2012: The Year of The Web Show?

When the internet started way back in the 90s, they had one goal in mind: to connect people. Plain and simple. Now, fast forward almost 20 years, and that goal has been surpassed in every way possible. I need not remind you all the ways in which this happens, because we live it everyday, nearly every moment of our lives, thanks to the implications of Internet technology.

     And every so often, it evolves, absorbing elements of physical being and rebooting them with far greater capabilities. Radio Shows became Podcasts, allowing anyone with a mic and PC to make their own, Journals and Articles became Blogs, enabling an easy way to get writing and get your name heard (believe me, I know), and now our good friend TV, having served for 8 decades, is slowly succumbing to the ways of the Web.

The Guild's even moved on
 to it's very own
line of comic books

  But I'm not talking about streaming sites like Hulu, iPlayer or Netflix, although they do dabble in the creative aspect of which this is focused. For my point here is that this year just may well see a real overhaul in terms of the way shows get made, produced and distributed among the masses (that's us!). Sure, plenty of web series' have been made and released up until this point, such as The Guild (which I'll be coming back to) and animated comedy/sadistic slaughter show, Happy Tree Friends, to name but a mere ounce of their slice in the internet market

 Because what's really happening now is individual platforms are being created for the sole purpose of providing original web content - like networks and studios in their own, un-messed-with right. Basically, it's what every creative type dreams of, finally coming to a reality near you.

   Specifically, this comes on the news that two giant geek personalities, made famous largely thanks to the web, are launching such platforms. Felicia Day, creator and star of The Guild as well as tons of other internetty stuff, has lifted the veil on the much anticipated Geek & Sundry, which will play host to a number of indie-geek-culture shows, ranging from Felicia and her buds doing awesome things in "The Flog", to the one and only Wil Wheaton doing his own show where he and special guests play classic board and card games in "TableTop", and there's even kids ad libbing their own stories to get brought to life by a slew of directors in "Written by a Kid". Here's a trailerific overview:



Meanwhile, stand-up comedian and founder of The Nerdist site and podcast-network, Chris Hardwick, has announced The Nerdist Channel - taking his nerd-branded sensibilities to the next level with the proposed menagerie of crazawesome shows on offer. Want Chris bowling with famous people? Check. Want an entire Weird Al show? Check. Want Neil Patrick Harris playing with puppets? Check. Whatever your unearthly desire, it's sure to be addressed in what these guys have in store:




But this is not just a bunch of new shows coming. This is not just an exercise in the entertainment business "branching out". And although awesome, this is not just  Nerd culture being fully realised and implemented. Because this is more. This an opportunity. And this, my friends, is the future.

  Imagine it; a world where the majority of the things we love to watch exist purely on the web - made exclusively for the web with platforms like this to get it out there. Originality levels are going to sky-rocket, as we get to see things just as the creators intended, as well as tsunami of newbies emerging who've never had the big-budget chances of network and production institutes.

A Brand New Day for Dr Horrible

  And even those who have made it big realise the potential, and I mean REALLY BIG. Take Joss Whedon, who's work on Dr Horrible 2 begins tantalisingly soon, with a possible release of this Summer. Would you ever see a Superhero musical, with the villain as protagonist, featuring stars like Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion AND Felicia Day on traditional network schedules? And further more, would you see a sequel of that there? Plus remember that Joss is literally going to be fresh off The Avengers; possibly the biggest superhero movie to date, and yet he goes straight back into a humbling, low budget web project.

   Or how about a show about Gay Marriage Equality in Brad Bell and Jane Espenson's Husbands, also heading toward a second outing for a season 2 later this year. I need not remind how I've supported the show before, and now they even have their own KickStarter to help fund the new episodes, which in itself is extraordinary seeing how they've reached the $50,000 goal in merely a week. You can still donate yourself here (regardless of location) and walk away with some nifty incentive rewards and the feeling that you've just contributed to the world of tomorrow (and we may even see some of these come to fruition) . Because the world is ready for this stuff, even laying down money for external web-content to feed their needs of innovation and revitalisation.

  In years to come we could see that the greatest actors/writers/directors of that future generation did in fact have a breakthrough via the web, a la Neill Blomkamp of District 9 fame. What does this mean? More deserving talents coming forward, previously unheard and unnoticed stars getting an opportunity to break in and become something amazing. And it all starts here, 2012, where the web-ground will be pushed to new heights and be recognised as being just as big a market for entertainment as TV and Film.

So, are you ready?

