Warning do not read unless seen show.
This is another from one of my favorite amateur film companies "Dead Gentlemen" and this time they really get outside their comfort zone and do something different which is a satire. I'll be honest this show really took me by surprise, and I like that because sometimes what I don't normally expect turns out to be something good.
Like the production value as it was on par and really like the cinematography making the series behave like it could be a reality TV show that could exist. Really like the castings as there are a lot of familiar faces I've seen from the company along with "Fools Play Improv" (yeah a Pacific Lutheran University alumni, use to go to the coffee shop at Garfield Street to watch them) like Nathan Rice, Matt Vancil, Steve Wolbrict, and even Don Early whom is in this show, I won't say when you'll have to find out yourself; but all put up good performances as usual.
What interesting about this show is how it turns things upside its head but also takes itself in directions you never expect it to go. From the first half of the show it starts like any typical reality show, as we see the contestants are in a "Survivor" or "Big Brother" rip off. However, around the second and third act the show really takes a turn you wouldn't expect. This show also has two twist that I honestly didn't see a mile away, and I like that feeling I don't have that often as opposed to most TV shows these days doing it a little too much like some snotty school student that brags about being cleaver instead of acting cleaver. Let alone the twists were clever and good.
I don't want to give away too much as this is something you have to see to believe. What's interesting about this show is that it literally is a show within a show, as we see it's not just about the contestants but it's also about the producers as well.
I really like how much we're on the contestants' side, at first, they seem like thy could be the typical architypes we should see in a reality program as all are trying to pretty much sabatosh the other to win. But then once things calm down and each of them get to know each other better, those arcatypcal masks drop and they become real people. Just seeing them all get along I found myself enjoying the show even caring about these people. Seeing that I'm thinking yeah, why we can't see more programing when people get along, instead of always going at each other's throats or are just complete blow holes which is something we see on TV too much these days, let alone get old fast. We even get a hint when each of them did the show they had some big dreams, and this was a chance to get it.
The real bad guys are the producers themselves, well except for Steve whom is the only voice of reason in the group but sadly as an old saying goes one voice of reason but just isn't enough to stop the board going completely out of control. Some of these guys literally flush ethics down the toilet as they are constantly making the contestants suffer all to earn petty ratings. From the abuse the contestants go though you really feel for them as well as concerned about their lives and hate the producers even more as none of them give a toss about their lives.
One person in the group I really hate is Ed whom is just a complete self-centered douchebag from beginning to end. He's not just fame and ratings obsessed but also he's a complete moron just in a fancy job, bits of that moronicness show from saying certain words that aren't even real. Seriously has this guy never read a book, a guy like him I wouldn't be surprised. Or in one episode steeling one of the board member's ideas and just dressing it as his own showing he really incapable of having ideas of his own, hence the program he created; which same thing can be said for some other corrupt TV and entertainment producers.
It really takes a dark unrelenting look at the issues of sensationalism out of control, media manipulation, abuse of power within the network, breach of ethical boundaries, but also the quest for everlasting fame and how it can drive people to insanity even destruction.
Overall, it's a solid satire series, this house is worth a visit.
Rating: 3 stars
This is another from one of my favorite amateur film companies "Dead Gentlemen" and this time they really get outside their comfort zone and do something different which is a satire. I'll be honest this show really took me by surprise, and I like that because sometimes what I don't normally expect turns out to be something good.
Like the production value as it was on par and really like the cinematography making the series behave like it could be a reality TV show that could exist. Really like the castings as there are a lot of familiar faces I've seen from the company along with "Fools Play Improv" (yeah a Pacific Lutheran University alumni, use to go to the coffee shop at Garfield Street to watch them) like Nathan Rice, Matt Vancil, Steve Wolbrict, and even Don Early whom is in this show, I won't say when you'll have to find out yourself; but all put up good performances as usual.
What interesting about this show is how it turns things upside its head but also takes itself in directions you never expect it to go. From the first half of the show it starts like any typical reality show, as we see the contestants are in a "Survivor" or "Big Brother" rip off. However, around the second and third act the show really takes a turn you wouldn't expect. This show also has two twist that I honestly didn't see a mile away, and I like that feeling I don't have that often as opposed to most TV shows these days doing it a little too much like some snotty school student that brags about being cleaver instead of acting cleaver. Let alone the twists were clever and good.
I don't want to give away too much as this is something you have to see to believe. What's interesting about this show is that it literally is a show within a show, as we see it's not just about the contestants but it's also about the producers as well.
I really like how much we're on the contestants' side, at first, they seem like thy could be the typical architypes we should see in a reality program as all are trying to pretty much sabatosh the other to win. But then once things calm down and each of them get to know each other better, those arcatypcal masks drop and they become real people. Just seeing them all get along I found myself enjoying the show even caring about these people. Seeing that I'm thinking yeah, why we can't see more programing when people get along, instead of always going at each other's throats or are just complete blow holes which is something we see on TV too much these days, let alone get old fast. We even get a hint when each of them did the show they had some big dreams, and this was a chance to get it.
The real bad guys are the producers themselves, well except for Steve whom is the only voice of reason in the group but sadly as an old saying goes one voice of reason but just isn't enough to stop the board going completely out of control. Some of these guys literally flush ethics down the toilet as they are constantly making the contestants suffer all to earn petty ratings. From the abuse the contestants go though you really feel for them as well as concerned about their lives and hate the producers even more as none of them give a toss about their lives.
One person in the group I really hate is Ed whom is just a complete self-centered douchebag from beginning to end. He's not just fame and ratings obsessed but also he's a complete moron just in a fancy job, bits of that moronicness show from saying certain words that aren't even real. Seriously has this guy never read a book, a guy like him I wouldn't be surprised. Or in one episode steeling one of the board member's ideas and just dressing it as his own showing he really incapable of having ideas of his own, hence the program he created; which same thing can be said for some other corrupt TV and entertainment producers.
It really takes a dark unrelenting look at the issues of sensationalism out of control, media manipulation, abuse of power within the network, breach of ethical boundaries, but also the quest for everlasting fame and how it can drive people to insanity even destruction.
Overall, it's a solid satire series, this house is worth a visit.
Rating: 3 stars
