Watching a television series or program on the Internet used to be seen as merely an ultramodern concept, but now it’s a practice that has grown rapidly over the past three to five years. Ten years ago, the idea of being able to watch your favorite television show on the Internet was foreign, perhaps even unheard of. However today, as the world moves into the year 2009, people are not only watching their favorite shows anytime they want through websites, there are series that are being filmed and produced exclusively for the Internet. Officially, the era of the webisodes has arrived. Webisodes, a word that is born from the two words “web” and “episode” is a part of a web series, a form of new media that characteristically features a dramatic, serial storyline, where the primary method of viewership is streaming online over the Internet. Original series created and produced exclusively for the Internet are popping up frequently, however there is one that stands out above the rest, and will grab an audience’s attention not only because of the familiar faces in the cast, but also because of its edgy and hilarious content.
Poor Paul, a new media, episodic comedy series produced by Eye Scream Films aired its first episode on September 16, 2008. The show follows the adventures of an unlucky, twenty-something dreamer named Paul. With occasional controversial storylines, and comical witty twists it is quickly becoming the most talked about webisodes series to hit the Internet since “lonelygirl15.” While some web series choose to showcase unknown talent, Poor Paul has found a slew of emerging talent with credible resumes to contribute their acting skills to the show, which make it not only entertaining, funny, and original, but legitimate in a world where any “average joe” can make a web series. The cast consists of Kevin G. Schmidt [Cheaper by the Dozen 1&2, The Young and the Restless], Nicholas Braun [Sky High, Minutemen], Samantha Droke [The Suite Life of Zack & Cody], Floriana Lima [How I Met Your Mother], Palmer Scott [Nip/Tuck], and introduces newcomer Zack Bennett [Down the PCH] as Paul. Zack Bennett is charming, funny, and completely likable in the series, leading the viewers through his world of bad roommates, job problems, family problems, and girl problems, and leaves them not only wanting to see more, but with a feeling that can only make them say, Poor Paul!
Staying true to the typical webisodes format [episodes range from 4-15 minutes in length] each five-minute Poor Paul episode airs on Tuesday at 10:00 AM PST. Poor Paul is available through several different online outlets: exclusively in HD on Koldcast TV, YouTube, MySpace, and on iTunes. After each episode airs, Poor Paul is available on demand, through the various outlets. New episodes are scheduled to air through January 9, 2008. This series is not to be missed, it seems like this is just the beginning for this young, talented cast who have tapped into the new media, “webisodes” format. Visit www.poorpaul.com for more information on the series!
