Bottom Line: While the rest of the series (everything but the first episode) is now only available on DVD, Girl Number 9 is easily one of my favorite web Thrillers in recent history, and well worth a purchase.

Gareth David-Lloyd (Torchwood), Joe Absolom (Doc Martin, Personal Affairs) and Tracy-Ann Oberman (Doctor Who, Eastenders).

Producers Martin Baker and Pete Coogan are proud to announce Girl Number 9, a dark thriller created exclusively for the internet, in six 5-minute episodes premiering on October 30 2009 at 9pm.

The series stars Gareth David-Lloyd (Torchwood), Joe Absolom (Doc Martin, Personal Affairs) and Tracy-Ann Oberman (Doctor Who, Eastenders), and is written by James Moran (Doctor Who, Torchwood, Spooks, Severance). Episodes 1, 2 and 3 are directed by award-winning feature director Dan Turner, while James Moran makes his directorial debut on episodes 4, 5 and 6.

Vincent Boylan (Joe Absolom) has just been arrested, suspected of being behind the brutal murder of seven girls, but the team only have a limited time to get a confession. If they can’t make him talk, he could slip through their fingers. Detective Matheson (Gareth David-Lloyd), who is leading the investigation, is sent in to try and get some answers. But things soon take a horrifying turn for the worse, as Matheson and his boss Lyndon (Tracy-Ann Oberman) find out that all is not as it seems.

The mystery deepens as everyone is drawn into Boylan’s sick mind games, and each twist-packed episode ends on a tantalising cliffhanger, making every instalment a must-see.

Details

Cast: Vincent Boylan, Gareth David-Lloyd, Tracy-Ann Oberman
Website: Girl Number 9

Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook
Vote For It: Girl Number 9

Ratings

Style 4

The only thing I can say about pacing is that I wish the episodes were longer. I mean that in the best possible way. If you watch the DVD version of this you might not see it, but the way the cliff hangers were setup was phenomenal. (Pacing 4)

Storytelling 5

Polish 4.5

This is a dark, moody interrogation serial that will leave you begging for each new episode. While they aren’t paving any new ground with this series, they have managed to take viewers on an extraordinarily entertaining ride. (Watchability 5)

Novelty 3.5

Overall Rating: 4.33 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: There are very few series I want to love as much as Riese, and I do like it a lot. The history and mythology they have woven is stellar and the overall story arc is rich and sophisticated. If any part of the formula has gone wrong it is that they seem to have shot a web series as if it were a television pilot, which can leave the viewer disoriented.

Riese is a world of moral ambiguity and political intrigue.

A decimated land populated by characters from dreams and nightmares. Loyalties are ever in question, suspicion in the minds of all. The realm, however, was not always so cruel. Everything began with a peaceful nation called Eleysia.

The Kingdom of the Wolf, Eleysia was once prosperous due largely to the influence of Empress Kara and Emperor Ulric. This all changed when a coup d’etat, orchestrated from the shadows by a religious cult, brought about a total regime change.

Taking the throne was Amara, the Empress’s cousin.

A power-hungry tyrant, Amara immediately utilized Eleysia’s wealth and power to begin colonizing the world, crushing nation after nation in order to unite the people under one banner. Even as she assaulted the world, an ominous, enigmatic group clearly wielded power over her. Called The Sect, they purported themselves to be the official religion of Eleysia, and began to spread alongside Eleysia’s borders.

Since the coup, the land has begun to die, resources are dwindling and compassion is fading. Humanity itself is seen as impure. People have grown restless, almost feral. Rituals and mythology have resurged, and the darker side of mankind has begun to reveal itself.

The true horror of the world is not in how it ends, but what will become of mankind as it fractures.And yet, despite the impending doom, a single beacon of light shines in Riese. A mysterious wanderer, she travels with her wolf Fenrir across this barren land. Branded as heretics by The Sect, Riese and Fenrir will pause to aid those in need as they travel, but they must evade capture at all costs. As she flees, she’ll piece together her past and her destiny, in a conflict that will hold the fate of this world in the balance – and the once peaceful kingdom of Eleysia will be the battlefield.

This is the world of Riese.

Details

Cast: Christine Chatelain, Sharon Taylor, Patrick Gilmore, Ben Cotton
Website: Riese The Series

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
ARG: Play The ARG
Koldcast.tv: Watch Them On Koldcast
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook
Vote For It: Riese The Series

Ratings

The costume design is amazing, absolutely amazing. While there aren’t too many other flashy pyrotechnics to sink your teeth into, the costumes are some of the most well done I’ve seen in any web series. (Style 3.5)

These episodes are designed to be watched in one viewing. You can tell that this show is shot more like a television pilot than a web series, which works as long as you go into it knowing that fact. (Pacing 3)

I love the mythology, I love the setting and I think there is a ton of room for this show to grow and develop. In the end, I think the best thing that can be done to improve it is to tighten up some of the episodes and try to introduce a few more plot elements in each. I came into this series expecting a lot, and the early episodes seem a little thin. This isn’t a condemnation but rather a wish for change. (Storytelling 4.5)

Polish 5

If you want to love this show, watch it all in one sitting. If you want to be left feeling a bit unsatisfied, watch it episode to episode. (Watchability 3 )

Novelty 4

Overall Rating: 3.83 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Fall of Kaden is a strong departure from some of the lighter dramas that make up the majority of web series’ attempt to be serious. It is dark, really dark and it doesn’t ask for any forgiveness from the audience. If you like your dramas closer to The Wire than 90210 you should tune in to Fall of Kaden.

A dark, cinematic Web drama as seen through the eyes of Kaden (Adam Leiphart), a paranoid loan shark out to exact revenge on a wildcard gambler who ran off with his money. Produced by Tape 6 in association with CJP Digital Media.

Details

Cast: Adam Leiphart, Brian Troyan, Diane Hren, Amber Friendly, Joe Andaloro
Website: Fall of Kaden

Blip.tv: Watch Them On Blip.tv
YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook

Ratings

Style 4.5

Pacing 4

This is a dark, punchy drama that hits all the right points. With some episodes closing in on ten minutes long what is most surprising is just how gripping this series is. Kaden’s monologues provide a strong, believable frame for the story, making this a drama worth getting hooked on. (Storytelling 4)

Polish 4

Outside of the language, violence and drug use disclaimers this is a great example of web series drama and a good contender as one of my favorites in the genre. (Watchability 3.5)

Novelty 3.5

Overall Rating: 3.91 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: This is a really interesting premise, I just wish that the delivery was a little better. Some of the dialogue is shaky and the intro drags out what might otherwise be a much tighter show. It is still worth seeing for it’s unique look at questions of sexuality.

Rose a comfortably out woman who identifies as lesbian serendipitously meets Anthony a nice progressive straight man and both they and their friends are thrown in to comedic confusion when they unexpectedly find themselves falling for each other.

This Web TV Series is about a lesbian who falls in love with a man and has to deal with coming out all over again. New episode will debut on Sunday evenings.

Details

Cast: Stephanie Reibel, Fay Wolf, Kristen Howe, Jaime Michaels, Steph Davis, Kyle Schickner, Jay Burns, Oren Skoog
Website: Rose By Any Other Name

Facebook: Join Them On Facebook

Ratings

Style 3

For a web series that clocks in at about 5 minutes an episode, the intro is much too long (it clocks in at over a minute). The series itself flows pretty well, with every episode capturing one or two major plot elements. (Pacing 3)

Some of the extended dialogue is awkward, it’s not the acting per se (the female leads are great), there is just something that doesn’t quite flow about the script especially in the scenes involving the male characters. It’s really a shame because overall the story presents a really interesting premise. (Storytelling 2.5)

Polish 3.5

Watchability 3

Novelty 4

Overall Rating: 3.16 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: It was hard to decide which of the 57,000 or so vampire-related web series to review but what struck me about this one (like all shows on Take 180) is how interactive it is.

On the surface it tracks the story of two girls, a vampire and what happens when you get a little too caught up in your obsessions but more pointedly it is a platform for people who love everything about vampires to finally put themselves into the story. There are challenges, confessions and a whole host of interactive content pieces which make what might otherwise be another Ann Rice re-imagining and turns it into something fun and downright entertaining.

Details

Cast: Sarah Butler, Eric McIntire, Adam Chambers, Josh Nuncio, Erin Way, Cherilyn Wilson, Martha Hackett
Website: I Heart Vampires

Ratings

Strong interactive elements drive this story and put it several cuts above the rest. (Style 5)

Pacing 3.5

Storytelling 3.5

Polish 4

It is still a teen-centric Vampire serial, if that isn’t your particular cup of tea then you might not like this one, but if you were choosing among teen-centric vampire serials, this is easily the most interesting. (Watchability 3.5)

Novelty 5

Overall Rating: 4.08 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: Compulsions is one of the rare occasions that a show I was looking forward to seeing didn’t disappoint. It’s sharp, well acted and leaves you looking forward to the season two. More than that it shows that an open-ended Thriller can be done and done well on the web, something that other web producers should take note of.

Everyone has a compulsion, most of us fight them, repress them, and keep them hidden. Compulsions tells the story of three seemingly normal people who instead of repressing their dark desires, act on them as emotional outlets.

Compulsions is a serialized dramatic thriller focusing on the internal dark sides of the leads juxtaposed with their “daily lives”.

Details

Cast: Craig Frank, Janna Bossier, Annemarie Pazmino, Seth Caskey, Taryn O’Neill, Sean Spence, Andrew Clemons
Website: Compulsions (RSS)

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

Ratings

This is an incredibly stylish Thriller — cold, dark and hard as steel. while the blood effects are a little B grade, the editing and the acting more than make up for it, breathing life into the torture scenes and tying the action of the series together. (Style 4.5)

Pacing 3.5

While I understand the need to maintain mystery, I do wish that they were a little more clear about some of the plot elements. There were times, especially early on, that I had trouble tying the characters into the plot and I was a little lost. (Storytelling 3.5)

Polish 4.5

Watchability 4

You have never seen anything quite like this in web series land. The story concept is unique, three people letting their inner demons run rampant in order to accomplish some mysterious goal and the acting is rock solid. It is right up there with Girl Number 9 as one of my favorite Thrillers. (Novelty 5)

Overall Rating: 4.16 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: With The Angels is a surprisingly touching story of a small town girl trying to make a new life in California. I know it sounds a little hokey, but that’s almost the point. It tells the story of growing up in a simple yet powerful way.

Former Lonelygirl15 writer Mary Feuer tells the fish-out-of-water story of Taffy Simpson, a small-town Arkansas girl swimming in the freak-infested waters of Venice, California.

Details

Creator: Mary Feuer
Website: With The Angels

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Their Page
Vote For It: With The Angels

Ratings

Style 3

Pacing 4

With The Angels is shot in a classic webcamumentary style (as classic as a made up word can be) but it avoids the disconnect from setting that usually plagues these sorts of shows. Taffy feels like she is in a living, breathing world and as the story progresses you find yourself rooting for her more and more. (Storytelling 5)

Polish 3.5

I really like this show. Which is saying something considering how many webumentaries I pass on. What surprises me more than anything is how easy it is to keep watching. The writing is good but the real hook is the fantastic acting. It’s worth staying tuned just to see “Taffy’s” mastery of her role. (Watchability 5)

Novelty 3.5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: If you are looking for a fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled action Thriller, look elsewhere. The plot of Vetala plods along, revealing its mysteries layer by layer and rewarding viewers with the patience to follow along. It’s an fantastically interesting ride for those who can make it through the slow points. My best advice is to take the time to watch this show all the way through. It’s designed for that type of viewing, and the structure works best if you see it as a coherent whole.

A supernatural thriller about a hostile, yet conflicted spirit from the pages of Sanskrit mythology, and the succession of people it travels through.

Season One follows Lily Callahan and Alex Reed, two college reporters who have become targets of The Syndicate, an organized crime group responsible for the trafficking of illegal guns. Alex’s obsession with exposing the city’s gun trade places both Lily and him in harms way, giving rise to The Vetala.

The Vetala hails from the Baital Pachisi stories, first written in the Indian book Brihatkatha of Gunadhya, first century A.D. The British explorer, writer and poet, Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890) translated eleven of the Vetala stories from Sanskrit into English in 1870, and titled them Vikram & The Vampire. Burton believed this collection of tales and legends was the inspiration for The Arabian Nights, a book he would also famously translate along with The Kama Sutra.

Details

Cast: Candace Chase, Paul Mendel, Marina Pasqua, Leslie Mildiner, James Tyce, Tina Moore, Russ Ball
Website: The Vetala (RSS)

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Their Page
Vote For It: The Vetala

Ratings

Style 3.5

The plot moves slowly and methodically for a series with five minute episodes, at times you wish they would throw a few more carrots to the hungry audience. (Pacing 3)

Storytelling 3.5

The series is beautifully shot, with some well done effects and good use of gore. (Polish 4)

Watchability 3.5

The show has a really rich background history, which makes it sad that the early episodes don’t take more time to explore it. Too much screen time is given early on to elements of the story that aren’t particularly relevant to the overarching plot nor character development. (Novelty 3.5)

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Combining hand drawn animation with live action, Drawn By Pain delivers one of the most unique experiences you’ll have the pleasure of seeing on or off the Internet.

Young Emily once watched the world through blinders so the only thing she saw was the page on which she drew. Isolated, she tried to look away as her father gave her mother lessons in brutality from which she could only hide in her mind. But that rage, that fear growing deep within her would surface and once unleashed – could never be re-contained. Ten years older, the demons of old fuel her, empower her and push her to be the very thing she once feared: A monster in her own right.

A dramatic action packed 12-part series in a sea of comedic web content, “Drawn By Pain” engages its audience by leading them through an episodic spiral into one woman’s search for salvation as her animated madness fights for her sanity in the real world.

Details

Cast: Jesse Cowell, Erica Langworthy, Marissa Parness, Elizabeth Plevy, Guy Rader
Blip.tv Channel: Drawn By Pain
Website: Drawn By Pain
Support the Show: Visit The Drawn By Pain Store

Subscribe

Feed: Feed
Twitter Page Jeskid

Ratings

This is a series you have to see to believe. The way they blend live action with animation is absolutely stunning and my only qualm is I wish they had the time to do more of it. Also, the interplay between the main character’s younger and older self and the demons she faces down is the sort of thing you would expect out of a much higher budget production. In all, this is a brilliant piece of work. (Style 5)

Overall the story is fantastic but some episodes seemed to drift, this is especially apparent near the middle of the series when we start to question the protagonists sanity. While I understand what they were trying to accomplish, and they did a good job of doing so, if they had added more exposition it would have helped to flesh out the themes. (Pacing 3.5)

Storytelling 5

Polish 4

This is a complete story in every sense of the word, you’ll find yourself stuck to your seat from beginning to end. Why the 4 then? Well, it’s also one of the darkest web series I’ve seen to date. It deals with issues of abuse, sanity and identity that wil make it difficult to swallow for some more sensitive viewers. If you can get past this you are in for a ride, I couldn’t give a stronger recommendation if I tried (Watchability 4)

Novelty 5

Overall Rating: 4.41 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: This is probably the most well balanced, story-driven series I’ve had the pleasure to review. Where many web series suffer from uneven presentation, writing or pacing, STBD manages to be consistently good across its entire run.

Something to Be Desired is a web sitcom (or web series, or web video series,webcom, webisodes, or whatever imprecise descriptor you’d choose to explain us to your friends) about life after college. Created and produced in Pittsburgh, PA, we’ve been online since the summer of 2003. In that time, we’ve developed over seven hours of original content, all of which can be seen here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and entirely free.

STBD films with a local cast and crew. We shoot our web series on mini-DV (the Panasonic DVX-100A model, to be exact), edit in Final Cut Pro, and distribute on multiple platforms, including Blip TV and iTunes.

We here at STBD are torn between our hatred of corporate monoliths and our need to feed, clothe and provide shelter for ourselves, so while you may see the occasional ad or bit of merch, we’re doing all we can to avoid plugging into the system. Therefore, if you like what you see, spread the word! (We need all the help we can get…)

Details

Cast: Heather Beschizza, Laura Lee Brautigam, Josh Hansen, Ann Turiano, Shaun Hall, Lacey Fleming, Rick Hertzig, Teresa Trich, Matthew Preston, Will Guffey, Jennifer Koegler, Trent Wolfred, Erik Schark, Shaun Starke, Courtney Jenkins, Ryan Ben
Blip.tv Channel: Something To Be Desired
Website: Something To Be Desired
Support the Show: Visit The STBD Store

Subscribe

Feed: Feed
Twitter Page Something To Be Desired

Ratings

Style 3.5

Pacing 4 (Each episode covers a a lot of ground. They come in at about 10 minutes a piece but none of it is derivative. It’s one of those shows that once you start it you’ll have to see it through to the end. The character development is solid if not a bit uneven, it takes a little while to really get into the supporting cast’s head but once you’re there the series gets even better.)

