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BBC's legendary EastEnders soap goes online

Eastenders is going online with a new web soap opera.Think of the most popular American daytime soap. Then, multiply that by a factor of 10. That's the ongoing craze known as the BBC's immortal EastEnders. Premiering in 1985, the working-class melodrama remains one of the U.K.'s highest-rated series.

Now, EastEnders is set to kick off its own web spinoff series next year. According to a Beeb press release, the online BBC Vision Multiplatform commissioned EastEnders: E20 to go live in January, 2010.

In addition to taking advantage of TV's online evolution, the web series will help to celebrated the EastEnders 25th anniversary.

Now, the question is if anyone in Hollywood can catch on to moves like these and adapt more successful U.S. shows into big name web series. Shows like 24 tried brief web dalliances, but nothing this ambitious has yet to take flight from American networks.

Continue reading BBC's legendary EastEnders soap goes online

HBO's multicamera Imagine engine will blow your mind out of its skull

HBO Imagine
Television has been trying to cram 3D technology into our eye sockets ever since it realized that offering some kind of gimmick with their product could distract some audiences from the fact that it sucks. 3D TV will only impress three groups of people: children, heavy LSD users who are out of LSD, and the people who helped bring it to a Best Buy near you.

HBO, however, has done something much more interesting and creative with interactive entertainment by applying the 3D concept, not to just the screen, but the story and characters. I hope you've got lots of newspaper down, because your mind is about to blow.

Continue reading HBO's multicamera Imagine engine will blow your mind out of its skull

Guiding Light's Olivia and Natalia will live on in new web series (kind of)

Guiding LightA lot of Guiding Light fans are entranced by Otalia. That's not a butter substitute, it's the "Brangelina-ish" name that fans have given to Olivia and Natalia, the lesbian couple played by Crystal Chappell and Jessica Leccia. Fans won't be able to see that couple anymore, since Guiding Light will air its last episode ever on September 18. But the actresses have decided to keep the storyline alive on the web.

Though as I said above, kind of.

Continue reading Guiding Light's Olivia and Natalia will live on in new web series (kind of)

Little Monk web series to explore big Monk's problems

Monk's mental problems will be explored in the web series, Little Monk.With USA Network's Monk entering its final season, this is as good a time as any to explore how its title character developed his obsessions and ticks.

According to a network press release, USA Network and Sleep Inn Hotels (No, I don't get the connection, either...) teamed up to launch USA's first live-action original web series on usanetwork.com, Little Monk.

The web series seeks to explore the origins of the anal-retentive and obsessive Monk's chronic conditions.

Continue reading Little Monk web series to explore big Monk's problems

WGA strike gives rise to new web series

The WGA strike caused trouble in Hollywood, but might've created top web series.The painful writers strike of several months ago could prove a boon to the development of a new web TV channel packed with original content.

The months long Writers Guild of America strike that began November 1 of 2007 touched off a storm from which Hollywood still hasn't recovered. It slowed not only the production of new TV shows but the purchase and development of fresh material. The jury is still out on whether the settlement agreement that ended it all accomplish much for writers -- or merely set-up another strike in 2011.

Reports say, during the work stoppage, a group of top-shelf TV creators decided to step out of the traditional production model and develop material just for the web.

Continue reading WGA strike gives rise to new web series

WIll you watch Peter Petrelli's geek battle show?

heroes petrellis nbcHere's a question for the ages: Who would win in a real fight: Peter or Nathan Petrelli? Could the power-nabbing Peter kick Nathan's high-flying ass in a no-holds-barred brawl? Or would the older, slimier Nathan have the advantage?

It's a tough call. I'd have to vote for WHO THE FRAK CARES?!

But Peter Petrelli himself, Milo Ventimiglia, hopes that people care about such hypothetical battles. In his latest attempt to corner the geek market, the Heroes star is co-producing Ultradome, a web series "where passionate fanboys settle hypothetical disputes in a special effects showdown."

Expect to see such fanboys, including Ventimiglia, duke it out on the web series in scripted – yep, scripted – fights to settle stuff like: Which franchise is cooler, Star Wars or The Lord of the Rings, or is Han Solo tougher than Indiana Jones?

Continue reading WIll you watch Peter Petrelli's geek battle show?

Need a laugh? Watch the new Heroes web series

heroes nowhere manAnd yes, you'll be laughing at it, not with it. Mostly because it's awfully unoriginal, unfunny, and it revolves around two of the most useless characters in the Heroes universe -- Eric Doyle (aka "The Puppetmaster"), and that d-bag who used to be HRG's boss at Copy Kingdom (who reminds you that he used to be the boss at Copy Kingdom two seconds after he shows up).

