Internet Television Series ‘Quarterlife’ Reviewed

Back in September, we brought you word that an Internet television series, dubbed “Quarterlife,” would debut in November. As of last week, it was released.

Produced by Hollywood notables Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz, Quarterlife has had just short of two weeks to make some first impressions with the public ? and the press ? and, quite surprisingly, it?s managed to nab itself some fairly good reviews. (Some bads have cropped up - one published yesterday in The New York Times is an example - but not too many, so one could safely argue for overall critical acclaim rather than critical vilification.)

Well, here's come another few good words. Not so much about the content of the project, of course, so much as the project itself. You know, its delivery method, the viewing experience, how it stacks up against the stuff you typically see in a primetime slot on commercial-supported broadcast television during a weekday (or weeknight, as it were). Basically the stuff you generally look to us to analyze and opine over.

The reasons for Quarterlife?s goodness are pretty plain and straightforward. First, it?s not only a MySpace-based provision. It?s got a website of its own. Which is fairly attractive. It?s not too ?in-your-face?, and neither is it difficult to understand. It?s well assembled. Not at all MySpace-ish, which, though not entirely off-putting if done right, isn?t the best Web viewer can get, by any means.

And, oh the video quality. The wonderful, wonderful video quality. If you?ve got a nice, speedy Internet connection (it?s doubtful that you?ll be able to experience the higher definition available with a basic DSL hookup, though, who knows, you might get lucky), you?ll get to choose a near-DVD-like resolution ? fitted to the video window within your browser, obviously ? which, let?s be very clear about, is worlds ahead of what you?ll find anywhere in the realm of YouTube. Really, spend 10 minutes or so going through a couple of episodes (three have been posted thus far, the fourth arrives Sunday evening; every Thursday and Sunday come new episodes) and you?ll simply dread having to venture back to the realm where 320-by-240-pixel spaces remain the norm.

As far as the 8-to-10-minutes-per-episode distribution model goes, it?s actually quite tolerable. Some will certainly want more, while a few will think it a stretch to watch eight or more full minutes of Web video in one shot. (Pausing is possible, but what?s the fun in that?) In the middle, however, there?s likely to reside a comfortable majority that enjoys the storyline as it?s edited at present. And if we?re to be technical about it, two episodes per week run a total count just shy of 20 minutes, and many sitcoms operating on a one-show-per-week schedule (yes, I know, Quarterlife is a drama, but just go forward with the analogy anyway) run a total of 22. So all in all, the arrangement seems reasonable.

Alright, here?s the gist of it. Quarterlife isn?t Heroes for the Web. Nor is it Lost. Nor is it a derivation of any other superbly crafted television series. But it is one of the first major professionally produced Internet television shows to be delivered so far, and it certainly sits amongst the best of its kind, for sure. Yes, it?s a bit predictable, and there are plenty of unoriginal touches here and there. But those things are evident in most of the stuff you see piped through a cable box a pair of rabbit ears already, so, it can hardly be faulted much for playing it ?safe and ordinary?.

What it is, in a nutshell, is a decent piece of entertainment, and something that I can imagine being observed as something of a model for what?s to come in 2008 and beyond. For that, it?s gets my stamp of approval.

How about you? Think Quarterlife deserves the praise (or the criticism) it?s getting? Let us know. Post your comments below!