Bottom Line: A great little tale about power, money and fantasy football.

This fall, Ben Porter finds himself at the beginning of a new season in life. He’s having his first child while launching a new fantasy football team.

But what he doesn’t know is the stakes are about to get much higher than that. The deception and manipulation go as deep as the real world of professional football. How he gets in, gets trapped, and gets out while be his journey this season in: The League.

Details

Website: Watch The League (iTunes)

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Follow Them On Facebook

Ratings

Style 3

Despite having a complex setup, the story moves quickly and every episode hands you another piece of the puzzle. (Pacing 4)

The League is a fantastically entertaining look at money, power and fantasy football. I can only hope that they keep making more episodes. (Storytelling 5)

Polish 4

Watchability 5

It’s a story about a fantasy football league that manages to avoid having to be entirely about a fantasy football league. The real fun starts at episode four. (Novelty 4.5)

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: In a world where everyone is a super hero, what is a normal guy to do? Defenders of Stan is a quirky exploration of what it would be like to try to live a normal life in a world where everyone can lift cars with their minds and fly faster than the speed of sound.

Stan is frustrated with being an everyman in a world full of supermen.

Details

Cast: Austin Bragg, Meredith Bragg, Hunter Christy
Website: The Defender of Stan (RSS)

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Channel 101: Watch Them On Channel 101
Vote For It: The Defenders of Stan

Ratings

The super power effects are a treat to watch. They manage to be silly enough to match the theme without being so silly that they become unbelievable. (Style 5)

This is a very well edited show. At 5 minutes there isn’t a second the passes that feels wasted. (Pacing 4.5)

Defenders of Stan is funny, smart and maybe even a little bit deeper than it might first appear. It’s an entertaining look at dating, sibling rivalry, and how we deal with our insecurities. (Storytelling 4)

Polish 3.5

Watchability 4.5

Novelty 4.5

Overall Rating: 4.33 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: If you remember the mid-90s television show Eerie Indiana then you have a pretty good idea of what you can expect from Normally This Weird. It’s a quirky story of what happens to an average, geeky couple who move into a town where the neighbors are even stranger than they are.

When two newlyweds, Simon and Vanessa, both in their mid-twenties and essentially grown up kids, decide start their lives together in a brand new town, little do they realize just how weird their neighbors are. The Smiths secretly practice dark magic, the Archevils (pronounced Ark-uh-vuhl) experiment with dangerous super-science for insidious ends, the enigmatic and eye-patched Swivey Dinkle lives his own brand of suburban adventure, all while FBI Agent Danford covertly monitors everything

“Normally This Weird” is a comedy web series that explores the humor and drama of normal people dealing with very strange problems … and strange people dealing with incredibly normal problems.

Details

Cast: Michael Peterson, Lauren Henschen, Grace Steinbach, Liam Thibeault, Norian Lenz, James Hoenscheidt, Adam Marshall Rini, Noah Klinge, Jared Washburn
Website: Normally This Weird

Store: Shop At Their Store
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook
Vote For It: Normally This Weird

Ratings

While we still haven’t seen them used extensively, the shows effects are strong, adding to the overall campiness of the presentation. (Style 4)

The show is shot more like a television show than a web series, which leads to slower pacing and less “joke density” than you might expect. That being the case, it leaves them time to explore characters in more detail than you might be able to on a shorter show. (Pacing 3.5)

Storytelling 3.5

Polish 4

Watchability 3.5

The most impression part of this show is the characters, Simon and Vanessa’s neighbors are a screwball assortment of just about every science fiction trope you can imagine, and they play their parts impeccably. The only question that remains is whether future episodes will be able to make good use of this cast of crazies. (Novelty 5)

Overall Rating: 3.91 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: A simple, fun story by the team at Reckless Tortuga (who brought us Psycho Girlfriend) about a group of stereotypical college characters hanging out in a basement with a spirit that is just looking for a little love. Heavy on the slapstrick, The Basement nonetheless gives you a quirky new take college horror spoof motif.

