Look, when Tony Stark arrives stateside after terrorist imprisonment and his first foray as Iron Man, and the first thing he makes his limo driver do is stop at Burger King, the writing’s on the wall: It’s an advertiser’s world, baby, and those of us looking for entertainment are just living in it. Nowhere is this be more clear than online, where corporate-sponsored web series are cropping up all over. (For sobbing out loud, over on the Sobe Life Water site, two of Naomi Campbell’s backup lizards have their own show.) It’s called “branded entertainment,” and muddy creative questions aside, it’s bringing us some highly watchable series, like Nite Fite, a new venture from Next New Networks and Starburst.
Nite Fite began as an episode of animator Dan Meth’s series for Channel Frederator, The Meth Minute, and has been reborn as a full-blown weekly series. Two dorky and combative radio hosts, Penalty and Lloyd (voiced by Meth and Mark Vitelli), take calls on hot button topics such as politics and the Bermuda Triangle. The first three episodes are only a minute and a half apiece, which is a shame, because this is the rare case of comedy in which the bits would be funnier if they went longer. Meth, Vitelli, and the rest of the creative team have chops. It’d be nice to see this potential taken to the next level.
As the series kicks off with a discussion of selling out (triggered by Penalty’s dismay at the Who’s contribution to CSI: Miami), Lloyd reveals that he’s arranged for Nite Fite to be sponsored by Starburst. Penalty objects and debate ensues. So, basically, it’s a fictional show within a real show, sponsored by the product that sponsors the real…look, it’s a little on the meta side, but this is from the guy that brought you Internet People, after all. Bottom line is, it works, and it works because Nite Fite is a fun, well-executed concept you’d want to watch even if candy weren’t telling you to do it.
Animated dork humor that goes down easy. Sweet tooth optional.
See our previous coverage:
