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.
A man known for his sketches has channeled his funny through a new web series. Brian Jordan Alvarez is the creative force behind The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo, which follows its titular characters as he sorts out his own life and the lives of those around him.
Alvarez plays Caleb, whose friends constantly turn to his for dating advice. When confronted by his many confidants, Caleb is a man of many answers; at the same time, he struggles to sort out his own romantic pursuits, which include multiple suitors, intimate FaceTime conversations, and an unrequited crush on a straight man.
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What makes the Caleb Gallo pilot so impressive is its fast pace and nonstop wit. The episode is nearly 20 minutes long, but thanks to Alvarez’s charming performance, a tight script, and a number of wacky side characters, there’s not a dull moment throughout the whole thing.
Alvarez is known for creating short sketch videos about life as a gay man, and Caleb Gallo feels like a bunch of those sketches pasted together. At the same time, the series is well-centered, and the pilot maintains strong continuity throughout. Check it out, and see if you’ll join the Brian Jordan Alvarez fan club; his admirers include Tyler Oakley and Willam Belli, both of whom left him cheerful YouTube comments.
OTHER UNDER-THE-RADAR SERIES TO CHECK OUT
- Dirty Cues. An FBI agent goes undercover at a film studio run by a Colombian drug lord.
- The NoHo Rag. This series, which just started its second season, goes behind the scenes of a gossipy news show.
- The Undone Sweaters. A real life Weezer cover band chronicles its fictional adventures.
- The Support Group. Quirky characters confide in one another.
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