eventually filmed but it was decided that the script needed to be rewritten. Then three years after it was first announced, Glenn Howerton used his Twitter account to proclaim that the project had been officially shelved. Where McElhenney, Howerton and Day failed, however, Arizona filmmaker Nathan Blackwell has succeeded with the webseries Voyage Trekkers.

Although not It’s Always Sunny in Outer Space per say, Voyage Trekkers does contain its share of irreverent humor that likewise turns the original Star Trek on its head. Captain Jack Sunstrike—actor Adam Rini thankfully brings more Chris Pine to his performance than William Shatner—is often oblivious, self-centered and insensitive, and would fit in with the gang at the fictitious Philadelphia bar Paddy’s Pub rather than on the bridge of the USS Enterprise. First Officer Blake Powell (Logan Blackwell), meanwhile, has a firmer grasp on his duties but is often thwarted by either his captain’s ineptitude or malfunctioning technology. Chief Medical Officer Elaine Rena (Gabrielle Van Buren) rounds out the main cast and appears to be the most grounded of the group, even though she is not above joining in on the shenanigans during the many misadventures of the webseries.

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ADDITIONAL ALTERNA-TV.COM REVIEWS:

00BAMA Webseries Review Review of the Todd Berger webseries that imagines President Barack Obama instituting his policies of change as a James Bond-style covert operative.

'and Boris' Webseries Review Review of the webseries about an out-of-shape former KGB spy trying to find his way in a post-Soviet world that was filmed on a digital still-camera set on video mode.

Anti-Matter Webseries Review Review of the comedy webseries set in a New York City comic book store that offers small snippets into geek life that are easily assessable to anyone, regardless of cultural orientation.

Back on Topps Webseries Review Review of the Michael Eisner-produced webseries that takes place at the Topps Trading Card Company and features the Sklar Brothers.

Bad Crooks Webseries Review Review of the partially improvisational comedy webseries about seven former office workers who turn to a life of crime in order to make ends meet.

The Bannen Way Webseries Review Review of the Sony Crackle webseries about a small-time thief having difficulty escaping the world of crime.

The Baristas Webseries Review Review of the Justin Kownacki-created comedy webseries about a Pittsburgh coffee shop and its small group of employees and customers.

The Bitter End Webseries Review Review of the Canadian webseries about about two estranged brothers sharing an apartment together that was born out of the improv theater performances of its creators.

Blue Movies Webseries Review Review of the comedy webseries about a misguided intern working at a pornographic film studio, the assistant he is attracted towards and the director who has artistic ambitions for his creations.

The Booth at the End Webseries Review Review of the Vuguru-produced dramatic webseries that stars veteran actor Xander Berkeley as a mysterious man capable of granting wishes upon completion of morally-challenging tasks.

Candy Girls Webseries Review Review of the dramedy webseries about an MBA graduate operating an elite escort service while trying to keep it a secret from his girlfriend.

Captain Blasto Webseries Review Review of the comic book-inspired webseries about an alienated high school student who decides to stage fake crimes in order to become a superhero.

Chad Vader: Day Shift Manager Webseries Review Review of the first season of the webseries created by Madison, Wisconsin, residents Matt Sloan and Aaron Yonda that chronicles the adventures of Darth Vader’s younger brother, Chad.

The Confession Webseries Review Review of the dramatic webseries that features Kiefer Sutherland as a professional hitman and John Hurt as a priest, filled with philosophical undertones and an action-packed backstory.

Copy & Pastry Webseries Review Review of the comedic webseries centering on two roommates attempting to break into the pastry industry.

Curtain Call Webseries Review Review of the murder-mystery webseries that follows the investigation of an actress shot during a stage production and the polar opposite homicide detectives assigned to find the truth.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog Webseries Review Review of the Emmy-winning webseries creation from Buffy the Vampire Slayer mastermind Joss Whedon, siblings Jed and Zack, and Jed’s fiancé Maurissa Tancharoen.

Drunk History and 'Great and Telling Tales' Webseries Review History takes a different and amusing turn in these two original webseries offered by Funny Or Die and the History Channel.