ATR

9(ish) People We Need To See In Husbands

Last year, writer/producer, Jane Espenson launched the laugh-a-minute web series, Husbands, which focused on the unlikely gay couple of reality star Cheeks (YouTube Sensation, Brad Bell) and pro baseball player, Brady (Sean Hemeon). Swept up in a wave of uniqueness, the 11 episodes of the series (each at around 2 and a half minutes long) became the new kid on the block for internet-comedy, that brought something fresh and untapped into its hilariously written scripts from Cheeks and Espenson, but with a TV-level of aesthetic, thanks to director Jeff Greenstein.

     While I've praised Husbands heavily in the past (a write-up which actually found its way on to their official press page), it's now time to look toward the show's future. Whether it'll return to the web or wiggle its affectionate way onto network television is yet to be seen, but if the acclaim that the first season got is anything to go by, I think we'll certainly be seeing more of this independent, potentially ground-breaking series. And so it is that my mind drifts to the kind of guest stars that would be perfect for a cameo - or even a recurring role - next time around, following in the footsteps of Nathan Fillion's brief (but awesome) appearance in the third episode.

Shall we begin?


Jim Rash
One of my favourite characters from NBC's Community is, hands down, Dean Pelton (played by Jim Rash). As the overtly camp and flamboyant dean of Greendale College, Rash frequently steals the show with his impeccable comedic timing and physical presence, often taking the well written lines to entirely new levels of funny. This kind of camp is textbook Husbands material, and something that could be mined for all manner of hilarity.

    Although it pains me to say it, Community is treading a fine line this year, with a potential cancellation once the season is out, due to poor ratings (somehow!) and a slouch in marketing on NBC's behalf. This means, if worst comes to the worst, Rash could find himself out of a job soon - but the silver lining is he could then have time to appear on Husbands. And Jane's a big fan of Community (so I've heard), making it an even more promising venture if things pan out.

    Anyone who's seen Rash in action knows that I need not describe the kinds of character he could bring to the show  - just that it will be gut-busting fun. Heck, best case scenario: Community gets renewed (Six Seasons and a Movie, baby!) and Rash still makes a cameo. Win Win. And probably another Win.


Felicia Day (and the rest of The Guild cast)

Felicia became an internet phenomenon after creating her very own web series, The Guild, which was literally the show that started this web revolution for creative media. Now a goddess among geeks, Felicia and the rest of the talented Guild crew are five seasons in with no signs of slowing down, as she even expands into a variety of other web shows (See Dragon Age: Redemption).

When I participated in Jane (@JaneEspenson) and Cheeks' (@GoCheeksGo) Husbands Twitter Q&A at the beginning of the series, I asked whether a Guild/Husbands crossover would be on the cards, to which Jane replied: "We would totally be open to a crossover with The Guild! Love them! Love Felicia Day!", and Cheeks chipped in with: "Ha! Those worlds colliding would be hilarious! :D". So at least one side is up for this, and what with Jane and Felicia being rather good buddies, I'd say it's definitely plausible.

    How the two show's casts would mingle would be a very interesting thing to see, and how they are brought together would be quite the complex scenario (they are, after all, completely different character archetypes). But I'm sure the talent of Jane and Felicia's writing could make it all work out, with some hilarious consequences no doubt: Bladezz chatting up Haley, Brady being weirded out by Vork, Cheeks having a spa day/shopping trip with Clara. Yep, I can hear the laughter already...

   And hey, even if it wasn't a crossover, and just Felicia cameoing, that'd still be awesome and sure to attract a lot of viewers. I could imagine her as some sort of Celebrity-Gossip Blogger trying to get the low-down on Cheeks and Brady; prepared to do ANYTHING to get the scoop. Yep, still hearing the hypothetical laughter.


Neil Patrick Harris
Anyone who's seen NPH on How I Met Your Mother knows he plays Barney, the ladies' man; a player down to the core. But in real life, it couldn't be more different. Yep, Neil is 100% gay, contrary to his popular character. And that's not the only surprise he has up his sleeve (literally), as he's multi-talented in almost every performance based area: Acting, Singing, Dancing, Comedy, Magic - you name it, he does it.

       Now Neil's no stranger to web-shows either, thanks to his starring role in Joss Whedon's hugely successful Dr Horrible. With a fan base the size of a city, Neil could bring a huge number of new-comers into Husbands - even if it was a two second cameo. And the great thing is that he could play anyone due to his diverse acting capabilities: friend, foe, bub or babe, he'd be sure to mix things up with the Husbands guys. Whatever it is, this would be a guest star of LEGEN-wait for it-DARY proportions (just as long as he's wearing a suit!).


