Indie Spotlight: It’s Hard To Adapt To Life In The ‘Big City’

We receive a ton of tips every day from independent creators, unaffiliated with any major motion picture studios, television networks, new media studios, or other well-funded online video entities. The Indie Spotlight is where we’ll write about and shout out to a select few of them and bring you up to speed on the great (and sometimes not-so-great) attention-grabbing series you probably haven’t heard about until now.  Read previous installments here.

The series I want to highlight in today’s Indie Spotlight is a talky comedy about two friends who must battle the trials associated with life in New York City. The first word of the title begins with ‘B’ and the second word is City. Sound familiar? The series is called Big City, and it reminds me of Broad City in several ways: it has a lightning-quick pace, it utilizes notable names from the local acting community, and, yes, it’s quite funny.

Big City follows Josie and Dan, a pair of neurotic, platonic roommates who live in Brooklyn and deal with various annoyances, such as out-of-tune subway guitarists, perpetually late public transit, and, in the first episode, the navigational issues faced by smartphone-less Americans. While the Big Apple is undeniably the series’ muse, its themes will resonate with anyone who has ever been frustrated by life in a titular Big City.

The two leads are played by Lauren Ruff and Zane Carney, the latter of whom has plied his trade on Broadway in the big-budget Spiderman: Turn of the Dark musical. Big City feels like more of a passion project, one lacking in high production values but full of heart and whimsy. Anyone who’s ever had to deal with pushy people on the street will find his or her head nodding in agreement as Josie and Dan navigate the irksome distractions of everyday life.

OTHER UNDER-THE-RADAR SERIES TO CHECK OUT:

• The Clandestine. Irish nerds escape their dull day jobs by forming a badass biker gang. Hijinks ensue.
• A Guy, A Girl, And Their Monster. A couple must take care of a horned, furry puppet who loves bacon. Think Animal from The Muppets meets Epic Meal Time.
• We Are Wonderful. A web series where three quirky dudes sit around and smoke weed and act weird.
• Single Siblings. A pair of siblings who have conveniently opposing personalities seek to remedy each others’ broken love lives.

Got a series you’d like to see featured in the Indie Spotlight? Be sure to contact us here.