Fourplay in LA Webseries Review Review of the humorous webseries that explores the lives of four female roommates living in Los Angeles through a series of five-episode snapshots.

Freckle and Bean Webseries Review Review of the comedy webseries about two female roommates struggling to make their dreams of becoming Hollywood actresses come true.

Fresh Hell Webseries Review Review of the comedy webseries in which Star Trek: The Next Generation actor Brent Spiner portrays himself as a man who has lost everything while trying to rebuild his life with the help of some sitcom-worthy characters.

The Guild Season One Webseries Review Review of the first season of the webseries created by actress Felicia Day that revolves around a group of online gamers.

Hollywood Wasteland Webseries Review Review of the comedy webseries about an apocalyptic future and the present day comic book artist who will ultimately save mankind.

The Last Man(s) on Earth Webseries Review Review of the comedy webseries about “end of the world” survival skills and the attempts of the two main characters to create a series of instructional videos.

The Mercury Men Webseries Review Review of the sci-fi webseries about a plot by invaders from Mercury bent on destroying Earth and the unlikely duo tasked with stopping them that pays homage to the Saturday matinee serial of yesteryear.

Next! the series Webseries Review Review of the award winning webseries that follows real life casting director John Jackson and the fictitious auditions for a low-budget horror film that lead to comedic results.

Odd Jobs Webseries Review Review of the witty and original comedic webseries that follows a suddenly unemployed investment banker who is forced to make a living through a series of odd jobs found on Craiglist.

Out of Luck Webseries Review Review of the comedic webseries about a mischievous leprechaun that loses his powers and recruits a human to help him in exchange for romantic guidance.

The Power Object Webseries Review Review of the comedic webseries that utilizes dolls as actors to tell the story of three female roommates who attempt to turn their lives around with the help of a magic vibrator.

Pueblo Webseries Review Review of the offbeat romantic comedy webseries about an American teaching English in small town Spain that has a Woody Allen-esque style and serves as an effective “postcard” for the region.

The Real Girl's Guide to Everything Else Webseries Review Review of the comedic webseries about a Lebanese lesbian forced to write a chick-lit novel in order to fund a research trip to Afghanistan.

Saving Rent Webseries Review Review of the webseries sitcom about a Los Angeles advertising manager who is forced to rent out a handful of rooms in his house in order to save money after he loses his job.

The Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers Webseries Review Review of the documentary webseries produced by the PBS science program Nova that spotlights various scientists and engineers with a focus on their real-life hobbies as well as careers.

SOLO Webseries Review Review of the comedy webseries that follows a reality show about a one-man mission to Mars that is cancelled after only thirty days.

The Steps Webseries Review Review of the noir-thriller webseries that follows former Los Angeles private investigator Charlie Madison as he attempts to evade the law in small town Tennessee while likewise facing his own internal demons.

Time for Passion Webseries Review Review of the comedy webseries about the fictitious Johnson Roberts as he teaches acting students how to use “passion” in their performances while likewise attempting to film his own script.

Transylvania Television Webseries Review Review of the monster comedy webseries about a collection of Muppet-style puppets operating a television station in the Carpathian Mountains.

The Trivial Pursuits of Arthur Banks Webseries Review Review of the AMC-produced webseries about the romantic relationships of a neurotic playwright that contains numerous similarities to the films of Woody Allen.

Vampire Mob Webseries Review Review of the genre-mixing webseries about a hit man for the mob, who also happens to be a vampire, and his dysfunctional middle class family.

The Variants Webseries Review Review of the comedic webseries about a group of employees at a Dallas-based comic book store that delivers geek-based humor which can be appreciated by geeks and non-geeks alike.

The Video Makers Webseries Review Review of the webseries created by documentary video producer Walter Gottlieb that spoofs the non-fiction television industry.

We Are with the Band Webseries Review Review of the Los Angeles-based webseries that follows two female hipsters and their comedic misadventures within the local underground music scene.

The Webventures of Justin and Alden Webseries Review Review of the professionally-produced webseries that spoofs both mainstream road-trip movies and the webseries medium itself.

You Can't Do That on the Internet Webseries Review Review of the comedic/topical webseries that focuses on a support group for cyber addicts.