A compelling, meaty story that takes a while to unravel. This is one of those series that will do you absolutely no good to watch as an one off, if you’re going to start with Something to Be Desired you need to be willing to commit yourself to at least a few episodes to get a feeling for the characters and to understand the arc. (Storytelling 4.5)

Polish 3.5

Rock solid writing, directing and acting make this an easy to enjoy series. The fact that it has been going for as long as it has deserves a nod as well. Web series typically have a short shelf life, either the writers can’t hold the story together or the talent moves on to other projects, but STBD has been on air for six seasons and still seems fresh. (Watchability 4.5)

Novelty 3.5

Overall Rating: 3.91 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: If you own or have ever owned an NES this is one of the best things you’ll ever watch. I always knew the mushroom kingdom had some skeletons in its closet.

“There Will Be Brawl” is a non-profit web series designed as a dark, dramatic parody of the popular Super Smash Bros. Brawl video game for the Nintendo Wii. The Creators of the project are avid fans of Nintendo, and this series has been developed as an homage to the colorful characters of SSBB that we all know and love. Through the hard work of a talented cast and crew, and the support of our fans, we hope to continue to produce a story you will all enjoy.

Details

Creators: Matthew Mercer, Zach Grafton
Escapist Magazine Channel: There Will Be Brawl
Website: There Will Be Brawl
Support the Show: Watch The Episodes At Escapist Magazine

Subscribe

Forum: Forum
Facebook Page There Will Be Brawl

Ratings

I never thought I’d be calling an NES parody “darkly stylish,” but this one is. Between Luigi’s gritty monologues, the strip clubs and the violence this is about as dramatic as the Nintendo universe has ever been. (Style 5)

Pacing 4

Storytelling 4.5

Great costumes, great script, great direction I couldn’t ask for more. (Polish 5)

Insidery isn’t the half of it. This is a series designed for people who know enough about video games to be dangerous. If you don’t, most of the jokes will make no sense and really all you are left with are a bunch of people running around in weird costumes occasionally hitting each other. If you understand the source material this is a dark, edgy parody of the worlds we all grew up with. Each episode is about 10 minutes so save this for when you have a little time to enjoy it. (Watchability 4)

Novelty 4

Overall Rating: 4.41 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Condition:Human is one of the most visually stunning and well executed Sci Fi dramas I’ve seen on the web. Once you get over how beautiful it is, you’ll still be drawn in by a story that strays away from the camp that marks many science fiction series’ on the web.

In the near future, man has begun to address the economic and environmental issues plaguing the early 21st century. Rapid technological advancements have changed life dramatically, especially the creation of advanced humanoid robots who have begun to play an integral part in everyday life. Takumi Kenji, the reclusive CEO of Kenji Electronics, and father of all things A.I. has announced the first ever ‘companion’ bots. A model of humanoid who’s interactive capabilities are remarkably natural. As robots continue to evolve their place amongst us we must evolve as well, and as we do society carries the responsibility of answering moral questions that come.

Details

Cast: Kristian Bakstad, Leah Tassey, Arnica Skulstad-Brown, Kasey Ryne Mazak, Josephine Savoldelli, Lloyd Davis, Lani Claxton, Pat Barker, Raymond Wey-Ming Ho, Rob Carpenter
Vimeo Channel: Condition:Human
Website: Condition:Human
Support the Show: Join The Facebook Page

Subscribe

Twitter Feed: Condition Human
Facebook Page Condition Human

Ratings

I really can’t get over how beautifully the effects are done in this show. They are dark, crisp and absolutely seamless. I don’t know what type of budget they had for this show but I haven’t seen a more fully realized world. If you plan to shoot a web series even partially on green screen, you should take notes from Condition:Human. (Style 5)

Pacing 4

Storytelling 4.5

The video quality and effects are absolutely top notch for a web series, however, the audio was a little low and muffled. Considering how interesting the show concept is, it’s frustrating to have to strain to hear it. Let me point out that none of this detracts from the fact that this is one of the most visually stunning web shows I have ever seen. The physical sets are fantastic and the digital ones are close to seamless. I wouldn’t ask for more if this was on network television. (Polish 4.5)

This is a deeply philosophical exploration of humanities obsession with technology and what it means to be human. It moves at a slow, deliberate pace and for some people that might make it difficult to sit through especially since each episode clocks in at over 10 minutes in length. That being the case, if you are looking for some tasty SciFi in the vein of Gattaca this is for you. (Watchability 4)

Novelty 4.5

Overall Rating: 4.41 out of 5 stars

We haven’t seen a really good revenge movie since Ai, I was waiting for something great to come along and Wrath is it. It was written and directed by Sam Hendi, the same person who brought us Gone. Unlike Gone which holds its plot elements close to its chest, Wrath goes straight for the jugular.

Hyette Duffy plays a scorned lover who has kidnapped the woman (Tracy Villiers) who she believes seduced her partner and “forced” him to cheat. The action builds steam as it segues from a low-key monologue to full out verbal assault as Hyette tears into her “rival” and we start to see that maybe, just maybe this woman has a few more problems than a cheating spouse.

