The Digressions shows us how far an interesting concept and a tight script can take an indie web series. As it plays out across a series of two-person encounters, it reveals key traits about characters who aren’t on screen, creating a compelling character study.
The Digressions follows a quintet of friends (Winslow Corbett, Andrew Dahl, Jordan McArthur, Eric Pargac, and Aubrey Saverino) who weave through what the show’s description calls “the detours that happen on the road to adulthood.” On paper, this seems like a fairly typical concept, but it is livened up by The Digressions‘ unique wrinkle: Only two of these characters appear on screen at a time, and each episode spans a single-scene conversation between the two present characters.
This allows the show’s script to shine. In addition to its dry wittiness, the writing in The Digressions does a splendid job of revealing information about characters who are off-screen. On-screen characters tend to paint themselves in a positive light while slandering those who are off-screen, a narrative decision that feels authentic.
This authenticity ultimately drives The Digressions, while each dialogue provides steady amusement. A Kickstarter campaign funded season two, and I hope to see its starting five return for a third round of gossip.
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