written by Lorraine Mazza
blog layout by Amanda Vontobel
In case you weren’t aware, TV is moving to your computer screen. In the last year or so, more and more web series have been popping up around the net. The first one that I have watched from the ground up is “We Have To Stop Now”, which stars Cathy DeBuono and Jill Bennett. The series is written by Ann Noble (who also stars as Jill’s sister), directed by Robyn Dettman, and is co-produced by Cathy and Jill. The combined talent of these ladies make up DynaKit Productions, LLC. The strides DynaKit has taken since its inception prove they are a force to be reckoned with. The series has recently kicked off its second season with a bigger cast of characters, on location scenes from the Sweet Cruise Line and soon to come, longer episodes. So, how did it all start? Well, as often is the case, many things led up to how it surfaced. But, for the sake of this blog, I will recount the summary of events as I recall them.
First, let’s start with Cathy and Jill, two openly gay actresses who were frustrated with the lack of lesbian content in mainstream Hollywood. Rather than continue battling the forces against them, they started to seek ways to change the rules. They networked within their community of friends and colleagues with a shared desire to create entertainment utilizing each others talent and resources. Cathy vamped up her website and created an online network that provided a place where her fans could connect. During the 2009 Dinah Shore Weekend, she and Jill aired a bunch of live feed videos 24/7 throughout the weekend. The chat room was full of people at any given time, getting to know each other between live feeds and making friends, that for many would come to surpass the online world. It was that weekend the CDB Crew was born. As the weeks passed, the chat room continued to flourish bringing in more people on a daily basis. When We Have to Stop Now started to air, it became a high point for discussion in the room. Though the episodes were only about 8 minutes long at the time, there was a lot of content packed into those 8 minutes.
Ann Noble’s writing is refreshingly witty. The dialogue she puts forth in every scene is sometimes sparse, but packs an intense punch. This allows the acting skills of Cathy and Jill to really shine, as they deliver each scene with a keen sense of their mannerisms along with the dialogue. I recall several nights hanging out in the CDB room analyzing the brilliance we were all enjoying on our monitors. During live feeds, season 1 played over in a continuous loop before the feed came through, which gave the Crew even more fuel to have fun with. Reciting lines along with the loop (slap, kiss, kick! and Poptarts were big faves) and making up names such as “Cindy No-Pants” all became part of the fun of Cathy’s community. It was sort of our own online Rocky Horror Picture Show. Those are some of my fond memories about the chat room and the show, but let me leave the nostalgia for another time, and get to the show itself.
Season 1 plunges us into the lives of lesbian couple Dyna and Kit, who are both therapists and have written a book called “How To Succeed in Marriage Without Really Trying”. We first see the couple sitting on a couch in therapy bickering at each other, much to the dismay of their therapist Susan (hilariously played by comedian Suzanne Westenhoefer). Dyna and Kit soon learn that their book has hit number one on the best seller list and and a documentary capturing their day to day lives is to begin filming. They decide to stick it out in therapy and see if they can reconcile their relationship. As if this isn’t enough of a stress factor, Kit’s stoner, deadbeat sister Cindy comes to stay with them. Since Cindy thrives on causing trouble, Dyna and Kit are perfect prey for her shenanigans. She even finds a partner in crime with “camera guy Guy”, played by Cathy and Jill’s real life friend, actor John W. McLaughlin. But, Cindy may not be all bad. In one memorable episode, she and Dyna shared a heart to heart chat (while sharing some weed, of course) where she imposes some pretty heavy wisdom on an unknowing Dyna.
As the series continued to unfold, we saw more deeply into the issues that surround Dyna and Kit. We saw their strengths and weaknesses. We saw their obvious love for each other and their impassioned intent to work through their problems. We saw a few scenes that have yet to be clarified, which adds to the element of surprise that Ann seems to enjoy taking her viewers through. Most of all, we saw season 1 lay out the groundwork for this one of a kind series.
With season 2 now in full swing, it certainly is getting more interesting. There are more colorful characters in the mix. We have actress Meredith Baxter on board as a quirky psychiatrist that Dyna and Kit visit for a few sessions. We also have Dyna’s sister Dee Dee (Maryfrances Careccia) come to town, bringing Dyna and Kit on the Sweet Cruise to further promote their book. And if that is not enough siblings in the mix, Guy’s sister, Shauna, played by Shannan Leigh Reeve, tags along on the cruise to document the goings on there while Cindy and Guy are left behind, which I’m sure will lead to some interesting scenarios. There is even a visit from the ladies of Cherry Bomb, which is a popular vlog on Shewired. We still have a bit to go in season 2, and I’m looking forward to seeing how much craziness is in store. Knowing the brilliantly twisted mind of Ann Noble, I know we are in for lots of surprises to come.
On the music front, season 2 has a brand new intro showcasing the bluesy sounds of Karen Dee, an artist that Cathy and Jill inadvertently discovered while vacationing in Tennessee. Corday has signed on as the musical supervisor providing a soundtrack that includes her own tunes as well as contributions from other indie artists.
So it seems with the shared vision, collaborative efforts and dedication of everyone who remotely believed it can be done, the DynaKit ladies have come through with flying (rainbow) colors. So far, season 2 has more than lived up to being bigger and better as they promised. Not only is this great for fans of quality lesbian shows, but it raises the bar in terms of supporting each other as a community.
Subscription information and all other goodies can be found on the website. If you haven’t done so already, do yourself a favor and subscribe now. Be a part of this innovative series that promises to keep growing and making great strides for the community that has too long been pushed aside by its so-called peers in the mainstream.
