In December 2006, brothers Yuri and Vlad Baranovsky hypothesized that a professionally produced internet sitcom, filmed in hi-def, with real actors, real scripts, multiple locations, a full cast, and a fleshed out production crew could sustain itself or become the object of affection for some moneyed television network’s broadcast schedule.
To test the theory they launched Break A Leg, an internet sitcom replete with all the elements of the above plus a plotline that’s as complicated as the show is well-produced. The setting is a bizzarro San Francisco-centric Hollywoodland where swinging gamblers make for hit TV shows, the Child Actors Guild lives in the sewers, Gary Coleman is played by Patrice Oneal (obviously), and neurotic, Jewish, TV writers (sorry, was that redundant?) are in mortal peril.
So far, their experiment has yielded inconclusive results. Though admired by Tilzy.TV and beloved by a strong fan base and sponsored by Holiday Inn Express’s The Smart Show (for a second time), the series hasn’t made enough cash to support production costs (currently, it’s an all volunteer cast/crew) and isn’t slated to air on primetime TV.
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So, the Baranavosky’s are taking a break. In Yuri’s words, “after all the plot twists and turns, puns and porn, it’s time for a nap. This definitely isn’t goodbye but more like ‘gone fishing – be back soon.’” But they’re not leaving before their Season Finale has aired.
Broken down into multiple segments that will conclude in October, Vlad says the final episode “will include everything from a peyote-induced drug trip, to an epic civil to the tragic death of a character. It will have claymation, ghosts, murderous children, and even a guest appearance from one of the members of the Partridge Family. I’ll go as far as saying that this is the best produced and highest quality episode of any internet sitcom — ever.”
Check out the first installment above and watch the rest of the action unfold over the coming weeks at www.breakaleg.tv.
