Web Series of the Week: Raindance Web Fest Top 12 (Part 1)
David Farnor | On 24, Sep 2015
With the Raindance Web Fest kicking off tomorrow, we’re introducing a new regular feature to VODzilla.co: Web Series of the Week. In which we pick a series from the web and write about it. Every week.
With a whole heap of shows set to screen at the festival this weekend, we’re beginning with a list of our top series to look out for. From superheroes to super-speed studying, here’s the first half of our Top 12.
1. Altruman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB0tzAwyUFQ
“Is it some kind of world defeating plot?” That’s the kind of question Ultraman gets every time anything happens to him. That’s the wonderful message behind this Australian series: being a hero isn’t that super after all.
Created by Stephen Sholl, Hannah Moon and Robin Geradts-Gill, the six-part show follows the non-adventures of our selfless lead with a tone that shifts faster than a speeding bullet between funny, sad, sweet and serious. From issues with his ambivalent, ambitious sidekick, Diceman, to his well-meaning parents (who help him keep up with his nemesis, Dr. Septicon, through celebrity magazines), Ultraman’s life is delivered with a wonderfully downbeat realism by Ben McEwing – his attempts at romance (complete with a cape made out of a picnic blanket) are endearing, while his vulnerability is as understated as the gentle special effects (watch out for Diceman’s skills).
And yet when we see him burst into tears at his new neighbour’s house, the response still manages to be unexpected, introducing a subject that is rarely mentioned on traditional TV. With its well-chosen assembly of indie guitar ballads to lift the poignant opening and closing credits, this is super, powerful stuff.
Screening: 5.45pm, Saturday 26th September
2. History Bombs
Whether you’re the BBC, ITV or a Hollywood blockbuster, it’s not easy to make history exciting – especially for teens studying it at school. But History Bombs, a British series on YouTube, blows that out of the water. Its flagship creation is a brief history of World War I in under seven minutes. The really impressive part? It’s all done in one take. From Claire O’Brien’s costumes to the bombastic presenters and never-ending parade of actors, the stroll through facts galore manages to be funny and informative – while the direction by Chris Hobbs and Ellie Rogers is utterly flawless. Explosive, indeed. (Also, their potted take on Sherlock Holmes, also in one take, is just as good.)
Screening: 12pm, Saturday 26th September
3. Artistically Challenged
A TV show on Instagram? Brush aside any doubts and start watching Artistically Challenged, a series that breaks down everything you could want from a show into bite-sized chunks. The show follows Nick (a wonderfully slobby Jeremy Boros), a young artist in New York whose lies end up making him famous – prompting a deluge of increasingly absurd events that not only manage to entertain in their brief bouts, but also make for a coherent whole story.
Even more impressive is the way that the writing team (including Aleks Arcabascio and Michael Samuel Delmara) manage to craft cliffhangers to keep you coming back for another 15 seconds. With the sheer amount of detail packed into each frame without you noticing, Artistically Challenged is proof that good things come in small packages.
Screening: 12pm, Friday 25th September
4. The Katering Show
Cookery shows are everywhere these days. Who hasn’t thought about picking up a camera and filming themselves make an omelette? Hell, even Mary Berry has a TV series. The result is a kitchen with so many fabulous cooks that it can be hard for a single food vlogger to stand out. Enter The Katering Show, which mixes humour and cooking to delectable effect.
The show stars Kate McLennan and her “food intolerant” friend, Kate McCartney. One is hyperactive and excited about everything. The other is neither of those things about anything. It’s an odd couple pairing that doesn’t get old, especially when they start trying to replicate the authentic Mexican street food experience by eating it in a gutter. Genuinely amusing and snappy enough to always go down smooth, this is a recipe for success.
Screening: 12pm, Friday 25th September
5. Croissant Man
It would be very easy to dismiss a show about sentient, talking croissant, but Tulica Singh’s superbly melancholic series, with its indulgent puppets, puffy visuals and outrageous French accents manages to go from funny to stupid to funny and back again. Sacré bleu. More, s’il vous plaît.
Screening: 12pm, Friday 25th September
6. Redheads Anonymous
Let’s face it: being ginger ain’t easy. Enter Elisabeth Ness, Juliet Brett, Ethan Slater and Kathleen Litlefield, who team up to find out what exactly it means to be redhead. The likeable cast keep the giggles coming, while it’s nice to see a positive portrayal of gingers in the media after years of unfair discrimination. After all, they’re not all Irish. Laughs, some serious points about identity and red hair? What’s not to like?
Screening: 6.50pm, Sunday 27th September