Wil Wheaton

An odd choice, I know, but one that could work. Former child star Wheaton managed to dodge adult-failure by garnering a big fanbase around him through his blog and various other internet projects, taking his nerdy attributes and using them to become a cultural icon. Nowadays, he can be seen turning up on a number on niche shows like Eureka, The Big Bang Theory and of course, The Guild.

    But one thing we've learnt from his roles on these, is that he is very good at playing the douche. A sharp tongue and a stone-heart drive his (purposefully) dislikeable characters into classically pantomimic, villainous territory. This is where Husbands comes in: Wil plays a stereotypical, homophobic meanie. After slating and belittling the guys, they fight back to him in some deviously funny ways, ending in tears of sorrow for Wil and tears of laughter for us. And just for pure speculation, Jane recently contacted Wil privately through Twitter for unknown reasons... Suspicious, eh?

Sean Maher
Last year, it came as a bit of a shock that Maher, who played Firefly's Simon Tam, turned out to be gay, AND has been happily living with a nine-year partner and their two kids. So that's twelve years in Hollywood, and no one really suspected a thing.

    Now the great thing for Sean is that Husbands could be a great stepping stone for his coming out shindig. While his "secret-gay-guy" role in the short lived The Playboy Club never got anywhere due to its swift cancellation, Sean has yet to truly shine in a role that reflects his newly revealed place in life. So with Husbands, he could jump aboard into perhaps a recurring role, as his ties with Jane and series costume designer, Shawna Trpcic are still pretty tight (at least I like to think).
 
 What I could picture him as is a fellow Baseball player of Brady's, who also comes out after seeing Brady's warm reception into the world of gay. But Cheeks being Cheeks sees him as a no-good copycat, out for Brady's heart, and inevitably creates some hilarious, inadvertent chaos. An episode entitled "Swing and a Miss", perhaps?


Riki Lindhome & Kate Micucci (Garfunkel and Oates)

Garfunkel and Oates are a comedy-folk duo, made up of comedic actresses/musicians Riki and Kate, who are often found on YouTube singing downright dirty-crude songs, that'll bring smiles to your face and suggestive thoughts into your minds; but ultimately, it'll bring laughs to your life.

   Having signed a deal with HBO to make their own show pilot last year, and enjoying a successful career due to their mass-internet fanbase since their arrival, the girls are obviously not shy to either medium. You may even recognise Kate from Scrubs (as Season 8's Gooch) or Raising Hope, Riki from her countless bit-parts on tons of shows, and the pair of them from my RE:Commend of them and their awesome music.

    Now let's transfer their skill-sets to Husbands, and it's awesome all around; I smell a musical number (or even a musical episode!). And if their "Sex With Ducks" and "Gay Boyfriend" songs are anything to go by, I'd say the two would be rather delighted to appear on the show. At the same time as giving us pure entertainment, they could also build up some hype around their upcoming show, which is already being dubbed "Glee with dick jokes".

Alec Mapa
Alec is one of those people whose face you know, but the name escapes you. He's one of America's finest "That Guy"s, making appearances in everything from Friends to Marley and Me, and had a recurring role as the gloriously camp fashion show presenter on Ugly Betty. Again, this is a no brainer for Husbands, clicking perfectly with Cheeks' humour, and giving us some cultural diversity along the way.

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but I happen to recall Mapa getting in touch with Jane (via Twitter) shortly after the premiere with regards to the show and appearing on it. This may be "totes" jumping the gun, but I reckon this one's already locked down, if not in serious consideration. Possible roles: Cheeks' agent, Cheeks' mortal enemy (because he is also a gay reality star) or even a reprisal/reference to the Ugly Betty role, as some sort of reporter?

Hayden Panettiere

By having Haley, Cheeks' BFF, in Husbands (played by the wonderful Alessandra Torresani), the show is given another dynamic, from which some great storylines could sprout from. And therefore comes Hayden, another lavish young blonde who could amp up some tensions in the show. Just imagine her as Haley's rival, hating each other since high-school, and now in very similar life-roles. Why not throw in the classic sitcom trope of "OMG, look: a group of people exactly the same as you!", with Cheeks also having a parallel who hangs out with Panittiere's character. Stink eye would be given, drinks thrown into pretty faces and hysterical nonsense all around.

     Why Panettiere though? Well, we really haven't seen much of her since Heroes, and her similar age and style to Alessandra makes her the perfect candidate for a mirror-like character. Them both having come from Sci-Fi show backgrounds (Alessandra on Caprica; Hayden on Heroes) furthers the similarities and could provide some referential easter egg moments. And if that doesn't work out, well it wouldn't hurt to have an non-identical twin-sister come visit, would it?

