Indie Spotlight: ‘Turbo And Joey’ Are Jersey Bros, Big Softies

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.

We all love to make fun of hardcore Jersey Shore guidos, but at least two creators believe that group is misunderstood. Jeremy Luke and Joey Russo star in Turbo and Joey, a web series about their lives as (you guessed it) aspiring Hollywood actors.

Turbo and Joey chronicles its titular heroes as they try to land a role in a Joe Pesci film. The two leads are embodiments of their characters, as they are both actors who hail from the greatest state in the union (not that, as a New Jersey native, I’m biased or anything). And yes, while they do spend plenty of time out partying like the bros they are, they weave softer, more creative, and ultimately sensitive personalities into their escapades. Turbo drinks heavily the night before a Macbeth audition because it’s “part of the internal struggle” while Joey instructs his friend not to curse in front of his baby, even though the illegitimate infant only turned up on their doorstep seconds ago.

Turbo and Joey succeeds before its honest and is neither no mean nor not mean enough. It’s good a decent pile of laughs, and even teaches life lessons: I will not forget Turbo’s instruction in the first episode to hold a baby “like a football.”

OTHER UNDER-THE-RADAR SERIES TO CHECK OUT:

• Scamdance. A version of The Producers for the modern age, where two cons try to raise money with a fake film festival, with plenty of film references along the way. Currently seeking funding on Kickstarter.
• The One?. A schlubby thirtysomething has a Matrix-like awakening. Also seeking Kickstarter funds.
• Broken At Love. A web series about a romance between a tennis star and a common gal now entering its second season.
• This Is Mark Twain. America’s favorite steamboat-era humorist is transported to modern times. Of course, he has an AOL account.

Got a series you’d like to see featured in the Indie Spotlight? Be sure to contact us here. For best coverage, please include a full episode in your e-mail.