Saturday, January 24, 2015

Currently watching...

Being that it's my passion, I feel a compulsion to every once in a while update you on the web series I'm following.  I'm really happy that there seems to be a pretty constant flurry of activity in this exploding format--new projects starting up, others finishing one season and pursuing funding for another, etc.  So in the midst of the many that I hear about, here are the series I've been watching over the last few months:

Title: Classic Alice
Creators: Kate Hackett
About: "It chronicles Alice Rackham's life -- lived according to classic literature."  See my review of Season 1 here.  Season 2 just wrapped and stories included: Pygmalion, "The Butterfly," Macbeth, "Rip Van Winkle," The Wind in the Willows, and A Christmas Carol.  Whew! Range.
Of all the adapted web series I've watched this one has been the most innovative and also--with funding--could be the most sustainable. They are currently campaigning for funding and would so appreciate your support!


Status: Finished Season 2, campaigning for Season 3

Title: In Earnest
Creators:  Taryn Cole, Carly Straight, and Rachel Pullen
About: "'In Earnest' is a modern, web series adaptation of Oscar Wilde's famous play, 'The Importance of Being Earnest.'"  This is a quite delightful rendition of this story set at an East Coast University.  I am amazed how seamlessly Wilde's 120 year old wit can be repeated word-for-word today.  Favorite performance is John Laurie as Algernon Moncrieff


Status: Current.  New videos air Wednesdays and Saturdays

Title: Elinor and Marianne take Barton
Creators: Emily Nabney and Olivia Cole
About: "'Elinor and Marianne Take Barton' is an updated online adaptation of Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, produced, filmed and created by students at the University of Warwick (England)." I'm aware there are a couple S&S adaptations going on currently; this has felt the most life-like to me.  It's also delightful to finally watch a web-series based off a British book created and performed by British people :D


Status: Current.  New videos air Friday (usually)

Title: From Mansfield with Love
Creators: Foot in the Door Theatre
About: "'From Mansfield With Love' is a modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park." Another British series!  The pretense under which we get these videos is, I think, a perfect set up.  Though I found neither Frances O'Conner (1999) nor Billie Piper (2007) convincing as Fanny Price, Holly Truslove seems to have struck a balance.


Status: Current.  New videos air Wednesday and Sundays

Other series I'm aware of, but haven't checked out yet:
March Family Letters
East and West
Carmilla
Green Gables Fables
The Misselthwaite Archives

Are there others you've been watching? Any of these look particularly interesting to you?  Any I should review? :)

6 comments:

  1. :) East and West is cute but just getting started, not much has happened yet, Green Gables Fables had a REALLY slow start but Gilbert has been popping up in recent videos and it's really adorable. March Family Letters seems really boring and I haven't checked out Misselthwaite Archives so I'l have to do that! Also, have you seen Nothing Much to Do or New Adventures of Peter and Wendy yet? If not, I describe them here (my list of favs) http://coffeeandirony.com/2014/10/06/8-favorite-web-series-or-8-favorite-romantic-literary-adaptions-nothing-much-to-do-the-classic-alice-and-more/

    Webseries are the best <3

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  2. Coffe and Irony - thanks for stopping by! I checked out your blog as well and it looks like we definitely have some common interests :)

    Yes! I did watch both of those, my review of NMTD is here (only from part way through). http://samarasthoughts.blogspot.com/2014/07/adaptation-week-nothing-much-to-do.html It ended up tying for my favorite web series with the LBD. So good!

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  3. Read it, loved it. The series is so crazy smart and whiplash funny and romantic, and all for such a low budget! Are you tracking their upcoming Lovely Little Losers webseries? They're supposed to start filming I believe in February. And we definitely have similar interests, I'm keeping an eye on your blog :)

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  4. Let's see... I've fallen behind on Classic Alice and I really must catch up. I've been sorely tempted to watch In Earnest - I know so many people who love it! - but I'm determined to read the play first. I'm enjoying Elinor and Marianne Take Barton. I wanted to strangle Lucy Steele in the last episode she was in so the actress is obviously doing her job properly! :D And I'm loving Elinor and Brandon! I've never understood why certain fans ship Elinor and Brandon together before but I can toootally understand it now! I've only seen the first episode of Mansfield with Love and I wasn't impressed. But I would go back to it if you told me to!

    I've seen about 5 or 6 March Family Letter episodes and I don't like it all. The actresses are ridiculously OTT and the episodes make me feel embarrassed. I just cringe. That probably sounds harsh but it's the honest truth. I'm so disappointed because I love Little Women and it's a classic that should have been very easy to adapt to the modern day. AND WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET A NORTHANGER ABBEY VLOG?!

    On a much more positive note I am LOVING East and West! It's been so, so good! Every episode has made me smile and flail. I'm a massive North and South fangirl though and I don't know if you're familiar with the story?

    Ooh, I've been meaning to tell you this. A blogger that I talked to is developing a Scarlet Pimpernel vlog called Masked. I thought you'd be interested. Their website is here: http://maskedwebseries.wix.com/masked#!about/c13ay

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  5. Hannah!! That's SUCH good news - LOVE the Scarlet Pimpernel.

    I would recommend giving Mansfield another shot... I've been really liking what they're doing with it.
    I'm not yet familiar with North and South :( I want to read it - or at least watch a proper miniseries of it - first, but time to do that is a bit challenging.
    I feel differently about my "read first" rule when it's based on a play. I allow a good performance to count because, well, it was meant to be performed more than read. So for that reason, having seen the lovely Colin Firth/Rupert Everett version of Importance of Being Earnest, I have allowed myself to watch and adore the web series. But I do really want to read it at some point!

    Classic Alice is just lovely - I'm really hoping they get the funding they need to continue :| :D

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  6. Hannah!! That's SUCH good news - LOVE the Scarlet Pimpernel.

    I would recommend giving Mansfield another shot... I've been really liking what they're doing with it.
    I'm not yet familiar with North and South :( I want to read it - or at least watch a proper miniseries of it - first, but time to do that is a bit challenging.
    I feel differently about my "read first" rule when it's based on a play. I allow a good performance to count because, well, it was meant to be performed more than read. So for that reason, having seen the lovely Colin Firth/Rupert Everett version of Importance of Being Earnest, I have allowed myself to watch and adore the web series. But I do really want to read it at some point!

    Classic Alice is just lovely - I'm really hoping they get the funding they need to continue :| :D

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