It seems NBC just can’t get enough of video streaming, and this past Monday, it launched a web-only TV series called Gemini Division. The sci-fi drama is to be broadcasted via the Internet over a span of 50 five-to-seven minute webisodes. Hollywood starlet Rosario Dawson stars as a cop who investigates the murder of her fiancé, which leads her into a global conspiracy involving “simulated life forms.”
This web-only show is a new experiment for the TV network. It seems that NBC wants to emulate the popularity of video series like that of LonelyGirl 15, but it doesn’t want to sink in millions of dollars into the process. As a result, the webisodes are a combination of live action and animation, which creates mixed results. Also, instead of implementing commercial interruptions (like on the free video streaming site Hulu), Gemini Division will have product placements from big companies like Microsoft and Acura.
Watch the trailer:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o82tzXTCBfc&hl=en&fs=1]
Audience Left Unimpressed
Valleywag, the Silicon Valley gossip blog, has noted the overwhelmingly negative reaction to the first episode on Hulu. Voices in the media like Reel Pop and the LA Times express disappointment. With the unprecedented star power, what went wrong with this series?
There are a few reasons. NBC is trying to perfect a new platform but their efforts seem half-hearted or wrong-headed. Here are a few key ways that they stumble:
1. Poor Content
The first misstep NBC made was to create this series on what looks like a shoestring budget. The greenscreen effects are so bad that you wonder if it’s for an intentional surreal effect. (Note: It isn’t.)
And the plot is very underwhelming. For the first two episodes, very little happens… much of it is Rosario Dawson speaking into a futuristic-looking web-based device (very much like the one we saw on Aurora’s video series). Heck, if I wanted to watch a video blog, I could just go over to YouTube and watch people yammer away about their daily lives!
2. Clunky “Advertainment”
Yikes! In the very first frame of the first episode, you see the Microsoft Windows Mobile logo flash across the main character’s web device. Some of the network execs call the series “brand-centered” but adult audiences are savvy enough to know that this is product endorsement. It can be effectively funny at times, like the moment in Iron Man when Robert Downey, Jr.’s character conspicuously eats a Burger King meal. But here it’s distracting and takes away from the plot.
3. Genre Expectations
Another problem with the show is that it’s 50 episodes of five to seven minutes each. Why are the webisodes so short? Yes, metrics show that the most watched clips are under ten minutes… but they’re clips, not webisodes. Also, shorter clips might be more popular because they contain the content that people are most interested in: movie trailers, interviews, commercials, etc.
With a full-fledged online show, the brevity of the webisodes hurts the continuity. NBC shouldn’t jump to conclusions based on the data that they’ve reviewed: content is still king when it comes to getting audiences. The format should work for the content, and here it feels too cut up and maybe not enough to retain audience interest.
The Bright Side
So, what does NBC get right? For one, choosing an established actress for the lead was a good idea. Although the low production values take away from the suspension of disbelief, Dawson really tries her best to inject warmth and personality into her scenes. Second, the website is pretty slick and offers plenty of features for user interactivity, such as community pages and games.
The Future of Web TV
According to Daisy Whitney, a lot is riding on the success of Gemini Division. The New TeeVee contributor believes that its performance will determine how much money will be put into web TV into the near future. Despite some complaints about the visual effects and the story, NBC really has put in effort into this series: hiring well-known actors, wrangling in big advertisers, and putting some of NBC’s best on the production team.
If Gemini Division doesn’t catch on, does that mean kaput for the rest of exclusive web TV? What do you think?
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Tim Todd
I think it is important to remember that we have only seen 4% (2/50 webisodes) of one platform and this is a multi-platform story. The ARG-like interactive experience has not yet started, graphic novels adding further depth to the story are not yet being released to mobile, and webisodes are not yet being released on a daily basis. It really feels like we have not made it past the introduction and all told, we may have experienced only 2% of the content that is Gemini Division. I think is a bit premature to give a verdict. Right now I am enjoying the experience and looking forward to what is to come.
Part of the problem with reviews like the LA Times article is that they do not understand the medium or the content that they are reviewing and they are judging it too early on without consulting the original sources. This is evidenced by the concluding quote “These scenes resemble nothing so much as the filmed bits in video games, where, as you’ve reached some new level in the action, an actor appears to guide you on. Except here, you only watch.” Gemini Division is intended to be anything but a watch only type of experience as indicated by my prescreen writeup of Gemini Division and teleconference call with Brent Friedman.
For me it is about the story, it is about the world, and it is about immersion. This does not happen in two webisodes. I think that it is important to keep in mind that Gemini Division is a stark contrast to videos watched on Hulu or other media content in general. This is a very new form of media across multiple-platforms and should not be judged preemptively.
In regard to advertisements, again it is all about content. If producers are able to integrate ads into their content in a manner that doesn’t interrupt the content, I am all for it. I thought Electric Farm Entertainment did this in a seamless manner. The brands were there, but they supplemented the environment, and didn’t detract from it. I felt it actually added authenticity.
As I wrote earlier in my review of the prescreening event, even if I had something to selectively filter out the brands, I wouldn’t want to. I felt that they add to the show and make it that much more real. Rather than interrupting the viewing experience, I felt it actually brought a sense of realism and immersion . Very nice. A pleasant experience.
I believe that Reel Pop did better in that they did make the focus about content in their concluding sentence. They note, “That said, the writing on “Gemini” is good enough to keep the intrigue going. If the plot is sufficiently mapped out with the right twists and turns, the lackluster visuals may fade into the background of a good story.”
Gemini Division is much, much more than the ~2% we have seen. It is all about the content and there is not enough yet to immerse myself into the story. For me the verdict is still out they I am enjoying the it so far.
Deleted: The Game
A lot is riding on GD. Its so important for the interactive TV genre that Gemini Division puts on a good showing. This is the kind of innovative product that exploits the interactivity of the internet and changes the passive viewing experience of traditional TV into something far more engaging. Its success would bring much needed attention to the indie interactive web TV scene like our own http://www.deletedthegame.com. Signing Rosario Dawson is a genius and a coup, she is brilliant as Anna.
Deleted: The Game