Summer Glau Hangs With Giant Robot In New WIRED Web Series

WIRED‘s latest web series teams a nerd queen with a giant CG robot. The channel run by Condé Nast Entertainment has launched Jeff 1000, in which Summer Glau plays the best friend of a ten-foot tall robotic actor.

Jeff 1000 is a documentary-style series that stars the titular robot as a former “Midwestern automotive assembly line worker” who is looking to make his mark on Hollywood. The series follows him and Glau as they shoot a futuristic actor film together, provide behind-the-scenes interviews, and cavort around town together. In the first episode, they go to an art opening hosted by David Arquette, who proceeds to menace Jeff.

Beyond its six episodes, Jeff 1000 also includes a number of transmedia elements, including a number of magazine covers featuring the giant robot. He also delivered his own “quotes” about his transition to Hollywood. “We are too often portrayed as destroyers of civilization or mere servants to live action or animated families,” said Jeff. “I always felt Rosie the Robot was the glue that kept The Jetsons together, but we never got to see her point of view. That’s why I became an actor, to show the softer side of mechanical cyborgs.”

Jeff 1000 is the one of the few scripted series on WIRED; the spinoff channel of the magazine of the same name has also distributed Codefellas, an animated series set at a clandestine government agency. With this particular effort, creator Michael Karnow has combined some light Hollywood satire with strong special effects. The result is a nice little diversion.