Indie Spotlight: A Hypochondriac Nurse Learns The ‘Dangers Of Online Dating’

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.

Online dating is a nerve-wracking premise at its core, but if you know the health dangers posed by sexual contact, the experience can become even scarier. That’s the idea behind the web series The Dangers of Online Dating, a comedy from creator Brianne Nord-Stewart about a nurse who must overcome her fears (and her medical knowledge) in order to snag herself a man.

The woman at the center of The Dangers of Online Dating is Paula (Paula Burrows), whose buttoned-up attitude and preference for celibacy is informed by the sex-induced maladies she sees every day in her work at a Vancouver clinic. With a little help from her friends, she sets up an online dating profile and launches herself into a series of clumsy encounters. Those situations are made even more awkward by Paula’s reserved attitude around the opposite sex — and her penchant for daydreams.

While its premise is undeniably similar to those of many other web series, The Dangers of Online Dating succeeds with a sharp vision, strong characters, and a charming performance in its leading role. Two episodes of the show are currently available on YouTube.

OTHER UNDER-THE-RADAR SERIES TO CHECK OUT

• Genders*. A German series (with English subtitles available) explores modern gender identity.
• Hiking with Kevin. Actor Kevin Nealon heads on hikes with his famous friends.
• i want to kill. James Adomian leads this bizarre series acted out by action figures.

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.