This film skirts the line between a character sketch and torture porn, and it chooses the right side, side-stepping violence and replacing it with a carefully crafted look at Hyette’s rapid descent into madness.

Once again, Sam leaves us with answered questions but much like in Gone it’s better that way.

Creator’s Description

Lisa remembers the good times she had with her partner but is there a dark side to their relationship…

Details

Cast: Hyette Duffy, Tracy Villiers
Vimeo Channel: Wrath
Website: Sam Hendi

Ratings

Style 3.5

It’s fast paced without being frenzied, a stunningly well made interpretation of the classic “interrogation” scene. (Pacing 4.5)

Storytelling 4.5

Polish 4

Hyette is incredibly good in her role as the scorned lover, it’s a performance worth watching even if there wasn’t any movie around it. (Watchability 5)

It’s the acting and script that brings this film up, the plot elements have been seen a thousand times before but very rarely executed this well. (Novelty 3.5)

Overall Rating: 4.16 out of 5 stars

I like this one for what it never says.

If that isn’t too cryptic then I’m glad you joined me for this review. Gone is a story of a woman who discovers that the same friends who came out to mourn her sister’s suicide might, in fact, be responsible for it. It’s a story about a diary that tells her the dark secrets that her sister hid away until it was too much to bare. More generally, it’s a story about pain that never gives a single hint as to its source.

That’s the thing about this film, you know that most of the cast are really bad people but you don’t know why. No one really does anything particularly upsetting either, but the implication is that each of them had a hand in the sister’s suicide. It’s dark, confusing and leaves you with more questions than answers. It manages to do all of this while remaining coherent, who can really ask for more?

Creator’s Description

A woman explores her sister’s suicide through the entries in her diary and discovers that her friends might not be who she thought they were.

Details

Cast: Rachel Button, Yeukayi Ushe, Emma Barnard, Laura Lloyd, Solomon Israel, Ana Valerio, Amy Gallagher, Abena Bentum, Stephen Adeluku, Leylan Saad, Kate Shaw
Vimeo Channel: Gone
Website: Sam Hendi

Ratings

Style 3.5

It’s good but It’s a little uneven, it’s starts out really slowly, ramps up near the middle and then slows right back down again in the third act. (Pacing 3.5)

It leaves unanswered questions without becoming muddled in its own sense of mystery. Overall it’s a well executed drama. (Storytelling 4)

Polish 4

If you really, really need closure this might not be for you, otherwise it is a great watch coming in at just under 10 minutes. (Watchability 4)

Novelty 3.5

Overall Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Dystopias don’t do too well on a low budget. They almost always end up seeming too cheesy to really sell the theme. Oasis might be the exception to prove the rule. The story surrounds one man’s search for the Oasis, a legendary Eden that might restore man to his former glory, the real action though comes in the form of his fight against an opposing band of survivors and what he discovers about war, friendship and humanity.

It’s dirty, gritty and an all around good showing for the genre.

If you want Sci-Fi that doesn’t rely on camp, Oasis Terminal might just be your, er, Oasis.

Creator’s Description

25 years into the future, civilization has been destroyed by nuclear war. Andres, one of the few survivors, searches for a mythical place called The Oasis, the only hope for mankind.

Details

Cast: Andres Sandoval, Ruben Di Pietro, Rey Vazques, Catalina Navas, Julian Caballero
Executive Producers: Veronica Echeverri, Lucrecia Villa
Vimeo Channel: Oasis Terminal
Website: Pacifica Films

Ratings

Really good costumes, nice gunfire effects and an overall sense of oppression missing from a lot of other independent dystopias. (Style 4.5)

For a story driven primarily by action and flash backs it does move pretty slowly. There is probably a minute or two that could be cut out without effecting the strength of the narrative. (Pacing 3.5)

Storytelling 4

Polish 4

Good characterization, good storytelling and top tier execution. (Watchability 4)

Novelty 3.5

Overall Rating: 3.91 out of 5 stars

This is the story of a failed sexual encounter between two men. While watching it I felt like the writer (Sanjay Sooknanan) wasn’t entirely certain where he wanted to go with narrative. There were issues available to explore, and he touched on several of them – repressed sexuality, shame, the awkwardness of first meetings – he touched on them but by the end I still wasn’t clear what he was trying to say.

The direction and acting were good and while they did play around with chronology they did so in a pretty reasonable way. The biggest failing of this movie is that it’s too dark to be a “slice of life” and the story isn’t deep enough to make good drama.

It is worth watching if you are a fan of the genre, but there isn’t enough here to draw in a wider audience.

Creator’s Description

A sexual encounter raises doubts and questions from both sides involved.

Details

Cast: Baruch Porras, Jean Franco, Elise Garza, Santiago Dunbar
Vimeo Channel: The Meeting
Website: The Pegasus Company

Ratings

Style 2.5

It moves well and they used the chronology jumps well. (Pacing 4)

Storytelling 3

Polish 3

There just isn’t enough here to really draw you in and at almost 12 minutes this one is for genre fans. (Watchability 2.5)

Novelty 2.5

Overall Rating: 2.91 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Pink is a stylish assassination drama that gets the job done.

Natalie Cross works for the government – any government that pays, that is. Technically, she’s a subcontractor – like Haliburton, only with guns.

She gets hired to hunt down scum and dispose of them – and she always gets her man. Always.

Natalie loves the color pink. As in, “pink mist” (you can figure that one out).