John Barrowman
Another thing that I brought up during the aforementioned Q&A was the prospect of good ol' John making an appearance later on, to which Jane and Cheeks both whole-heartedly agreed would be awesome, with a "We'd love to have John on Husbands! That would be amazing!" and an "Omg, he endlessly flirts with both of them and causes drama! (Comedic drama, obvi)" from the pair, respectively.

Now remember, Jane was writing and co-exec-producing on Torchwood: Miracle Day not long ago, and Husbands' director, Jeff Greenstein is an exec on Desperate Housewives; both shows that Barrowman has been involved in (obviously the former more than the latter). So basically, the links are there, and it'll only take a few phone calls (and a lot of crossed fingers) for John to be getting his camp on, and causing mayhem with Cheeks and Brady in pure Husbands style.

                                                                                                                                    

While we may not get to see all these familiar faces making a well-deserved appearance, it's safe to say that no matter where Husbands takes us, it's sure to be one heck of a funny ride (but you've got to admit, some of those set-ups I've plotted do sound pretty rad, right?). Jane and Cheeks may have started work on the next bout of episodes, but that doesn't mean a couple cameos can't be thrown in for good measure.

Whatever happens, let's just make sure we keep watching and supporting the show, via:

husbandstheseries.com

ATR

@DMeisterTweets

The Sunday Supdate: 09/10/11

It's been a while since we last caught up, and so a steady amount of talking points has arisen for tonight's agenda. So sit back, relax and enjoy the nonchalant show. It all began with the 3 P's...

Publicity!
Regular visitors should easily recall my recent posts regarding and praising the new web series, Husbands. And they aren't the only ones... Writer Jane Espenson and actor of the show, Cheeks, have both shown a huge amount of acknowledgement for me, with ReTweets and links (also via Twitter). I was even put on the Husbands Press page, with a quoted excerpt from my RE:Commend! And you know what? Recognition rules! +5 Fame!

Podcast?

It would seem I'm becoming quite the internet media addict, and as such have decided to possibly extend my medium. Hot on the heels of my "famously successful" (read: crashed and burned) Vlogging experiment, the Dude Meister Podcast could bring something new to the table. I think the problem with the Vlogs was that I wasn't entirely comfortable with myself on the screen - I didn't really feel I could be myself. Take out the image and you've got just my voice, which could inspire confidence and fluidity when I'm only to be judged by ear alone.

   I could talk about movies and TV, games and books - basically geek culture in general. Guest co-hosts would be downright awesome, although probably currently limited to immediate friends and family... Interviews would be nice, hard to secure, but nice. Hell, I could even throw in some transitions of my own composition. Weekly most likely, and a while yet. I don't want to hype it up any more than that though, in fear of eating my words, choking violently on them, and then hocking them up in a great sticky mess, staining the metaphorical carpet with splashes that are still lingering months after... So I'll leave it there. Stayed tuned.

Patrick.
These quotes at the top aren't for nothing you know, so please take the time tor read them. The past couple have been courtesy, as it states, of Fantasy author Patrick Rothfuss. Now this guy is relatively new to me - I hadn't even heard the name until a few weeks back. He is the writer of The Kingkiller Chronicle trilogy of books and the first, The Name of The Wind, has been preoccupying my life for the past fortnight. Now with only 20 pages left of the 662 page epic, I'd just like to savour it with this section. INCREDIBLE. I'd go as far to say that this was one of, if not the, best book of my life. I'll drop the RE:View sometime this week, but I'm a little anxious as to whether I am worthy enough...

RIP Brian Jacques
On the subject of books, I discovered some upsetting news recently. Acclaimed British author, Brian Jacques, passed away at the age of 71 on February 5th this year. Now Jacques was the man behind best-selling series, Redwall - the series that dominated my childhood experiences of reading. To date, I have 18 Redwall titles sitting on my shelves upstairs, the majority proudly cracked with creased spines and folded pages. The tales of the creatures of Redwall (woodland-type animals) and their epic battles with the evil vermin would keep me entertained for years, frequently taking a torch to bed for some late night stealth reads.
 
   To say this was what got me into the fantasy genre in the first place is a huge understatement. So the (belated) news that their creator was dead was quite emotional for me. Even though it's been a few years since I last picked one up, I've got the greatest amount of respect for this man and his series - so much so that after reading the news (and I am in no way ashamed of this), I threw on some emotional music via iPod (violins and everything!) and sat, at my bookshelf, gently grazing through the pages: smelling the finely peeled paper, feeling their weight and getting hit by a warm wave of hard nostalgia that ran right down to my heart. I won't lie; I welled. But that's me. A soppy, reminiscentful type of guy. Long live Redwall. Long live Brian Jacques' legacy.

