Web Series Watch Party: The Outs

Back in October, I had the great pleasure of stumbling across a web series that I instantly fell in love with. Of course, I found the series because of tumblr and the first night that I had found the website I watched all the existing episodes that I could.

This series is called The Outs. 

Of course, for some people this series won't be their cup of tea. The 6 episode storyline follows the lives of two gay men who, before the action of the series, were dating and had moved to New York together. The two eventually fall out of love and break up and the series follows their lives in New York after the break up and the emotional fallout that comes from the end of any relationship. 

The story revolves around Jack

No boxers? That is shameful. 

And Mitchell

That's him. With the glasses. 

The dynamic between the two characters is interesting because the story follows their break up, not their romantic interest in each other. At first, you can feel the tension and anger between the two in the first encounter that the audience witnesses. But as each episode progresses you start to see the characters move towards the closure that each craves for.

The first encounter is masterfully done, as well, because at the beginning all the audience sees is two separate people living their different lifestyles and then all of a sudden we are shown that there is history to the show. Even though we don't fully get that history until a later episode, the scene is written in a way that the audience almost knows everything that has happened between the two of them, even though we are never actually told. 

Each episode lasts only around 20 to 30 minutes, but each episode has proven to be well written, captivating and emotionally moving. As I continued through the series I began to sympathize with the characters, and even start seeing myself in the ups and downs that some of the characters faced. 

The series also offers a perspective on the gay community that is refreshing and touches a lot of bases. From the stereotypical "slutty phase" that Jack claims to go through (and the connotations of promiscuity and gay men) to Mitchell hitting on a burrito delivery man because he is lonely, the series doesn't focus on one aspect for each character. Both Jack and Mitchell hit stereotypical points seen in typical media depictions of gay men and both have moments that people don't normally see in mainstream media. 

One of the best parts of the series is that the characters are flawed, human beings. It's not like watching a movie and thinking "this could never happen because this situation is too fantastic to live in the real world." When you watch the series it's like looking into the lives of two real people. It's like looking through the screen to get an intimate look at a relationship that has gone through hell and is starting to come out of it. 

Each episode is written, produced and shot in Brooklyn, NY. The project was funded by donations and two successful Kickstarter campaigns that allowed the cast and crew to keep the project going. The series works a lot with local businesses and relies almost entirely on local artists and musicians for their soundtrack. WHICH IS AMAZING BY THE WAY. 

Seriously, the soundtrack is great. I listen to it daily and I can't get enough of it. The music complements the action for the story so well, and listening to the soundtrack is like watching the series all over again. 

The story of The Outs captures your attention and keeps you wanting to watch. Before you know it you've watched all 6 episodes in one night and you're sitting in the darkness of your bedroom, wishing for more. The most heart wrenching part of this already emotional show is that the last episode has already been aired. 

The Outs and any information that was written about in this post can be found here or by going to The Outs on Facebook. The pictures above were found from tumblr. Also the AMAZING soundtrack can be found at this awesome link right here or by just clicking the "soundtrack" page on the website. 

Enjoy your watching experience with The Outs!