Her prison psychiatrist called her “unstable”. Blame her dad, he was the dangerous one. Old School. Black Ops. And he always wanted a son (that’s why he called her “Nate”). He taught her things like, how to skin a deer and how to fire a rifle. So please forgive Natalie for being a “little girl” in a woman’s body, for wanting a childhood she never had, and for trying to walk away from The Life she was born and bred into.

Prison was a haven for her after she quit, and she’d still be there if her biological clock hadn’t started ringing. So she’s back on contract, working The List. But looking for two men now.

One she’s trying to eliminate. The other… well, she’s got something else in mind.

Details

Cast: Natalie Raitano, Matthew Tompkins, Sheree J. Wilson
Hulu Channel: Hulu Channel
Website: Pink The Series
Support the Show: Visit The Pink Store

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Ratings

This show simply drips cool. You have a hired killer committing herself to prison. You have episodes filled with guns, BlackOps, assassinations and angst. If you are a little sick of all your web series being served up with a big side of comedy, then Pink is your place to turn for a little mayhem. (Style 4.5)

The episodes could be longer. They are going with the one episode, one concept model of storytelling but it does leave you wanting and not in that “oh my god what’s going to happen next” sort of way. It leaves you thinking that if they just gave it another minute they could tell a much better story. That being the case, it’s fun, kinetic and the off-screen violence is strangely satisfying. (Pacing 3.5)

Storytelling 4

Everything about this show is top shelf, the camera quality, the directing and a few cringe-worthy lines notwithstanding the script. (Polish 5)

Watchability 4.5

Novelty 3.5

Overall Rating: 4.16 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Sometimes this is almost too good a parody, IKEA has never seemed so angsty. The fact that they managed to film all of this in the store while people were busy shopping makes it all the more amazing.

This is worth watching if only for the sheer level of creativity that went into something up the shoot.

Ikea Heights is a melodrama shot entirely in the Burbank California Ikea Store without the store knowing.

Details

Creators: Dave Seger, Paul Bartunek, Delbert Shoopman, Spencer Strauss, Tom Kauffman
YouTube Channel: Ikea Heights
Website: Ikea Heights
Support the Show: Watch Their Show On Channel 101

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Vimeo Channel Ikea Heights

Ratings

Style 3.5

Pacing 4

Storytelling 3.5

Polish 3

If you hate even thinking about watching a soap opera then this isn’t for you. It has amnesia, murder, infidelity, gritty detective work and all sorts of other day time television tropes. The parody is spot on though, so if you love to hate soaps start watching this now. (Watchability 4)

This show is filmed inside a real IKEA store with real customers shopping during the shoot. Add to that fact that it’s a brilliantly creative parody of over-dramatic soap operas and you have a recipe for a show that deserves at least one viewing. (Novelty 5)

Overall Rating: 3.66 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: While the voice acting is uneven, the story has the kind of energy you expect from much higher budget space operas. This is worth a watch of machinima and sci-fi fans alike.

Chronicles of Humanity is an original science fiction series that takes place in the 24th century. The story begins after a mining accident on Titan, one of the moons of Saturn, with the colonists protesting against the Government’s unwillingness to give them better working conditions. And that’s only the beginning…

Details

Cast: Charlie Allen-Wall, Damien Valentine, Elizabeth Cameron, Felicia Day, Gabrielle Pugliese, Ingrid Moon, Kim Genly, Richard Grove
Vimeo Channel: Chronicles of Humanity
Website: Chronicles of Humanity
Support the Show: Watch Bathtub Productions Other Films

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Ratings

They decided to go big with this one, taking a high concept like a space opera and doing it all using machinima. For all the minor flaws it has, it’s a stylistic feat. (Style 4.5)

Pacing 4

I can’t tell if my problem is with the script or with the voice acting. Actually I can, it’s with the voice acting. There are portions of the narrative that fall flat because it’s really clear that the lines are being read, which is a shame because overall it is a grand story concept. It’s hard to sync your acting with a character whose lips don’t even move, but compared to say, Red vs. Blue, there is a huge disconnect between what you’re seeing on the screen and the voices coming from the characters. (Storytelling 3.5)

Polish 4

Get past the pilot and you start to see a really interesting story begin to unravel. This is another one of those series where it helps to watch multiple episodes in a row, and if you do you’ll be treated to a top tier romp through space — rare for a web series. (Watchability 3.5)

Novelty 3.5

Overall Rating: 3.83 out of 5 stars

A man who suffers from terrible dreams wakes up to find himself unsure of who he is, what his real purpose is and how to escape. This takes a page from a lot of other secret agent, amnesia, “I kill people but don’t know about it” films like the Bourne series but the difference is that this entire movie would fit into Bourne’s first act.

While I really liked some of the concepts, I spent a lot of time feeling like I’ve seen this movie before. It took so many nods and used so many genre tropes that it ironed out a lot of the qualities that make it unique.

It is a fun movie to watch and the film work is solid but Jacob Ares just feels like it could have been a lot better if more time was taken to put a unique spin on what is becoming a tired premise.

Creator’s Description

Jacob Ares is a man with a sinister past. A past that shines light on a very dark soul.

Details

Cast: Phoenix Romero, Reagan Pfifer, Ja Elam
Openfilm Channel: Jacob Ares
Website: Ralf Bremer

Ratings

Style 3.5

Pacing 4

As a homage to the genre it works well, but as an independent film it feels like they could have done more with the script. (Storytelling 3)

I found myself straining to hear it. Some extra work could have been done to polish up the sound. (Polish 3)

Watchability 3.5

Novelty 2.5

Overall Rating: 3.25 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: This is one of those series that you need to look at in its entirety to appreciate. The episodes are short and slow moving, but the high concept could make it worth the wait for some.

