Indie Spotlight: At 40, A Woman Finds ‘The Benefits Of Gusbandry’

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. 

Turning 40 is a bummer, but it’s not all bad: At the very least, you can find yourself a new gay best friend. That’s what happens to Jackie Rosenblum (Brooke Totman), the protagonist of a new web series called The Benefits of Gusbandry.

Don’t bother looking up “gusbandry” in the dictionary; it’s not a real world. It’s a portmanteau of “gay” and “husband,” and in the context of the show, it refers to Jackie’s relationship with her new friend River Manning (Kurt Conroyd), who she meets at her debaucherous 40th birthday party. The show’s description describes Jackie as a “serial relationship killer,” and the first episode sells us River as the witty partner-in-crime she needs to get her life together.

Like another series I reviewed about a budding gay/straight friendship, The Benefits of Gusbandry works because of the chemistry of its stars. Totman and Conroyd bounce off each other in a positive way, and creator Alicia J. Rose gives them some good lines to work with. Beyond the show’s central relationship, there’s plenty of well-executed cringe comedy to go around, so don’t think for a second that The Benefits of Gusbandry is short on laughs. It’s eight episode first season will roll out on YouTube and Vimeo.

OTHER UNDER-THE-RADAR SERIES TO CHECK OUT

• #NoHomo. Two straight guys try to “go gay” to pick up women.
• Lake Effect. Awkward moments take place in the Windy City.
• Trash to Treasure. Dumpster diving is turned into a precise art.
• Trump – Official Trailer. The Presidential candidate on everyone’s mind is mocked with a satirical coming attraction.

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.