Anemic Rebels without a Cause and the Bored and Self-indulgent

Oh, Inverted World

“On, Inverted World” [OIW] is a video shot in black and white with unknown [and perhaps amateur] actors. “MyLifetime.com” [MLT] “Suite Seven” episode is in color and has two known TV actors, one being Shennen Doughty [also listed as the “MLT” producers] and Warner Cleveland. Mike Hale in his 14 January 2011 blog pegs them in his “Watchlist: Web Series With Promise”.
OIW’s opening episode introduces us to four young people — one young woman and three young men — returning to their suburban town after graduating from college. The opening scene is in an automobile with Mina at the wheel and the bearded Art, Finn, and Rob crowded in the back seat. Immediately, we know that a sense of “ennui” and apathy will dominate the series shot in grainy black and white, to emphasize the distance from them and the hometown to which they are returning.
The main scene takes place in a “local dive”. It is not much of a “dive” but a small town bar. Our three “protagonists” set the tone of boredom and shallowness in meeting “Douchy” McNeil who never left town, but lives in the real world. He has set up his own business–a gun shop and a tanning salon. The use of the adjective “douchy” tells us everything we want to know about the three college boys who look down at McNeil; for his part, McNeil makes a remark about their beards. In an amateurish scene, as Mina arrives outside the bar and finds McNeil smoking a cigarette, Art, Finn, and Rob charge to defend their hairy faces, in a shot that reminds one of a poor man’s Japanese Samurai film. Inside, we see our bruised heros and Mina.
Suddenly Selena enters the “dive” asking for three strong men to help change a tire for her, leaving Mina alone. The use of a full moon makes us think of vampires and the mysterious unknown. The story line is obvious and shopworn. The acting is hardly engaging.
As for “Suite Seven” in the MLT series although better acted, the script is also obvious and hardly keeps our attention. It is 4 am in a hotel. The reception [Cleveland] brings the guest [Doughtery] a pillow. We find her rearranging the furniture. She cannot sleep. She is lonely and wonders why she and her boyfriend cannot connect. Everything separates them, she explains; he works night, she days. The line from Kipling comes to mind: ‘east is east, west is west, and twain never meets’. That more or less sums up the 8 minute episode. Doughty asks Cleveland why loneliness. He rightly cannot answer. Oh, those philosophical questions which complicate life! Nevertheless, even trying to adumbrate an answer to life’s “unanswerable why’s”, Doughty and Cleveland “connect”. In the closing scene as Doughty’s head hits the pillow, and Cleveland gently lifting her head and putting the pillow she requested atop the other pillow, our “heroine” falls asleep.
Technically MLT is superior in production elements–props, color, acting, etc. As far as the story line is concerned, it suffers from a strong dose of the sophomoric. The French call this “un age bete”, it can happen at any age. it seems. Mike Hale might find promise in these two video series, but he does not really say why. Were I an investor, I could spend my money better.
Classmate quote: “I did not like the first video. The sponsored video was engaging; the characters more believable; a good use of props to set the atmosphere.  And, I found it funny.”

www.ohinvertedseries.com [Episode 1: “Neighborhood #1]

www.myliftime.com/original-webisodes/suite-7/video