Indie Spotlight: ‘Driving Arizona’ Finds Comedy On The Way To The Airport

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.

If this week’s United news has left you search for more examples of airfare-related shenanigans, look no further than Driving Arizona. Joe Ahern, Dylan Tanous, and Anthony Pucillo‘s tale of two guys who shuttle people to the airport and get into plenty of trouble along the way is a well-constructed comedy with a sharp sense of humor.

Driving Arizona stars Ahern and Nicholas Daly Clark as Glen and Duane, the inept employees in the front seats of a nondescript white van that serves as transportation for customers who need to get to Phoenix’s Sky Harbor airport. As the show’s first installment indicates, Glen and Duane are no good when it comes to their job, but they’re quite good at getting caught in pickles that are unfortunate for them and amusing for viewers. By the time the credits roll on the premiere, we’ve already been treated to a case of vehicular assault, a dastardly plot involving gin, and a deftly-executed case of mistaken identity.

The presence of three writers may seem like a lot of cooks in the kitchen, but Ahern, Tanous, and Pucillo do a great job of crafting their episodes so that they click together as complete units. At the same time, the laughs are fairly consistent on a moment-to-moment basis. Watching Driving Arizona is a satisfying experience, and it makes me feel lucky that I can take the train to the airport.

OTHER UNDER-THE-RADAR SERIES TO CHECK OUT

• Trying My Best. This whacked-out, colorful puppet show is fully funded and ready to roll.
• Pretty Dudes. A group of friends sort out their love lives as they try to hook up their friend.
• Inspector K. The latest web series out of Nigeria follows an unconventional detective.

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.