Six college kids decide to study in a creepy basement…

Details

Cast: Lindsey Reckis, Eric Pumphrey, Rachel Miner, Jason Schnell
Website: The Basement

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Vote For It: The Basement

Ratings

Style 3.5

Well shot and well paced throughout, you get the feeling that this is meant to be watched in one take. Even though they do a good job of recapping every episode, it would have been pretty distracting to watch these piecemeal. (Pacing 4)

Storytelling 3.5

Since they are traveling down a well worn path with the story, they took the extra time they had to add a lot of great flourishes to the shoot. The edits are fantastic and the music plays really well with the overall composition of the episodes. All in all it is a really well crafted series. (Polish 4.5)

Watchability 4

They don’t cover too much new ground here, it almost feels like a spoof on bad college horror spoofs. (Novelty 3)

Overall Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: While the season is only three episodes old, Thwackers is a fun spin on the “pro gamer” sub-genre. It combines the usual caffeine fueled inside jokes with a developing subplot (why is Cat really staying at her cousins place) which has to potential to make it an entirely different animal altogether.

Best friends Jakob and Mikey dream of playing video games for a living but they’re nowhere near ready to face their nemesis at the upcoming City Gaming Championship. Enter Cat, Jakob’s mysterious and potentially dangerous cousin. Agreeing to coach them in exchange for a place to hideout, her unorthodox training methods are only the beginning of what it’s going to take to turn pro.

Details

Cast: Joshua Larsson, Quentin Grace, Shanae Tomasevich, Jodi Ward
Website: Thwackers

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook
Vote For It: Thwackers

Ratings

Thwackers earns some major bonus points for the in-game commentary. At points these are almost as entertaining as Pure Pwnage. (Style 4)

Pacing 3.5

The biggest downside to this show is that the delivery is a little stilted. The lines feel read in a lot of places, and that undermines what is otherwise a very entertaining show concept. There are still only three episodes in, so I expect this to get better as the show evolves. (Storytelling 3)

Polish 4

Thwackers is surprisingly entertaining for a show shot mostly on one set. The characters are fun to watch and the concept is clever even if the dialogue is sometimes a little heavy heavy-handed. I’m looking forward to seeing more of these. (Watchability 3.5)

Novelty 3

Overall Rating: 3.58 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: This is a sweet, heartfelt web series about a woman getting through life with two “fans.” What’s a fan? Think of him as a friend whose job it is to make you feel better. While a little heavy on the sap for some, My Two Fans is a good choice if you like your comedies with a touch of saccharine.

My Two Fans is an episodic web-series following the life of an average single female woman, Kate Maxwell. Set in Los Angeles, we watch as Kate rebounds from a broken heart with the help of her two biggest fans: Franklin and Teddy.

Fans – not friends – the guys insert themselves into Kate’s life, root her on and clean up her dating disasters (all in coordinated “We love Kate” accoutrement). When it comes to Kate, there is no task too big or too small for her fans. They figuratively and literally pull her up by her bootstraps when she is down and out. Their objective is to enable Kate to find love and happiness. In essence, to become her own fan. But the question remains: if/when that day comes, will she still need them?

Details

Cast: Barret Swatek, Todd Felix, Bill Escudier, Dan McDermott, Valentina Garcia-Loste, Michael Cornacchia, Reid Scott
Website: My Two Fans

YouTube: Watch Us On YouTube
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook
Vote For It: My Two Fans

Ratings

Style 3

Pacing 3.5

Storytelling 4

Polish 3

Watchability 4

My Two Fans is a strikingly unique take on the dating procedural. Novelty 4

Overall Rating: 3.58 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: This is easily the best roommate comedy I have ever screened, My Pal Satan is hilarious from start to finish; I only wish there were a lot more episodes.

MY PAL, SATAN answers that age-old biblical question: “what would Satan be like as a roommate?” DONNA, a typical twenty-something is going to find out after she posts an ad for a roommate in order to make ends meet. She literally finds herself stuck with the “Roommate From Hell” in the form of SATAN. Their conflicts as roommates, and their unlikely affection for each other are a reminder that not only do opposites attract, but good and evil actually need each other in order to exist.

