Ron meets a brilliant playwright who endeavors to bring his words to the people. However, the line between genius and insanity has never been too razor-thin.
Traveling in his wheelchair, filmmaker Mitch St. Pierre and friends Skot and Shawn set out on a journey in search of Cambodia's legendary Bamboo Express, an alleged train made out of bamboo. As the team treks into the unknown they encounter ancient ruins, floating villages and many more unusual scenarios and awe-inspiring moments.
'The Syndicate' centers on a family of serial killers fostered as 'troubled' children. One of these children, Nathan, now a well adjusted adult, lives in London where, until recently, he had killed in partnership with his biological brother Jamie. However, when Jamie is killed in a car accident, Nathan cannot adjust to working alone, feeling the loss of his brother greatly. Then he meets Rhys. Young, inexperienced and eager to learn the business, Rhys evokes the big brother in Nathan and when Nathan agrees to take Rhys under his wing, it seems the family is once more complete. But will the family accept Rhys? And how will his arrival affect 'The Syndicate'?
Coming Out into a Post-911 World.1
By Darek Cioch, Feb 17, 2010 in Anyone But Me, Show News
Coming Out into a Post-911 World. The Sexy Drama of Anyone But Me.
I’m not one to follow conventional teen drama – the kind that one would normally see in Twilight for example. Oh the anguish that exists in Bella’s lip-biting decision between Edward’s glittery face and Jacob’s brazenly-shirtless body. Please. Turns out its web television that challenges this weepy teen-damsel-in-distress motif in an interesting way. Executive Producers/Writers Susan Miller (The L Word, thirtysomething) and Tina Cesa Ward (In Their Absence) have combined their television, film and theater experience to tell a story of modern teenage love in the web series Anyone But Me (ABM).
“Time was really ripe to look at something new, something risky,” says Miller. “I always like risky.”
Anyone But Me is a drama that focuses on the lives and relationships between two adolescent lesbians and their friends. The visual style of the show is mired in realism, and the cast delivers performances that whisk you back to a time when fire drills were routine and a driver’s license was of prime importance.
ABM focuses on the lives of protagonists Vivian (Rachael Hip-Flores) and Aster (Nicole Pacent) and their intimate relationship living in New York City after the health problems of Vivian’s father (Dan Via) force the family to uproot and move into the more suburban Westchester – leaving Aster miles away. Vivian, previously comfortable about being openly gay, is unsettled in her new environment and has trouble sharing her lifestyle with her new friends at school. Aster, comfortable in her sexuality and her feelings for Vivian, is having a hard time adjusting as well.
“It’s not about that first coming out,” says Miller. “It’s about coming out over and over again. The city was comfortable… then being taken to Westchester… it causes tension. The story is Vivian’s new life and separation.” Ward adds, “An individual dealing with being 16 and in love is fraught with all kinds of bumps along the way.”
Although the series’ main focus is on Vivian and Aster’s relationship, ABM digs deeper into the complexities of teen life through their friends. The brilliant ensemble cast of ABM includes Jessy Hodges (Sophie), Mitchell Adams (Jonathan), Alexis Slade (Elisabeth) and Joshua Holland (Archibald). Through these characters we not only get a different view of Vivian and Aster’s relationship but additional perspectives into modern teenage issues, wants and fears. Over the course of season one, we experience issues like Elisabeth’s angst over realizing her career goals and Sophie’s desire to be loved by both her boyfriend and her friends.
Blanketing the teen issues faced in the series is the effect of living in a post-9/11 world. The subject matter is mostly subtle, but one can see how 9/11 has directly affected Vivian’s family. Her fireman father has been plagued by injuries and because of this is forced to move out of the city. We can also see indirect references to 9/11 at Vivian’s new school and in how the students interact with each other. “There’s a global consciousness, a tension around personal security and communal safety. There’s a connection with people in the city,” adds Miller. “They’re affected without knowing they’re affected.”
Regardless of the heavy issues addressed, ABM has one thing in common with every other teen show. When sexual fantasies get the best of them, teenage hormones rule. For those looking for good old-fashioned sexual exploration, ABM delivers. For example, the first episode I ever saw, “The Real Thing,” deals with hormonally-charged daydreams that result in not just a little lip-locking in the ladies room.
Watch More Episodes of “Anyone But Me”
Now in its second season and with over 2.2 Million views to date, it’s no surprise that ABM recently won in a big way at the 1st Annual Indie Soap Awards, established to honor the efforts of creative forces in the world of independent web series production. Taking home Best Writing, Best Storyline, Best Performance by a Lead Actress (Rachael Hip-Flores) and Best Performance by a Supporting Actor (Joshua Holland), ABM tied for most wins of the night. So what’s on the horizon for this daring drama? “Awards are important so that you can get noticed,” remarks Ward. “The GLAAD awards don’t have a [web series] category, so we’re gonna fight for that. That is something I hope we can change. We want people to see us, watch us and, in turn, get advertising sponsorship.”
Season two of Anyone But Me has viewers anxiously awaiting the release of each episode as Vivian and Aster’s relationship heats up. And if you’re not watching, with vocal fans like Caprica’s Eric Stoltz and Heroes’ Zachary Quinto plugging ABM, its hard not to wonder what all the fuss is about. And what is all the fuss about? Deeply realistic stories. Good writing. Old-fashioned teen angst. In a sea of teen programming that amplifies drama to the absurd, Anyone But Me is the real deal.
Darek Cioch is a writer who has worked on “Life with Kat and McKay” and “The Web Files.” Recently graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, he works in development at Chernin Entertainment and is looking for any opportunity to appear as an extra in a zombie horror flick.