In a world where no one dies and the sun never sets, an ex-priest enlists the help of a rag-tag band of survivors to find the fabled last remaining entrance into paradise…

Judgment Day has come and gone. Most of the world’s population and all the children have simply vanished. Those remaining cannot die, and do not age. They exist on an Earth frozen in time, where all sources of power and energy have ceased; a world where daylight never ends, nothing works, and the ocean is poisonous.

100 years later, the last chance for redemption rests in an unlikely soul. Steven, a man once of the church, now devoid of all hope or faith spends his days wandering the desolate streets in an apathetic daze. That is, until today.

Welcome to the post apocalyptic world of “After Judgment,” nominated for 6 Streamy Awards! Watch Season 1 of this original sci fi web series, and then delve into the lives of the characters and uncover the clues by watching “Before Judgment,” which contains lost footage of the events leading up to the fall of humanity and the aftermath that followed, as seen through the eyes of the survivors.

Details

Cast: Joel Bryant, Jim McMahon, Taryn O’Neill, Stephanie Thorpe, Monika Jolly, Gregor Manns, Kristen Huff, Mick Theyer, Fesa Salillas, Samantha Colburn, Mike Davies Jr, John Curtis, Andy Gross, Beth Fisher
Blip.tv Channel: After Judgment
Website: After Judgment
Support the Show: See Captain Film’s Other Productions

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Facebook Page After Judgment

Ratings

Style 3.5

The episodes are too short, which makes the story difficult to pick up. Even after you watch a few you are still not really clear enough on what’s going on. Not only that but they have this thing about mixing up chronology which might work if the shows were longer but as it stands it just makes it confusing. (Pacing 2.5)

As stories go this is a really cool premise, the world has ended, the vast majority of people have disappeared and we get to see things from the perspective of the people who have been left behind. They can’t die — not easily at least — they can’t age and the sun never sets. Yes, it does bare a striking resemblance to a major plot premise in Tim LaHaye’s Left Behind series but once you get past the first act it starts moving in a much different direction. As I mentioned earlier, what brings this series down is the pace, it’s really designed to be watched back to back and only works when you take large chunks of the story in at the same time. (Storytelling 3)

Polish 4.5

I just can’t give this show my strongest recommendation. I like the ideas a lot but the execution could have been better. The first 30 seconds is usually a recap of the last episode and the last 30 seconds are the credits. That leaves about 3 minutes to build a story, and a good portion of that is monologue or silence. Usually you get one plot element thrown in there, but the wonky chronology makes that hard to put into the wider context. If you like the premise you should give this one a shot, but if you aren’t completely sold on that you might want to look elsewhere. (Watchability 2.5)

The novel series and bad made for DVD movie not withstanding, this is a really original idea. I’d suggest watching Before Judgment along with After Judgment as it really fleshes out parts of the story that might otherwise go over you head. In general, this is an all or nothing proposition, if you aren’t willing to commit to the entire run you probably won’t get much out of this. (Novelty 3)

Overall Rating: 3.16 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: It’s not too often that you get a dramatic web series that manages to touch on complex social issues without devolving into a heavy-handed mess. Anyone But Me is surprisingly sharp and intensely engaging, easily one of my favorite dramatic series.

When 16 year old Vivian McMillan has to move from New York City to the suburbs, her relationships, past and present, are tested. And her identity goes through seismic changes. The daughter of a NYC firefighter, Vivian has no choice but to leave the city with her dad after health problems he suffered trying to save people on September 11th force him to retire. This moving, funny, and relevant new drama speaks to all ages and hearts as it follows the journey of six teenagers and the adults who try to understand them.

Details

Cast: Rachael Hip-Flores, Nicole Pacent, Joshua Holland, Alexis Slade, Jessy Hodges, Mitchell Adams, Dan Via, Barbara Pitts
Strike.tv Channel: Anyone But Me
Website: Anyone But Me
Support the Show: Visit The Anyone But Me Store

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Facebook Page Anyone But Me

Ratings

Style 4

Pacing 4

Anyone But Me tackles issues of displacement, sexuality and growing up at a steady pace and with an even hand. It’s one of the most profoundly interesting web series dramas I’ve come across and this is coming from someone who loves to hate the genre. The characters are believable, the directing is solid and Rachel Hip-Flores and Nicole Pacent sells their roles (Vivian and Aster) beautifully. (Storytelling 5)

Polish 4.5

This show has built on controversy. The main character is a teenage lesbian trying to come to terms with her identity. As such, it’s not for everyone. That being said, the writers of this series manage to cover a lot of complex social issues without the heavy-handed moralizing that might otherwise alienate wider audiences. If you can keep an open mind, this show will get you thinking. (Watchability 5)

They manage to take the tired old teen “coming of age” story and add enough twists to it to make it watchable again. (Novelty 4)

Overall Rating: 4.41 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Once you get past the fact that their coffee shop is very obviously a kitchen this clever, touching story of a group of emotionally damaged coffee shop employees may become one of your favorite web series of the year.

In the premiere episode, Mitch (Morgan Lee) starts his job at the Rose City Coffeehouse, where the pay is meager, the humiliation plentiful, and the customers are always wrong.