OK, maybe someone could make a good web series about The Puppetmaster (David H. Lawrence XVII is a good actor), but this ain't it. The five-and-a half minute opener, which premiered Monday, is mostly laughably bad, forgettable and uninspired.

Nowhere Man, that's what they call it, chronicles Doyle's attempt to go straight and work an office job. Copy Kingdom guy is his sleazy jerk boss who just happens to be dating the object of his affection.

Continue reading Need a laugh? Watch the new Heroes web series

Amy Poehler's new web series aims to inspire young girls - VIDEO

Amy Poehler's Smart Girls st the Party web seriesAmy Poehler is really taking this mommy thing seriously. The Saturday Night Live vet just launched a new web series, and I'm happy to report that it's probably not what you'd expect.

Smart Girls at the Party is aimed at young girls and their parents, not Poehler's usual audience of late night TV watchers or cult comedy fans. Every five-to-ten minute episode will feature Poehler interviewing a talented and creative young girl.

"The show aims to help girls find confidence in their own aspirations and talents," says On Networks, the series' online distributor.

It's kind of like a blend of Reading Rainbow, Larry King Live and Gilmore Girls. Actually, I could see Rory and Lorelai Gilmore digging on Poehler's mock-serious interviewing style, the sunny power-pop theme music, and the show's "smart girls rule" attitude.

Continue reading Amy Poehler's new web series aims to inspire young girls - VIDEO

Henson Studio's Tinsel Town to become Web series

Brian HensonIf you've been moaning over the lack of series centered on gay puppets, I have some good news for you.

Last November, I told you about a project from Jim Henson Studios called Tinsel Town (or Tinseltown, everyone seems to spell it differently). The series features two gay Muppets, a bull named Samson Knight and a pig named Bobby Vegan, who adopt a human child.

Continue reading Henson Studio's Tinsel Town to become Web series

Some haps at Nick: TV flicks and a Star Camp

nick cannonNickelodeon is a place where things are happening. This post is a place where I will tell you what those things are. Yes.

Last Day of Summer, in which a boy lives his final day of summer over and over again. It premieres on Nick on July 20. The movie stars Jansen Panettiere, who voiced a character in not one, but TWO Holly Hobbie videos. How many of us can say that? How many people besides myself know what the hell Holly Hobbie is?

Continue reading Some haps at Nick: TV flicks and a Star Camp

Michael Cera's new Web series is now online

clark and michaelLast November, Brett told you that Michael Cera (Arrested Development) would be starring in a new Web series with his pal, actor Clark Duke. The series would be called The Good Life, and it would be available for viewing on the CBS innertube broadband site.

Well, two things have changed, apparently: the new series is now called Clark and Michael, and it's not on innertube, it's at ClarkAnd Michael.com, so go check it out.

Continue reading Michael Cera's new Web series is now online

Jon Benjamin creating Web series - VIDEO

Jon BenjaminIf you don't know who H. Jon Benjamin is, let me inform you: he's a writer and comedian most of us probably first saw when he played "Ben" on Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist. He was also a writer on that show and would later show up on Home Movies (one of my top five favorite series of all time), and the recent short-lived animated series Freak Show for Comedy Central.

In an interview with Gothamist, Benjamin revealed he was working on a new Web series for Super Deluxe called "Thunderpoint." What the series is exactly remains to be seen, but if Benjamin is behind it, I'm going to go out on a limb and say it'll be damn funny.

Continue reading Jon Benjamin creating Web series - VIDEO

Bob Odenkirk developing Web series

bob odenkirkBob Odenkirk, the writer and comedian who can currently be seen on Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! and whose past credits include The Ben Stiller Show, The Larry Sanders Show and Mr. Show (he must like shows that end in "show") is developing a series for the comedy Web site Super Deluxe called Derek and Simon: The Show (see what I mean about the whole "show" thing).

Continue reading Bob Odenkirk developing Web series

Eugene Mirman in space

eugene mirmanThe biggest compliment I can pay to comedian Eugene Mirman is that he's my favorite comedian now that Mitch Hedberg is dead. That may seem like a back-handed compliment, but there's nothing wrong with second place, especially when you're first.

Anyway, a post on CC Insider hepped me to Eugene's new Web series on SuperDeluxe.com called "Space Talk from Dimension Eugene." If you've never experienced the indescribable comedy of Eugene Mirman, watching his videos should help you not understand him just a little bit better. If you have a penchant for smart and weird (or as I call it, "smeirdt") comedy, Eugene has exactly what you need. Also, many of these videos can be found on his Web site, and on YouTube. Really, if you don't watch at least one of them, you're just being lazy.

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