Web Review: JourneyQuest
Though there have been a few break-out hits lately, the video web series is still in its nascent stages. It’s still deciding what it wants to be. Is it possible to reach the same level as a beloved series on TV in episodes under ten minutes in length? I’m not sure, but after watching the open-ended seven episodes that made up JourneyQuest’s first season, I was sad that there wasn’t any more for the moment, like I am after a good season of TV. It was certainly a comedy, but it was a comedy based on characters rather than, say, a parody, and I liked that it was okay with taking itself seriously every once in a while. And yeah, it was really funny, too.
JourneyQuest, from Seattle-based indie studio Dead Gentlemen Productions, follows the adventures of a band of heroes in a very Dungeons & Dragons kind of setting as they search for “The Sword of Fighting,” as well as the hapless-but-enthusiastic bard following them from a safe distance in order to write her first epic after graduating from bard school. Those raised on Elder Scrolls-ish video games will find themselves recognizing a lot of the tropes, as well. There’s a healer, a fighter, an elf chick, and a wizard in yellow robes (apparently because he hasn’t earned blue or black robes yet). Despite this, the show reminded me more tonally of Community or Arrested Development than Legend of Neil or other sillier nerd-aimed webseries.
Another strength of the series is that, despite its truncated length and the fact that most of it was obviously shot in the woods behind somebody’s house, it appeared to have production values at least matching your average Saturday night SyFy production. There are guys running around in really nice-looking orc make-up (not to mention speaking subtitled Orc-ish) and the relatively few interiors look like actual rooms and not, you know, paper mache. You can tell this is a series from talented people who could be making a “real” TV show, but aren’t because, well, executives have other priorities besides making good shows. That’s why the JourneyQuest is proudly produced under a Creative Commons License. As it reminds you in the credits of each episode, the show is entirely fan funded, but the flip-side of that is it will never be cancelled by a network.
One advantage of the show aiming itself online and squarely at geeks like you and me is it doesn’t have to explain itself much. The people that made this know what we already know. In the first minute of the series, Wren the Bard reaches into her bag, pulls out a potion marked “Language”, downs it with a grimace, and suddenly the guys speaking Orc shift into English. It’s an idea you’ve been heard about since you were playing DOS-based dungeon crawls, but it’s been a while since I’ve seen it so well portrayed on screen. And, refreshingly, they didn’t feel the need to explain to me what just happened. And if you’re a fan of Terry Pratchett and sarcastic talking swords, well, let’s just say you should also check this series out.
But the real reason to watch, of course, is because the series is funny, and yeah, it is, in a very dorky way. There’s an extended scene where the characters debate Orc-ish grammar. There’s a ninja punching an invisible person in the face. There’s a character named “Sir Perfluous”. In short, I had a great time with JourneyQuest.
While it’s frustrating that there are only seven short episodes, I’ve learned that there are more on the way! The KickStarter fund for Season 2 is already well past its goal, but if you have a few extra bucks you’d like to contribute, you can find it JourneyQuest-season-2>here. Season 1 can currently be found on Hulu or on the JourneyQuest main website here.
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