Details

Cast: Jefferson Brown, Rachel Wilson
Website: My Pal Satan

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook
Vote For It: My Pal Satan

Ratings

The smoke and makeup effects are great, and the voice effect for Satan is even better. While none of the special effects are over the top, they are all really well done and fit in perfectly with the show concept. (Style 4.5)

Pacing 4.5

Storytelling 4

Polish 5

I could probably watch twelve more of these episodes. The interplay with Donna and Satan and the creativity of the situations that the writers come up with mesh to create one of the most fun to watch roommate comedies I’ve seen in web series land. (Watchability 5)

Yes, this is still a roommate comedy but it pushes the concept so far off the tracks that you might not even notice. (Novelty 4.5)

Overall Rating: 4.58 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: You know what you don’t see, anywhere near enough web series told through the magic of puppets — The Meatgrinder Show breaks this mold and gives us a raunchy, off-the-wall sitcom following the life of your standard 20-something cube worker and his magical puppet best friend. By magical I mean he poops playdo and fraternizes with terrorists.

The Meatgrinder Show™ (”TMGS”) is an independently produced absurd live action satirical webseries ruled by cartoon physics.

“TMGS” is best described as “Avenue Q meets “The Odd Couple”. It follows Meatgrinder and Zach, two roommates at odds who find that NO matter what problems they face, at the end of the day they’re always best friends.

Details

Website: The Meatgrinder Show (RSS)

Vimeo: Watch Them On Vimeo
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Vote For It: The Meatgrinder Show

Ratings

Walking, talking puppets? Yea, that will get you a few style points. (Style 4)

Pacing 3.5

Storytelling 3.5

Polish 3.5

Strong sexual situations, poop jokes and some language concerns will put this high on the “parental discretion is advised” list but for anyone not particularly sensitive to that sort of thing this is a uproariously funny show. (Watchability 3.5)

Novelty 4

Overall Rating: 3.66 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Dorm Life is funny without being slapstick, combining roommate comedy with some elements of the coming of age story. What is most impressive is just how quickly you will start to fall in love with the characters.

Dorm Life is a comedic mockumentary following the lives of seven college students thrown together on the same dorm floor. Full of mischief, adventures, rivalries and romance, the series offers an insider’s view of the rocky, and often awkward, road to adulthood.

Details

Cast: Jim Brandon, Jack De Sena, Pancho Morris, Jordan Riggs, Brian Singleton, Chris Smith, Jessie Gaskell, Hannah Pearl Utt, Nora Kirkpatrick, Anne Lane
Website: Dorm Life (RSS)

Hulu: Watch Them On Hulu
YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook

Ratings

Style 3

Rarely a dull moment on this show. Even with the slower stories, they usually manage to edit in a subplot to keep things moving. (Pacing 4.5)

Strong character development, and a carnival of awkward situations drive this story of growing up in a dorm. (Storytelling 5)

Polish 3.5

Watchability 5

Novelty 4

Overall Rating: 4.16 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Short, punchy sketch comedy about the weird and often wacky world of sex. This one is definitely NSFW unless your boss is really, really open-minded.

Titsburg is a web comedy about boobies, and boning and all of the mixed up mis-adventures that happen in between. (it’s also a really good excuse to wear costumes, act like an idiot, and talk about poon.)

The show was created by Chioke Nassor and Tavon Bolourchi, and somewhere along the way they roped Kris into their shenanigans. For more information about each of us, just click on the pictures below to go to our personal (me-ow!) websites. And for more geeky questions about how the show gets made you can watch our behind the scenes video below!

Details

Creators: Chioke Nassor, Tavon Bolourchi
Website: Titsburg (RSS)

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Tumblr: Read About Them On Tumblr
Vote For It: Titsburg

Ratings

Style 3.5

The episodes come in a little short, especially when the concepts behind them have so much potential. If only they extended them to be a minute or two longer, this would be an absolute must-see. (Pacing 3)

Storytelling 4

Polish 4

If the title didn’t give it away, Titsburg is absolutely NSFW. It’s funny though, really funny and might be worth getting into a little trouble to see. Actually scratch that, the fact is that depending on which episode you’re watching that “trouble” might be immediately getting fired and slapped with a sexual harassment suit. Viewer discretion is advised. (Watchability 3.5)

Novelty 4.5

Overall Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: So here is the setup, a man is sent on a mission from God to collect a magical card deck — wacky antics ensue.

