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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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