Brian Jacques
1939-2011

And on that heartfelt note, I will make my exit. Thanks for reading and thanks for being.

ATR

Twitter Q&A With Writer, Jane Espenson

The writer and executive producer of the hit new web series, Husbands (along with numerous other TV credits spanning from Torchwood: Miracle Day to Firefly), Jane Espenson, recently held a Twitter Q&A to discuss Husbands and anything else from her successful career. I took the opportunity to get a few questions in, and to my delight they were swiftly replied. Here's what went down, with a few interjections from Husbands star, Cheeks:

Me: Who came up with the theme music for Husbands?
JE: A composer named Stephen Main composed the music. Great, isn't it? Swingy!

Me: Any future plans to work within the Whedonverse, or with the man himself in the near future?

Espenson

JE: Yes. I'll be doing something for the season 9 Buffy comic books!
(Jane was a producer and writer for dozens of Buffy episodes)

Me: Can we expect any more special guest like [Nathan Fillion] in the upcoming [Husbands] eps?
JE: I want you to keep watching, so I don't think I'll say. But if we do more seasons, then expect big names!
(So was that a no?)

Me: Could there be the slightest possibility of a Husbands and The Guild crossover? Web-series gotta stick together you know!
JE: We would totally be open to a crossover with The Guild! Love them! Love [Felicia Day]! 
Cheeks: Ha! Those worlds colliding would be hilarious! :D

Me: I can totally imagine John Barrowman appearing in a future season of Husbands! Causing trouble perhaps? Make it happen!
JE: We'd love to have John on Husbands! That would be amazing!
Cheeks: Omg, he endlessly flirts with both of them and causes drama! (Comedic drama, obvi)
(This got a lot of RT's and replies in agreement, so if it happens, I'm claiming it!)

Me: Which Firefly character did you enjoy writing for the most?
JE: Kaylee, I think. Kaylee or Mal. Or Janye. I can't decide!

Me: If I were to feature Husbands on my blog (and I will), any chance of an RT for it? Sorry, I'm a pretty shameless plugger.;)

Cheeks: That ain't shameless, that's quid pro quo! I like yer style! :D I'll plug it!
And he did:
Cheeks: The amazing reviews just keep rolling in![http://dudemeisterblogs.blogspot.com/2011/09/recommend-husbands.html] "Some of the internet's finest serial content." :D Thank you!!


Me: Been great chatting to you guys in this Q&A session, can we expect more?
JE: Sure! I'm not always avail on weekdays, b.c of Once Upon A Time, but I'd love to do more!
Me: Awesome, thanks! This evening (UK Time) has been delightfully informative and fun. Can't wait for more Husbands! 


I was pretty happy with how that turned out, and if the suggestions I threw into the mix turn into reality, I'd like to think I had a part in that. Also, my RE:Commend of Husbands got a lot of views from the plugs, and wound up on the official Husbands Press page! Looks like I'm going up in the world!

ATR

Watch Husbands Now!                     Follow Me On Twitter!

RE:Commend: Husbands

Husbands is the brand new and hilarious web-series from acclaimed TV Writer, Jane Espenson (Torchwood, Firefly), focusing on the age old "Did we just accidentally get married in Vegas?"-RomCom setup with a notable difference; it's a same sex marriage. Camp TV star, Cheeks, and Basesball hero, Brady, find themselves hitched after a wild night in the city of sin, and now must deal with the oncoming media onslaught and whether or not to actually make the relationship work.

    It's great to see a series all about equality really take off, and although I'm sure the gay angle may turn a lot of people away, I urge you to open your minds and stay the course, because what you'll find is a refreshingly fun and hilarity strewn series. Espenson has taken a tired formula and revitalised it with a new-world energy, teeming with spirit and charm, plus a healthy dose of camp to keep the laughs fresh.

 The way I see it, this is future at work: a bold new series focusing on a community previously unspoken for exclusively in this kind of media. Embracing the risk of an untapped source material in gay newly-weds, and sticking it on the web, network-free, proves how television is evolving to meet the open-eyed way of thinking the world has come to.

  And what with guest stars already turning up (Nathan Fillion, anyone?), it looks like these 2 minute episodes might just be shaping up to be some of the internet's finest serial content. So roll on Husbands, because it looks like you're in it for the long haul.

Watch Husbands Now!




ATR


Read My Twitter Q&A With Jane Espenson!