A new Portland-based web series called Blue Fiddles has arrived, and it’s set to premiere on January 25th. Written, directed, and produced by Portland local Nena Botto (who also stars in the series), the show follows the lives of three 30-something women in Portland, each struggling with their own range of issues. According to the website, the series is a “mix of comedy and drama that has aims to be glamorous through honesty—women who have scars from life experiences, not from numerous Botox sessions.”
I saw the first three episodes yesterday, and I will say this: The people who made Blue Fiddles are lovely people. Kind, friendly people who are very excited about their project. Sadly, the writing was… well, bad, and the acting was… well, bad. When I started watching the trailer the other day, I thought, “Hey, this might be good!” because I thought it was being purposefully over-the-top, but after watching the first three episodes, it became clear that it was, in fact, being totally serious. The trailer isn’t actually embeddable, but you can see it here, and here’s the first minute or so of the first episode, which doesn’t actually give you much to go on:
The characters must deal with some pretty serious issues—divorce, depression, sexual harassment—but Blue Fiddles‘ episodes (or the first three episodes, at least) include moments of humor that aren’t actually funny but which do detract from the importance of what these women are dealing with. The characters’ plights are undermined by the series’ lighthearted tone, and you don’t end up much caring what happens to them. Another point of concern is that the series’ target audience is women aged 32-45—not exactly the web-series-viewing demographic. On the bright side, if the tone could solidify a bit more—either going full-on into comedy, or approaching the drama without the clunky comedy that’s already there—the series could definitely improve.
There will be a free premiere of the first three episodes at the Hollywood Theatre on January 25th at 7pm, and the first episode will be available online that day as well.
i dont get it.
Unironic Portland drama is ironically funny.
Why write an article about a web series that stinks? There are probably a hundred other locally produced web series’ that also stink, and probably a couple that don’t.
Hey, bikes! I relate to that.
“There are probably a hundred other locally produced web series’ that also stink, and probably a couple that don’t.”
A hundred? I’ve only ever found a handful of locally-produced web series. I’ve yet to find one that’s particularly good.
Sadly, this review was well…badly written and very amateur. Also, I would like to point out that I am in the 32-45 year old demographic that you arbitrarily threw out there and I do watch web series’. Im guessing by your tone you are much younger than this. Perhaps this is why you didn’t like this series or didn’t “get it.” Fine, but don’t use that to critique something. You can’t say something is bad simply because you did not like it. And finally, if your age does lead you to this sort of bias perhaps you should choose a career more suited to your blatant age snobbery. In short, don’t just be negative, vague, and lazy just because you can.
I agree that the article could have been written better. But it is a webseries so it is only appropriate that an intern writes it. I although would agree with portions of the article. I went to the screening for blue fiddles. I will say the shows not for me but is entertaining enough. In my opinion a web series is just a web series. Its something people can create and show to an audience without producers and overhead and all the crap that goes with TV. Like the show or not… Props for getting out there and doing something. If you don’t like what the local talent has to offer, make your own show.
my kitty want to get married to oskerthe kitty she say she both dead and alive in intellegence and time itself with normon rockfeller and has the keys to time itself as a shrinking device but cant find life in the future and is both dead and alive and a ghost and neeeds to come back because we are all alive the same way in intellegence to nuclear war
I’m sorry, but the acting is just horrific. A clue: if you cast yourself and your buddies in the leads, make damn sure you’re good enough to pull it off. These ladies…aren’t.
The cinematography, on the other hand, is gorgeous.