The new web comedy MERRIme begins with an ending. In its first scene, the eponymous main character Merri mourns the end of a relationship by tearing into Krispy Kreme and replaying the last voice mail her ex-boyfriend left her over and over again. Twisting the knife that much further, you can hear another woman’s voice at the end of the call.
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So what’s a romantically challenged 25-year old rich girl on the verge of an eating disorder to do? Listen to her stepmom’s rabid offer to drink Master Cleanse cocktails? Frown at the maid for taking away her bag of crullers? Or is it to pay heed to her father’s curious demand that if she’s not going to get married at least find a job, otherwise wave goodbye to her stacked trust fund.
Interesting side note about that father: played by Tom Arnold! And I’m not talking about the Tom Arnold who doesn’t wear glasses, like in that stupid movie The Stupids. I’m talking about crazy fundamentalist glasses-wearing Tom Arnold from that weird Jesus movie Touch and the serial killer web comedy Overkill.
Merri takes her father’s demand to heart and posts her profile on every online dating site she can find, hoping that it will land her a boyfriend, thereby fiancé, thereby husband, thereby excuse to get trust fund. It’s a dubious plan of questionable moral value which is why this story is set in L.A. It also says a lot about our sour economy that one sees it as easier to use the computer to find a Los Angeles boyfriend than a job
Written and created by Kaily Smith and David Weidoff, MERRIme is, in its subject matter, a sort of left coast sibling of Brooklyn is for Lovers, another well-executed web dating comedy reviewed on Tilzy. Similar to that show, MERRIme takes smart account of its environment. A swimming pool is used as a set piece, and Merri and her friends sound like polished members of The Hills.
Set in the summer, MERRIme promises lots of rude dates and Hollywood Hills scenery, as we rate how cupcake worthy each of Merri’s boy suitor’s are on the “Date-oye-Meter.” Admittedly, the angle of a woman with a sweet tooth and a bad dating life might cut a little too close to, say, a Kathy comic strip if it’s overburdened, but then again Kathy was never as ruthless as this about her love life.
Check it out at MERRIme.com.
