This short webseries (6 parts, maybe 12-15 minutes in total) takes a second to get into, but it is built on a clever idea. The title tells you a lot – this series is based on any show (online, network) which leads with a quirky female protagonist. With this generic reference in place, the series introduces other characters in the same vein (straight-laced best friend, kooky neighbor, hot guy at work) and then goes through a plot of relationship drama and friend's support, with humor and life-lessons along the way. Essentially the joke is that in all aspects this show is a deconstructed version of the genre – something you could do with many shows (eg the quirky detective case-per-week light entertainment show).
What makes this short series work is how fully the idea is committed to. So the idea is not to mock or exaggerate the genre, but to break it down into functional parts but not do anything with them when they are put back together again. So the characters are not given names but only their box description; likewise the dialogue is placeholder text which sounds more like statements of content or direction to the cast (something that is also included in the on screen text messages which I liked). In the pilot episode I wasn't sure it worked, but as it settled in, and I got into it, it did work quite well and was amusing in the way it highlighted the generic nature of the product.
It is limited though, and this is because I think it doesn't do more than this. I would have liked it to have had more teeth regarding its subject, to bring some anger or frustration out on the screen, to be more critical. Instead it is much more observational, and it is quite clever and amusing in doing this, but doesn't have a next level to step to. I am not sure why it was broken down into episodes either – it feels like it would have played much better in the way I watched it (back-to-back, essentially making a short film with chapters, albeit with credits and navigation on each). Worth a look for what it does well, even if I would have liked it to have done more.
What makes this short series work is how fully the idea is committed to. So the idea is not to mock or exaggerate the genre, but to break it down into functional parts but not do anything with them when they are put back together again. So the characters are not given names but only their box description; likewise the dialogue is placeholder text which sounds more like statements of content or direction to the cast (something that is also included in the on screen text messages which I liked). In the pilot episode I wasn't sure it worked, but as it settled in, and I got into it, it did work quite well and was amusing in the way it highlighted the generic nature of the product.
It is limited though, and this is because I think it doesn't do more than this. I would have liked it to have had more teeth regarding its subject, to bring some anger or frustration out on the screen, to be more critical. Instead it is much more observational, and it is quite clever and amusing in doing this, but doesn't have a next level to step to. I am not sure why it was broken down into episodes either – it feels like it would have played much better in the way I watched it (back-to-back, essentially making a short film with chapters, albeit with credits and navigation on each). Worth a look for what it does well, even if I would have liked it to have done more.