Here is to hoping that they finish out the season because The Last Hand is a novel look at the “mission from God” plotline.

He’s on a mission from God.

Details

Cast: Wayne Roberts, Larry Hankin
Website: The Last Hand

Ratings

Nothing spectacular in the effects department, but enough flash to keep you watching the screen. (Style 3.5)

Pacing 3.5

It’s a pretty standard story arc that has been executed well. The characters are fun to watch and the actors pull of their roles with gusto. (Storytelling 3.5)

Polish 4

Watchability 3.5

It’s not too often that God sends you out to recover his favorite poker deck. This is one of those concepts that could really go somewhere if it has time to develop. (Novelty 4)

Overall Rating: 3.66 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: You know what we haven’t seen a lot of this round? Zombies. Last time we spent at least three reviews looking at some fantastic zombie-centric web series, and this time we have looked at exactly none. Since I really enjoy Zombies more than any grown man should admit, I decided to sit down with American Heart HD.

The episodes themselves are pretty long, weighing in at just under 10 minutes but the pacing is good and only a few scenes seem to drag. All in all American Heart is a good show for anyone searching for their Zombie fix.

Details

Website: American Heart HD

Ratings

Style 3.5
Pacing 3.5
Storytelling 3
Polish 4
Watchability 3.5
Novelty 3

Overall Rating: 3.41 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: This is the type of show I would have likely passed on immediately if I hadn’t stopped to watch an episode or two. It’s really entertaining, and this is coming from someone whose ideas of high fashion could be summed on from the back of a J.C. Penny catalog. If you are looking for a catty “college” story, this one is for you.

She’s not in Kansas anymore! Phoebe’s thrown into the the design student drama at MFI right from the start.

Details

Cast: Bonnie Swencionis, Melissa Fumero, Annaleigh Ashford, Aaron Michael Davies, Tim Kubart, Spencer Liff, Monica Steuer
Website: Haute and Bothered

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Vote For It: Haute and Bothered

Ratings

Style 3

Pacing 4

In the name of playing to the designer stereotype the dialogue can get a little contrived, but as a side effect it makes the show a lot more lighthearted and easy to pick up for people who don’t know anything about the fashion world. (Storytelling 4)

Polish 3.5

There is a good balance between character driven humor and story driven drama that will keep you coming back for more. (Watchability 4)

Novelty 3

Overall Rating: 3.58 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: This is one of the most well written dramatic comedies I’ve had the pleasure of seeing, and on top of that it manages to bulldoze its way through the topic of sex and sexuality without pulling any punches nor being exploitative.

A cross between The Breakfast Club and Sex and the City, Sex Ed: The Series is a dramedy that follows the personal lives of eight very different college students who enroll in a general education course called “Sexuality Today.” What seems to be a cake course turns into something unusual in the hands of Professor Alison Trevase, starting with her first assignment: to pair up and make clay sculptures of each other’s genitals.

With each lesson, the students are forced into intimate situations where they discover things about themselves that they’d rather not admit publicly.

Not everyone will pass. But everyone will be exposed.

Details

Website: Sex Ed

Ratings

Style 4

Pacing 4

I can’t get over the energy that just oozes from this show.
(Storytelling 5)

Polish 5

Get past the fact that this show is about sex. Seriously. The moment that you do what you’ll find is that it’s utterly fantastic, combining a entertaining cast with strong dialogue and a storyline that will leave you thinking. (Watchability 5)

Novelty 5

Overall Rating: 4.66 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Before you get too excited, you wont see anything steamier here than you would on late night cable. That being the case Blue Movies is an entertaining look at what everyone wishes it looked like behind the scenes at a adult film shop.

A comedy web series about a rising pornography company in the San Fernando Valley fighting for #1. Starring Sascha Alexander, Beck Bennett, and Jareb Dauplaise.

