Venice, the Series: A Season in Review
March 7, 2010 by admin
Filed under Entertainment, Web
Venice in its first season has many things going for it. One in particular is that it was done at all. Presently, dramas dependent on uncensored content, devoid of corporate strangleholds, have little other place of premier besides the internet. Open Book Productions harnessed the anticipatory power of an organized and largely unfulfilled fanbase and moved forward with their aspirations. Living the ultimate realization of a dream is something to celebrate.
Jessica Leccia brings to the character of Ani a guileless vulnerability that encourages the viewer to root for her. Roll after roll, over and over again, she puts herself out there until in the finale she inescapably decides to get off that emotional Magic Mountain that is Gina Brogno (Crystal Chappell) to find happiness in a lover without the nauseating twists and turns. Who knows what will happen next season. Will Ani grab a fast pass for Lara, or will she stand in that long, switch-back, line for Gina? Personally, I hope Ani’s happiest place on earth will be with Lara.
Though Lara (Nadia Bjorlin) is a bit of a blank slate at this point, I really don’t care; she isn’t Gina. For some reason, the character is likable and holds my interest. Perhaps I am merely cheering for Ani and this is transference on my part. Whatever the motivation, there is an anticipation that I don’t have for many of the other characters. Also, I would be remiss if I did not mention that Nadia Bjorlin came to this character cold as it was originally cast with Elizabeth Keener. It has been well publicized that upon arrival on the set to play her original role, Nadia stepped into the Lara part and has performed admirably.
Hillary B. Smith, episode two not withstanding, brings chemistry, maternal compassion, and humor to the series. Her passionate plea to the Colonel (Jordan Clarke) for parental understanding is one of my favorite scenes. Though the Colonel can be classified as stereotypical, such characteristics have their roots in reality, and though Gina waited until later in life to finally confront her homophobic father, she did it. Many of us either lost that chance because of life’s fated circumstances, or perhaps we are not quite as well adjusted as our critics, therefore, seeing the manifestation on screen is satisfying. On a selfish note, I have to say that while Crystal and Hillary stared longingly into each other’s eyes after a Goose downed evening in episode 9, I was pleading in my head, “Please make Guya the ADOPTED sister of Gina’s mother!” To this point, no scripted pairing has produced such a reaction.
Out of a much heralded cast, the standout surprise for me has to be Michelle N. Carter. There is something about Michelle’s character that makes me want to point and say, “Yeah, what she said,” every time she completes a sentence. She is not only Gina’s assistant, but her super ego with an attitude…not that there is any part of Gina’s moral compass that would respond to anyone less magnetic.
Technically, the series manipulates the beauty of the California beach through the use of high definition cameras to create a setting both visually pleasing and unique to many webseries. Couple the fabulous photography with the decision to utilize indie music artists as added definition, and Venice creates a secondary storyline that is complimentary to the first.
Though I believe Venice has the potential as a continuing drama on the web, I believe as a viewer, some parts of this freshman season series need adjustment. My biggest disappointment is there are too many characters to establish a full depth of development in the amount of time the production team arced for one season. The “morning after scene” with Gina and Ani through the “body in the garage discovery” could have easily encompassed 24 to 36 complex episodes. I would have preferred the episode 7 good-bye scene to have been the season one cliff hanger with much more character development in between. I have said it before, please, show me, don’t tell me. Of course, I can fill in the blanks myself, but as a viewer, I shouldn’t have to.
Not lost on me is that Gina, a character with the most number of scenes, is the least dimensional of the characters. I watch each episode with the hope that this will be the week I like her. Do something to expose her vulnerability. Hell, show her buying a few beach orphans a shave ice, something, something that will tell me she is more than mean, crass, manipulative, and drunk. As I said in my review of episode 7, Gina shows glimpses of humanity when she allows her personal walls a certain opaqueness. Show me more. Give me the slightest impression as to why Gina can’t commit. A tent pole character doesn’t have to be without its nicks and its knots, it just has to be strong enough to support the apex of the canvas.
Crystal Chappell is one of the most talented actresses in any genre at delivering an emotionally charged scene. Give her (and me) the bridge to get there. Unfortunately, the writing for Gina’s final scene with Ani is an abrupt bridge to nowhere. As with other important arcing sequences of this season, there are significant gaps in composition. Gina schizophrenically overreacts to Ani’s rejection of their dysfunctional relationship. I would have given more credence to this emotional outburst had I been privy to insight as to whether episode 7 had actually been the last time these two were alone together.
Had they been given more of a reactive catalyst, the chemistry between Gina and Tracy (Lesli Kay) could have been perceived as more inciting than a child’s science project. In episode 11, when Gina and Tracy throw each other against the wall, the audience is quickly cut to the product and left to assume the initial substance. In the finale, Tracy emotionally pronounces she is falling in love with Gina. How and when did this happen? Without revealing the fundamentals of the motivation, what’s left is an unbalanced equation. There is something to be said for giving Gina and Tracy the same relationship litmus test that Ani and Lara are given.
Season one ends with Gina answering a call for reinforcements from the Colonel and finding what appears to be a lifeless, handcuffed woman in his garage. I have to admit, my first reaction was please let this be Tracy…or at least the personification of her bad British accent. Cut to black, listen to the music, and wait for season two.
And about next season, I say please, no stunts and no Chaiken things up. Develop the three dimensions of the twosomes before you work on the threesomes. Take your time, ladies. Contrary to fanatical belief, good is worth waiting for…with all elements of this potentially very successful show.
Good review! Seems most people are on the same page about what works and what does not. I really hope the V Team are paying attention and there are some significant alterations in Season 2.
