News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media

Don't call it a "Comeback"

This October, Lexus launches its branded, broadband entertainment channel, L Studio. Its aim is to create a destination site offering original, innovative content with familiar faces. A face both original and familiar is Lisa Kudrow, who wrote and produced the new series Web Therapy.

Web Therapy is a 15-part comedy series about Fiona Wallice, a psychotherapist who offers three-minute therapy sessions over the Web. Her character is another flavor of Kudrow Kooky, and the “therapy” that Wallice provides is humorously cringe-worthy. If you enjoy watching Ursula on Mad About You or Phoebe on Friends, you’ll find Web Therapy amusing enough.

We get a pretty good idea of what’s in store for unsuspecting patients when Fiona explains the three-minute concept to her new client and, it so happens, ex-fling Richard: “I have done the 50 minutes with people, but they end up going on and on about dreams and feelings and memories and past experiences that add up to a whole lot of nothin’ as far as I’m concerned.” Web Therapy is a funny look at psychotherapy in the wrong hands.

The first three installments are on the site now, and I look forward to the rest. I love that L Studio is providing a creative outlet for talent such as Kudrow. But the question remains as to whether the internet channel will become a destination site for me or anyone else — will it be the intended HBO of the Web? Most of the programming will contain no Lexus branding whatsoever. Will innovative entertainment inspire us to park our Subarus in the garage in favor of the Lexus?

In the case of HBO, content is king, and we’ll just have to see if the programming continues to inform, inspire and entertain as the advertising promises. There are already a few infotainment pieces on the site, and other well-known writers and actors are scheduled to follow Lisa Kudrow’s lead. A good start, I’d say, but can they keep us coming back after the test drive?

And what about sales? Would Subaru benefit from launching the gay equivalent of L Studio, with original programming created and performed by some of our favorite gay celebs, or has Lexus taken the wrong turn on the marketing highway?

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  • bluerocks's picture

    Go Lisa

    I love Lisa Kudrow so it's great to see her back again. TV online is the future...Everyone wants choice and lots of it. But since we can't be chained down with advertisements online then product placement is inevitable. I seriously doubt that this will generate many sales for Lexus...or Suburu if there was a gay version- although it would be great to see all our favourite gal's in one place!

    Actually...wait...if there was a gay version then Sarah Shahi draped across the back seat of a Subaru at the begining of each programme (doesn't matter what the programme is about) would surely bring some business to the car dealers!

     

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    geeness's picture

    really??

    i hope that tv online is NOT the future, because it's not as great as watching on an actual TV. i don't have to wait for my tv to buffer and then run a programme, stop after a few minutes to buffer some more, etc, etc unlike my computers, and that's computers with top of the line broadband...

    my tv also doesn't sound like it's going to overheat, due to watching a tv programme, either...

    also, why would i want to watch tv online, on a crappy little screen, when i can get a huge tv?? i don't see how online viewing can compete with that, the bigger the (hd) tv the better!!

    as for advertising, i must be immune to it, cos it doesn't matter what advertising i see, it doesn't want to make me buy the product.

    you said sarah shahi draped across the back seat of a subaru would get business for car dealers, erm why??

    a hot man, or woman in your example, is not going to make me go out there and buy a car. or anything else for that matter.

    are you saying sarah shahi WOULD make you buy a subaru? you'd ignore specifications, price, etc, just cos of sarah shahi?? seriously??

    i like what i like, and buy what i like, because i like that product, not cos some celeb is advertising it.

    just the way i feel, but i've never been taken in by advertising. and subaru's are one car i detest, lmao!!

    Pugs2Day's picture

    I like web TV

    But I see your point that it still has many drawbacks at this point.  However, I think the things you mention will get better as technology improves.  And it will.

    As for why I like being able to watch shows or movies on my computer, its purely for selfish reasons; I can watch what I want while the kids have the TV in the den.  I'm just in the next room so I know what they're watching, hear what they're arguing about, etc.  But I can watch adult-content shows like The L Word, as an example, without explaining to my kids why Shane has fucked 3 different women in one episode.  Not that I wouldn't explain it to my 8 and 12 year olds, just not while Mommy's show is on!

    Why send flowers when you can send sex in a basket?

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    Panik's picture

    En serio?

     ... are you saying sarah shahi WOULD make you buy a subaru? you'd ignore specifications, price, etc, just cos of sarah shahi?? seriously?? ...

     

    Relajate, mi amor.

     

    "Stacey Merkins is a fu**ing c*nt! Say it say it say it!"

    FreewheelNat's picture

    TV online is the future

    TV online is the future, and new technologies will emerge to get rid of the drawbacks Gillian is talking about.

    Personally, my computer is now the centre of my entertainment and so, it only makes sense that the last bit of entertainment not provided by it, ie TV, comes to it. 

    *****     *****     ***** 

    Taking off - the novel, coming soon. Starring Katie, a lesbian in London...

    In the meanwhile, you can read reviews of films and books with lesbian/bi characters and/or taking place in London at www.takingoff.org

     


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