Details

Cast: Sascha Alexander, Beck Bennett, Jareb Dauplaise
Website: Blue Movies (RSS)

Store: Shop At Their Store
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook

Ratings

The trailers for Max Chapman’s other films border on brilliant. I have never seen more entertaining post-episode content in a web series. (Style 5)

Pacing 4

You have got to love a script that manages to transform dozens of beloved films into porn without falling face first into campiness. Blue Movies is a comedy that is just serious enough to sell the smut while still driving an office romance story. (Storytelling 4)

Polish 4

The general disclaimer applies on this one, if you are particularly sensitive about shows involving lots and lots of implied sex, then you will probably not appreciate this one. That being the case, Blue Movies rings in at PG-13 on its worst days so I would watch an episode or two before casting judgment. The truth is that Blue Movies is a funny, tightly written and surprisingly sentimental web series. (Watchability 3.5)

Novelty 4

Overall Rating: 4.08 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Delayed Teen Angst is one of those shows you will need to watch a few episodes of to get the rhythm. It’s different and until you see what they are trying to do the dialogue and pacing might throw you off. If you can get past that, Delayed Teen Angst is a unique retelling of the classic summer love story.

DELAYED TEEN ANGST (DTA) is the tale of noble Lionel (Tristan Scott); his no-nonsense sister, Evie (Amy Vorpahl); and his lovelorn friend, Damian (Fernando Noor), as they straddle adulthood during summer vacation. When Evie entertains the affections of Damian, Lionel struggles with the fact that his partner in chromosomes may be violated by his long-time friend.

From screenwriter Claire L. Wasmund and director Karen Bullis comes this breakout series that takes a comic look at a summer romance that goes seriously wrong.

Details

Cast: Tristan Scott, Amy Vorpahl, Fernando Noor
Website: Delayed Teen Angst

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook
Vote For It: Delayed Teen Angst

Ratings

Style 3

Pacing 4

This is definitely a weird one. Go into it knowing that and you will enjoy the story, if you are looking for a “normal” webseries you might be disappointed. (Storytelling 3.5)

Polish 3.5

I’ll admit, after the first episode I really couldn’t figure this one out. The characters are painted with broad flourishes and the dialogue borders on the purple. It took a few episodes to realize that the entire thing was deliberate but once I did I learned to appreciate the unique artistic style. (Watchability 2.5)

Novelty 3

Overall Rating: 3.25 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: What would happen if the Olympian gods were stripped of most of their powers and set down in modern day New York to try to make good again? A whole lot of funny if O-Cast is any indication. Shot as a mix between a documentary and a reality television show, O-Cast is a fresh, fun ensemble comedy that’s worth watching even if you spent most of your Greek Mythology class napping.

O-Cast © is a mockumentary webseries created by the twelve Olympian gods of Greek mythology to broadcast their new lives as 20-something New Yorkers. Comedy ensues as they combine forces to convince the mortals of their modern relevance and inspire a new generation of believers.

Shot in high-definition and broadcast in short episodes online, O-Cast © merges ancient legend with the power of viral video.

Details

Cast: Jon Riddleberger, Peter Coleman, Andrews Landsman, Kate Kuen, Anne Richmond, Melissa Klein, Eddie Gutierrez, Heather Parcells, Alex Goode, Leah Johnston, Preston Martin, Arielle Hader, Tim Reinhart, Steven Medvidick, Erik Gullberg, Michael Eisenstein
Website: O-Cast

YouTube: Join Them On YouTube
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook

Ratings

Style 3.5

Pacing 4

What O-Cast does better than most ensemble shows is that it manages to balance the storyline progression well. It feels like every one of the characters has a real place in the show. This is quite an accomplishment considering the sheer size of the cast and the fact that a new character is introduced every few episodes. (Storytelling 4)

Polish 4.5

Watchability 5

Greek gods, reality TV it’s a marriage made in Olympia. (Novelty 4.5)

Overall Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: The Internet is filled with sketch comedy, some of it good, most of it pretty painful, but rarely do you see a show that hearkens back to the best of Flying Circus while still managing to stay relevant. Invention with Brian Forbes is a dry, acid-tongued sketch web series that will leave you laughing from minute one.

British chat-show host, Brian Forbes (Dave Beeler), is driven to distraction by his repeat guest, the eccentric inventor, Sir Reginald Bo-Hey No (Tom Konkle).

David Beeler – Brian Forbes
Tom Konkle – Sir Reginald Bo-Hey No

Details

Cast: David Beeler, Tom Konkle
Website: Invention With Brian Forbes

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook
Vote For It: Invention With Brian Forbes

Ratings

Style 3.5

Great writing, awkward pauses and strong acting ties Invention together making it a treat to watch. (Pacing 4.5)

Storytelling 3.5

Polish 3.5

Watchability 4

Novelty 4

Overall Rating: 3.83 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Because of their short form, web sitcoms risk suffering from weak characterization and even weaker plot development — Meet the Mayfarers manages to overcome these challenges and provides a ruckus look at love, family and the lengths people will go to for lots and lots of money.

“Meet the Mayfarers” is the story of an estranged, dysfunctional family who is forced to live together for one year in order to get their grandfather’s massive inheritance. Trying to hide their hatred for each other to pretend to be the perfect family is going to be an impossible task for this group.

Details

Cast: John Depew, Candace Hopkins, Jenna Paone, Jessica Erin Sylvia, Michael Avellar, Jeffrey Gitelle, Bob Jodka, Paul Patrick Murphy, Jessica Webb,
Website: Meet The Mayfarers (RSS)

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Blip.tv: Watch Them On Blip.tv
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook
Vote For It: Meet The Mayfarers

Ratings

Style 3

The episodes are really tightly written, surprisingly so in fact. Even though they are short, clocking in at under four minutes, you never feel short changed. (Pacing 4.5)

Storytelling 4

Polish 4

After a very short time you start to get attached to the characters, once that happens you really only have yourself to blame when you can’t stop watching. (Watchability 4)

Novelty 3

Overall Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Old Friends was developed by Nick Ross and Tim Curcio as a spinoff from an original sketch show at New York’s Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. The premise is pretty simple, Nick Ross runs into old “friend” Tim Curcio one afternoon. They get to talking about the past which happens to include that one time when Nick took Tim’s wife’s virginity.

It’s funny, it’s sharp and it explores interesting issues about sex, friendship and dwelling in the past.

Old Friends is comedy about friendship, sex, boundaries and virginity. It is the story of Tim and Nick, two 28 year- olds who, until now, haven’t seen each other since high school. Tim is married to his high school sweetheart, Andrea. Nick is dating Andrea’s best friend, Katie.

Everything would be fine if Nick hadn’t taken Andrea’s virginity back in high school. Since high school, Nick’s life has been impulsive and non-committal. He’s a bartender living in New York, enjoying the women and the lifestyle and taking it as it comes. Tim married Andrea, his high school sweetheart, shortly after graduating and they now live comfortably together in Manhattan.

Having never explored a life of sexual promiscuity, Tim is implicitly skeptical of Nick and deeply resents him for having slept with his wife. Nick, who has never had a serious relationship, now sees a chance to re-form some old bonds with Tim and his still very sexy wife. Old Friends follows the unlikely series of events that draw Tim and Nick ever closer, even though Tim would like nothing more than to see Nick die in a fire.

Details

Creators: Nick Ross, Tim Curcio
Website: Old Friends

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Babelgum: Watch Them On Babelgum
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook
Vote For It: Old Friends

Ratings

Style 3.5

The episodes are quick and well paced, heavy on the awkward moments while maintaining a high enough joke ratio to keep you smiling throughout. (Pacing 4.5)

What’s great about this story is how the characters grow. At first Tim and Nick are constantly at each other’s throat, Nick did take Tim’s wife’s virginity oh so many years ago, but over time you can start to get the picture that they are beginning to understand each other a little bit. Even if it isn’t friendship, it is something and the story does a great job of exploring it. (Storytelling 4.5)

Polish 4

Watchability 5

Novelty 3

Overall Rating: 4.08 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Psycho Babble is a sketch series about a group therapy session. If you are in the mood for neurotic comedy and wacky character archetypes this is your one stop shop.

The camera can be a little shaky and the sound could use some work, but once you get settled in you’ll find yourself watching episode after episode and looking forward to seeing how the characters develop.