My main issue is also with Gina. I find her so unlikeable that I zone out of every scene that she’s in. I don’t understand why they have put CC in such a role, let alone why Gina is the main character. Olivia Spencer could be irritating, and non-committal but she did it with humour and vulnerability. On paper, there are significant similarities between both characters, but acted out.. in front of us… there’s a huge void.
I can’t hear Tracy’s British accent. Are we sure she has one?? I like to think I would hear it… given that I’m… well… British.
Oh Mindschmootz you have done it again…great review!!
You always say what needs to be said so eloquently. You have thrown the spotlight on the true highlights (Ani, Guya, Lara and Ani) and pointing out some of the most obvious low lights being the character of Gina and her subsequent dysfunctional relationship with Tracy. The fact that Gina has SUCH a dysfunctional family life with her father and her brother (a very weird relationship in itself) makes it a little easier to understand Gina’s struggle with remaining in a loving relationship with Ani, however she has been written up like the the gibraltar rock …showing very few cracks. And in the few moments where she does not cope, we see no remorse.
How are we, as viewers, to feel sorry for the character of Gina when she is constantly sabotaging her own and anyone else’s happiness because she is so B & T (bitter and twisted).
The Gina character is too harsh for a webseries with such little time for character development. if this were a movie (1.2 hours or thereabouts) audiences would come away feeling Gina was the antichrist! Give her SOME compassion make her feel something and stop having her fight for her fathers love… hell if he dont love her by now she should just give up the Goose!
I agree way too many characters.. i like Owen but dont think much of his relationship with his girlfriend… Guya should be focussed a lot more… Ani and Lara light up the screen (especially Ani)… yes let’s hope that the character of Tracy is on the bed handcuffed and been pulled out of the river… oh darn the blanket was not wet!
Seriously a great review and thanks again for sharing your thoughts. Always enjoy your work.
Suze xx
Nice work on the finding the overarching issues, but I think one of the joys of this format is the moments. And to give her her due, it is in the moments that Crystal shines. I love the look on Gina’s face when she invites Ani into the shower, the pout when Owen tries to tell her about his date when she’s freaking out about her own and the girlfriend gossip with Michele. I thought I would melt when Gina came up behind Ani during the photoshoot. She says more with a removal of sunglasses than the script has said in the entire first season. I say let the girls (Crystal, Jessica and Hillary) have the room they need to go beyond the text.
Then maybe Kim’s characters will be a little more real and a LOT less stiff.
My two cents : Jessie needs to learn how to kiss better on screen… I WANT some GiAni backstory..how they met, etc. I agree re HB Smith and CC…the subtext there was the smokingest moment of the first season. I see Gina as a mess due to her father’s treatment of her, as pointed out by Ani, and I suspect he was a philanderer as well, albeit perhaps with a taste for the kinky. The goodbye scene at the beach with the last photo, the sunglasses scene, the GiAni talkk about Dad scene, all made me feel that these two love each other but that Gina has unresolved issues. I do find Gina to be sympathetic, in the I use bluster to cover my feelings sort of way. I am definitely rooting for GiAni, who as always just sizzle the angst, although I will enjoy the pretty on the way.
I didn’t even have to read your review to know what you wrote.Praise jessica leccia, trash crystal chappell.Thats old news ,you have been doing that for awhile.Nothing like a nice biased jessica leccia fangirl review.At least you set crystal up nice, before you went after her.
Great review as usual. Venice is like hanging out with a group of your partners old friends and not getting all the inside jokes and back stories. The writing is so remedial and infantile that it doesn’t leave the actors much to work with. Oh Jim, you must be psychic…you didn’t have to read the review but you had to comment on it. If you watched the series, Jessica was one of the better parts of the whole debacle.
There is no character development and so many holes in the story. Everyone wanted to see Chrystal and Jess kiss….well they blew that load in the first 30 seconds of the series. Episode two was a total disaster. Ok now i’m boring myself.
For all the fans of the actors, supporting the series is what you do when you are a true fan of these people. But the expectations were set so high and the delivery was less that satisfying. I doubt Venice will get half the subscribers back.
Comon Venice, there are web series out there that don’t have $ from subscribers for production that content and quality wise are totally kicking your ass. Don’t insult your audience by taking all the fan girl praise that you are so amazing and let it feed your egos to put out a mediocre product. It needs a lot of work and the potential is there, put your noses to the grindstone and make it better. Get your heads out of your Grey goose soaked asses…..Put out a quality, interesting, well written and directed project or don’t do it at all. Don’t disappoint us again. You have the tools and the actors….don’t use their celebrity as a facade of a great series.
Oh and Jim before you bash me for spelling Crystal’s name wrong!! Blame it on the spell ell ell ell cha cha check! (insert melody to Blame it on the alcohol) Crystal Chappell XO XO Jim you’re pretty!
Fair and balanced review – very spot on. Couldn’t agree more.
And as for those making assumptions about you having a biased opinion or being some kind of fangirl… LOL! Oh how wrong they are!!!!!
Seriously – people can have opinions on quality or content without being a biased reviewer and the fact that someone mistakes opinion for biased when it comes to your writing is laughable.
I agree i would like to know how Gina and Ani met and who this Logan person is and what happened. I think the dead body is ginas aunt well because of the whole drunk calling the guy she was seeing he may have been a psycho. Possibly the same one Michelle dated that tried to kill her as she said to Gina when Gina told her she needed to get laid.
Nadia Bjorlin’s rocking the show.Lara rocks.Nadia is so talented and smoking hot.I’m gonna enjoy Lani as long as it lasts and since we already Know that Giani is end game,I want someone new for Lara.I would love to see Arianne Zucker portray Lara’s new love interest on venice.Nadia and Arianne are so talented and gorgeous.And they have huge chemistry