Venice the Series: Season 1, Episode 1

[AllAboutAngst]

So here is the first episode of Venice:

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Here is the question, CC and the other two creators have decided to give the first episode free and charge $9.99 for the rest of the season (including bloopers, backstage stuff, and making of stuff). Based on this episode, would you pay $9.99 to watch the rest of the season?

I'll post my thoughts in the replies.

[quartermainefan]

This is better produced than GOTHAM but I am still not impressed. Instead of three minutes now we have six? What can you do in six minutes? Was there even a hint of a story here? Who is Galen Gering playing? For that matter, I could not tell you anything about the two lead characters other than they are lesbians and like to take showers together. I still am looking for what it is that is supposed to make me say "I can't wait to see what happens next!". This was just eavesdropping on a couple of undramatic moments in the lives of two fairly anonymous characters.

[Jonathan]

This didn't seem like an episode of a series. It was more of a sneak peek. I think the episode relies too much on a catchy song and didn't give viewers enough story.

[Toups]

It certainly is. I think it's actually pretty good for a web series. And I actually could hear what the characters were saying, unlike in Gotham.

CC's character's brother.

They're charging??? Well that's disappointing. And no, I would not pay to watch the rest of the season.

[marceline]

I liked it. The production values are decent and I thought it brought a decent amount of angst. I intend to buy the season. Although to be fair I had planned to do that even before I saw it as a way to show support. Kind of like the reason I give to public radio. That said, I think it would've been more in their interest to do three free eps then charge. It would give the audience a chance to grow, meet a few more of the characters and get hooked on the story.

As an aside, both this and Gotham have featured the token flaming black dude that the white ladies adore. That needs to stop.

[quartermainefan]

I am for the charging for episodes because money means a budget and a budget means production values. I just wish they started with a murder, or a blackmail,,,something to make me want to see more. Anything would have done and I would have paid.

[AS THE WORLD TURNS]

Gotham's first episode was just a teaser to get everyone to know the characters I guess. Martha said Gotham will be longer in future episodes.

[EricMontreal22]

Ummm.. no. I think if they alloweda few more free episodes then charged they could hook people,but there just wasn't enough here.

[MarlandRules]

I love how Crystal asks her if she wants to join her for a shower... very sexy and playful! I am extremely impressed. Whoever said they wanted the show to start off with a murder or some garbage is not a true soap fan and should be ASHAMED of themselves. The fact that this series concentrates solely on interpersonal relationships and not plot driven excrement is what makes it fresh, vital and compelling. Why should we care about a murder or a blackmail, if we haven't even been introduced to these characters and their emotional motivations and conflicts? I am proud of the Venice team... now... any chance of casting Kimberlin Brown as another one of these sexy lesbians?

[Chris B]

Soaps were 15 minutes to start, so maybe 12 or 13 minutes with commercials. They managed to do a lot more and the episodes felt more complete than this. Like with Gotham it sort of ends and I'm like "What?" I hope this is something these websoaps can improve upon. It feels like one long episode cut in the segments, which it is, but it shouldn't feel that way if presented in 6minute episodes. Not sure it has "tune in tomorrow" quality either. If I didn't know Otalia I wouldn't understand the purpose of the show. For the first episode they should've set up the seasons story arc better. Maybe show the two girls reuniting and explain their lives or relationship better so you could understand Galen Gering's response. He was let down by thin writing this episode. Not sure if he should've been the third person featured considering what they've shown us so far.

Of course I do plan on paying the $10, but only because I'm a hardcore soap fan and I want to see if it's successful and can sustain for another season.

ETA:

I can't believe I forgot to mention it, but the song featured was TERRIBLE. Melodramatic indie crap. It reminded me of GL. I do like the theme song featured in the teaser, but not what was in this ep. These web soaps are too short to have music with words. I'd much prefer a score whether it be traditional or not.

[Sindacco]

Why does Galen Gerring always have the same monotone voice no matter what kind of scene there is or what kind of character he plays?

[JaneAusten]

Well I was very very interested in this when I first heard about it. BUT I never watched GL so I have no basis for Otalia. This did nothing for me. I felt like I joined a soap already in progress but yet got no real insight to any of the characters. The production is decent and perhaps it will be better in weeks to come but I am not going to spend 9.99 an episode at this point. Nothing i saw interested me enough characterwise or storywise(there really wasn't one) to continue. Perhaps if I had been a GL watcher and Otalia fan it would have made more sense. IA they should have done 3 or 4 episodes free first to get people hooked in. They don't have me hooked. I'll keep following the feedback and maybe I'll subscribe after a few weeks if the feedback for this show improves.

I do give the creators props and I hope this improves at least characterwise and storywise over time. For the person who mentioned no murder or such, I agree I'd prefer seeing the interpersonal relationships focused on but I didn't see that here either. And I am speaking I hope as a totally objective party, as I have never ever seen GL aside from the last few episodes.

[All My Shadows]

No.

Chances are, it's not going to be any better than the 60-minute soaps we have on the networks, so no, I won't be paying $9.99 to watch a 10-minute soap that makes new episodes once a week or once every other week or whatever it is they've decided. Especially not after I just passed up on getting the first season of Supernatural for $14 at Wal-Mart because it's Xmas time and my jobless self is watching my funds. Plus, what is it with these online serials that they have to be so pretentious?! If you know you're only working with 6 minutes here, why waste a minute on opening/closing credits? Couldn't they put the crew credits on the site itself and just have a title card in the episodes?

As for the show, it's basically Wheeler's Guiding Light minus everyone but Otalia, but Otalia aren't Otalia, they're another gay couple. But deep down, you know it's just Otalia. I do have to say that it is visually stunning. Loved the little spot where Crystal and Galen talked.

[quartermainefan]

I will call myself a true soap fan. As a true soap fan I place the accent on drama and melodrama. There has to be something that makes me say "oh that's interesting" and who cares about the interpersonal relationships of three characters when we don't even know their names or even what their relationship is? Someone told me GG is CC's brother. I must have missed that because don't remember this being in the episode. He just stared and asked if the girl spent the night, and then it was about dinner.

[marceline]

This is why I think it's a mistake to only do the first episode for free. This was essentially a pilot and I firmly believe that no show should be judged solely on its pilot. IMO, any show needs AT LEAST three episodes to begin finding its footing. I'm really hoping they rethink that business model.

As for starting off with a murder or something similar, I'm hoping that websoaps will bring me something that I'm not seeing on the networks. Last i checked, the network soaps were full of whodunnit murders, at least until the victims return from the dead. IMO, the websoaps need to satisfy a niche. I think Venice can do that. It has the same feel as The L Word and that show did pretty well.

Right now I think the biggest challenge is money. Budget affects everything else: episode length, production values, etc...