Details

Cast: Rebecca Roy, MFT., Steve Brewster, Scott MacDonell, Kristin Cummins, Deidre Miller-Cohen, Charles Horn, Jim Staahl, Chris Valenti, Kasey Wilson
Website: Psycho Babble

Ratings

Style 3

Pacing 4

Storytelling 4

The video and sound quality could use a bit of work, but overall the show is strong. (Polish 3)

Watchability 4.5

Novelty 3.5

Overall Rating: 3.66 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Lisa Kudrow as a therapist who more or less hates all of her patients is worth the price of admission. Add to that an episode framework that allows for some really unique story premises and you have a show that keeps you looking forward to the next person on the couch.

Lisa Kudrow stars as a therapist with limited patience for other people’s problems in this original improvised Web series.

Details

Cast: Lisa Kudrow
Website: Web Therapy

Hulu: Watch Them On Hulu
YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Vote For It: Web Therapy

Ratings

Style 3

The story is broken into arcs, with approximately three episodes devoted to each patient. Not only does this make it easier to jump into the series at almost any point, but it also means that the “joke” very rarely gets stale. (Pacing 4)

Storytelling 4.5

Polish 4.5

Even on the rare occasions that you can tell the show is improvised, Lisa Kudrow and the patient de jour manage to take the gaffe and use it to produce something even funnier. (Watchability 4.5)

Novelty 4

Overall Rating: 4.08 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Yes, I know, another dating show but it’s worth giving D Don’t Date a second look. Rosie Tisch takes the neuroses and site gags that defines these shows and breaths new life into them as D.

D’s having a problem with dating. She sucks at it. Bad. But with her best friend Kate to push her, her guy friend Benj to mock her and her neighbor Creepy Richard to stalk her, she’s going to venture back into the dating cesspool that is LA.

Don’t worry. Her love life sucks worse than yours.

Details

Cast: Rosie Tisch, Chris Fontakis, Marlene Martinez, Michael Beardsley
Website: D Don’t Date

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook
Vote For It: D Don’t Date

Ratings

Style 2.5

The scenarios that D ends up in are well thought out, and each story is self contained enough for you to hop into the middle of the series without feeling like you’ve missed anything. It has a sitcom feel to it, and it uses it really well. (Pacing 3.5)

Storytelling 3.5

It’s well shot and well edited but the sound quality can use some work. You get a lot of scratchiness and echo, especially when characters are yelling. (Polish 3)

The absolute best part of this show is Rosie Tisch’s D, I measure my dating procedural by the level of neurosis of the main character and D is a cut above the rest. Add to that a talented supporting cast and you have a markedly entertaining ride. (Watchability 4)

Novelty 2.5

Overall Rating: 3.16 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: In the wide world of religious satire Mr. Deity stands a cut above the rest. It manages to raise some really interesting questions about the way the we look at the world beyond without devolving into a heavy-handed mess.

Mr. Deity is a webshow/podcast that looks at the every-day life of the creator and everything he must endure as he attempts to manage his creation.

Details

Cast: Brian Keith Dalton, Jimbo Marshall, Sean Douglas, Amy Rohren
Website: Mr Deity
YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook
Vote For It: Mr. Deity

Ratings

Style 4

Pacing 4

For a show that could have become nothing but a series of sketches, they do a fantastic job of tying episodes together, rewarding those who have been keeping up from the beginning. That being said, the show is still enjoyable even if you only have a few episodes under your belt. (Storytelling 4.5)

Polish 3.5

This show is downright addicting. The episodes only get better once they introduce Jessie and Lucy to the cast in the middle of the first season. As always with a show that touches so prominently on religion, this it’s not for everyone, but I think they keep it light-hearted enough to keep most people coming back for more. (Watchability 5)

Novelty 4

Overall Rating: 4.16 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: An occasionally uneven but always interesting super hero comedy, Captain Alpha Male is one of those shows that you wish could have been longer to give the writers more room to explore the cast of characters they had developed.

Meet Captain Alpha Male, the world’s first middle-management superhero! He’s a man’s man, a hero’s hero. And he’s about to get the promotion he’s worked his whole life for.

Details

Starring: Jay L. Lutsky
Website: Captain Alpha Male (RSS) (iTunes)

Funny or Die: Watch Them On Funny or Die
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Vote For It: Captain Alpha Male

Ratings

Style 3

Pacing 3

There are a lot of potentially entertaining characters in this series, but you get to see them so rarely that it takes a away a lot of good sources for jokes. Even Super Sugar seems underutilized, spending a good part of the season saying almost nothing other than how important it is to “build the brand.” (Storytelling 3)

Polish 3.5

I think my biggest problem with the show is that I couldn’t always tell whether any of the “super heroes” were actually super, and I think that is because they spent so little time onscreen. The first time I figured out the Captain had any powers at all is in the episode where they showed him flying. I understand that they were supposed to be super-cliches but the idea could have been executed more clearly. (Watchability 3.5)

Captain Alpha Male takes a unique look at the life of a group of Super Heroes, if you can get past its flaws what you’ll find is a quirky show with an entertaining protagonist that is worth the price of admission. (Novelty 4)

Overall Rating: 3.33 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Musical web series are a rare breed, and finding one with songs that are actually catchy is rarer still. Taryn Southern, cast and crew have done an amazing job showing us what High School Musical might have looked like if it were rated PG-13.

Welcome to Private High…where sex and drugs are “always cool.” It’s the middle of senior year and shy Sandra Smith is the new girl in town. As if her virginal status isn’t horrifying enough, things go from bad to worse when Sandra suddenly experiences the joys of womanhood…in first period.

Created by and starring Taryn Southern.

Details

Creator: Taryn Southern
Website: Private High Musical

Facebook: Join Them On Facebook
Vote For It: Private High Musical

Ratings

It’s wacky, raunchy and did I forget to mention — it’s also a musical? Since the Internet loves catchy songs and funny videos, Private High Musical is a near perfect example of how to take a standard high-school procedural and make it watchable again. (Style 4.5)

Pacing 3.5

Storytelling 3.5

In some of the episodes the sound, especially during the musical numbers, leaves something to be desired. Overall, however, it is a well shot and well edited series. (Polish 4)

Watchability 4

If you’ve ever wanted a version of High School Musical that might actually make you laugh, this is it. (Novelty 5)

Overall Rating: 4.08 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: This is one of the more under-appreciated shows on our review docket. Rules of the League combines the surprisingly popular fantasy football league genre with a great cast of supporting characters that drive a fun, light-hearted comedy.

A web comedy based around the lives of fantasy football bloggers as they struggle with success.

Details

Cast: Joel Ballard, Kate Ballard, Wallace Greene, Vincent Murdoch, Teri Bradshaw
Website: Rules of the League (RSS)

Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook
Vote For It: Rules of the League

Ratings

They make extremely clever use of overlays to show off their Twitter accounts and tie the show into their Social Media presence. Fantastically executed. (Style 4)

Pacing 3.5

What I like most about this show are the characters. Even though the supporting cast (except for the wacky friend Wallace) don’t get a lot of screen time, they are a fun bunch and really add color to the show. What I like least is that a lot of the early episodes seem repetitive, not that the plots are the same but the themes are and they don’t do anything to drive the story forward. (Storytelling 3)

Polish 3.5

Watchability 3.5

Novelty 3

Overall Rating: 3.41 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: There isn’t enough overblown melodrama in the world. After watching IKEA Heights a few months ago, I realized that there is a hole in my heart that can only be filled with deeply self-effacing Soap Opera parodies. When I thought all was lost, Hot Hot Los Angeles came along and gave me hope.

If you can get past the chaos of it all, and you enjoy a little melodrama with your comedy, you’ll like Hot Hot Los Angeles.

In a town where money is power, beauty is godliness and the privileged elite live fast and die young, things are spiraling out of control.

Details

Cast: Randy Wayne, Scott Speiser, Olivia Hardt, Kodi Kitchen, Christian Monzon, Alyshia Ochse, Jayson Blair, Marnie Alton, Spencer Hill
Website: Hot Hot Los Angeles (RSS)

Hulu: Watch Them On Hulu

Ratings

Style 3.5
Pacing 3.5
Storytelling 4
Polish 3.5
Watchability 5
Novelty 3

Overall Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars