Webseries: Infamous

By Lisa Fary

I’d like to be able to talk about Infamous without referencing that other show about supers as a point of comparison, but that would be kind of like speaking Hemingway-esque prose describing an elephant when there’s one right there in the room with you.

Infamous, a web series currently running on Koldcast, is the anti-Heroes. It’s dark. The supers aren’t engaged in saving the world (that we know of so far). The characters show no tortured emotions about why they’re like this; instead, they use what they have to get what they want.

There’s no build up - Infamous just starts in the middle of the action and avoids falling into clunky, plot-stopping exposition. It’s there, but it’s organically occurring in the plot and dialogue. You know, the way it should be.

In the four available episodes, we meet four main characters with metahuman abilities: John, Solomon, Palmer, and Morgan. John is a regenerative. Solomon is a mind read/ manipulator. Palmer talks to electronics – and it looks like the conversation goes both ways. Morgan’s ability isn’t clear yet, but it’s safe to assume she has one.

For a series featuring characters with superpowers, special effects are practically non-existent, but it’s still very believable. The point is made with camera work, some make-up, and story. We don’t need to see John throw himself out of a window every installment to remind us that he regenerates. (Pay attention, network TV. When your creative team has a clue, you don’t need the CG bells and whistles).

The acting is on par, too. Everyone delivers a good performance. The stand out, however, is John Chambers, the actor playing Solomon. That guy is creepy as hell. In an instant, he can go from slick, dangerous bad ass to groveling toady. He owns the screen whenever he’s on.

So, I’ve made some executive decisions. The villain in Chris Nolan’s next Batman movie should be the Penguin and John Chambers should play him. I don’t even need a producer credit for that; I just want to help. You’re welcome.

You all know I’m incredibly hard on anything in this genre. It’s not that I like hating stuff; I just hate to see so much of it done badly. Seems like I hardly like anything anymore, but I like Infamous.

Watch Infamous at Koldcast.tv and on their YouTube channel. Later this week, I’ll be interviewing the creative team behind the series.

Lisa Fary is a graduate of the creative writing program at Florida State University and holds an advanced degree in Special Education. Her earliest influences are Princess Leia, Rainbow Bright, Astronaut Barbie, and her 6th grade teacher, Ms. Palmer. She’s angry that it’s 2010 and she still doesn’t have a hovercraft, but will accept a jetpack as consolation. That jetpack had better be pink with a rhinestone monogram.

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