Details

Cast: Morgan Lee, Lara Kobrin, Leif Norby, Melissa Kaiser, Jessica Zodrow, Ehren Ebbage, Chris Bolton
Vimeo Channel: Wage Slaves
Website: Wage Slaves
Support the Show: Review The Show

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Ratings

Style 3

Pacing 4

Drama is hard with web series. Drama is really hard, so when someone makes the attempt I have to give them credit, when someone does it well it deserves a mention. Wage Slaves does it well. The story is not without its flaws, the supporting cast feels a little coarsely written and some of the jokes don’t work but the overall story arc is catchy and watching the main character develop is strangely compelling. It’s one of those shows you’ll need to get through a few episodes before it grows on you, but once it does you’ll find yourself watching the entire run. (Storytelling 4)

I am all for low budget productions, and honestly I like this show a lot but you can really, really tell that its being shot out of a kitchen. I wish that somewhere in the pilot they would have explained why that is, or told us it was a quaint bed and breakfast place that sold coffee or something. Without that, I found myself spending far too much time looking at kitchen fixtures and wondering why no one else seemed to notice how weird that was. (Polish 3)

It runs a little on the long side with episodes typically breaking the ten minute mark, but the upside is that you get to see a plot fully develop. What I like about this show as compared to shorter web series is that it doesn’t feel as clipped. It gives you room to start to feel something for the characters and get inside their head a little. (Watchability 3.5)

Novelty 3

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: I hope they make more of these, a lot more. I rarely make it through an entire run of a web series but I found myself watching 664 compulsively. Even the opening theme is catchy. Do yourself a favor and start watching this today.

Tracy and George got married. Awwwww.

Around then, George started making his own short films. Gary and Alex had already been making films. Tony wanted to make films, too. So, they all started making films. Sometimes together, sometimes apart. Awwwww.

A few years later, Arthur started appearing in some of these films. Mostly because he had access to an actual police uniform. Then we said, “He’s very funny. Maybe we should do other, non-police things with him?” We agreed. We started doing non-police things with Arthur. He was very funny. Awwwwww.

[[Visit blog to check out this spoiler]]

Details

Cast: Arthur Laurie, Tracy O’ Connor, Tony DeMauro
YouTube Channel: Neighbor of the Beast
Website: Lazyhorde
Support the Show: Buy The Season One DVD

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Contact: Neighbor of the Beast

Ratings

I really dig the costume for “Lou” the Devil. Nothing spectacular but it works in the sense that you could almost imagine him walking around like that in this neighborhood without raising too many eyebrows. (Style 3.5)

Pacing 4.5

What struck me about this show is that by the end of every episode I had at least one line stuck in my head. The writing is strong and the characters are really fun to be around. (Storytelling 4.5)

The background music can get a little grating, especially if you watch multiple episodes in a row. Otherwise it is a well put together low budget series. (Polish 3)

Watchability 5

It’s a show about a couple moving in next door to a rather pleasant Lucifer. Can’t get much more novel. (Novelty 4.5)

Overall Rating: 4.16 out of 5 stars

ARK is a visually breath-taking look at life, disease and society. When I say breath-taking I mean that in every possible way, the detail and depth of the animation can almost make you miss the strength of the storytelling.

That’s what really strikes me though, the storytelling. Without a word of dialogue director Grzegorz Jonkajtys drags you into this world of desperation, disease and madness. Even though there is almost no action until the final act, you can feel the tension as the protagonist circles around his final decision.

In the world of web animations this is a masterpiece. In fact, any world where this would not be considered a masterpiece leaves much to be desired.

Creator’s Description

An unknown virus has destroyed almost the entire human population.

Oblivious to the true nature of the disease, the only remaining survivors escape to the sea. In great ships, they set off in search of uninhabited land. So begins the exodus, led by one man…

Details

Creator: Grzegorz Jonkajtys
Openfilm Channel: ARK
Website: Grzegorz Jonkajtys

Ratings

Remember when I said it was breath-taking? Yea. (Style 5)

Pacing 3.5

This is a cast study in strong visual storytelling. (Storytelling 5)

Polish 5

It’s very, very dark and it only gets darker as it enters the third act. If you are looking for hope and redemption, this is probably not your film. (Watchability 4)

Novelty 4

Overall Rating: 4.41 out of 5 stars

Illegal is a short film that follows the story of Daniel who is a young diner owner who hires an illegal immigrant, Carlos, to work for him. Carlos repays this service by claiming that Daniel did not pay him and blackmailing him out of his life’s savings.

This premise is the setup for a gritty and tightly scripted revenge drama. While I would have preferred if they had avoided the standard “interrogation scene” that comes at the end of the second act, the most powerful elements of this film comes during the preamble, where we see how easy it is for dreams to be shattered even when your intentions are pure.

Coming in at 22 minutes, this is feature length by Internet standards but it moves well enough to be an easy watch. If you are looking for a revenge film that’s heavy on character development this is more than worth a watch.

Creator’s Description

Daniel and Jessica are a happily married couple on the verge of realizing the American dream – Jessica is pregnant and Daniel finally gets the money to open a small diner. But when they hire Carlos, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, they find that they are targets of blackmail. With their emotions spiraling out of control, is their love strong enough for them to forgive one another and do what’s right?

Details

Cast: Thomas Blankenship, Tyler Kain, Danny Molina, Chet Grissom, David Pevsner, and Luis Beckford
Vimeo Channel: Illegal
Website: Illegal

Ratings

Style 3

Pacing 3.5

What I loved about this movie wasn’t the plot but the execution. The acting and directing are fantastic and while the third act feels a bit rushed, overall the movie has a strongly theatrical feel. (Storytelling 4)

Polish 4.5

The dramatic and action elements of this movie mix well. Be aware that it comes in at 22 minutes so set aside a block of time to really enjoy this. (Watchability 4.5)

It’s a well executed but pretty standard revenge film. (Novelty 3)

Overall Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars