During one of the weeks when my team was “on-call,” we discussed YouTube and the readings for the week. One of the associated terms in which I made a Key Term, was webseries. They go hand in hand, as YouTube has become a popular place for publishing webseries and sharing people’s individual creations.

By definition, “a web series is “a series of scripted videos, generally in episodic form, released on the internet, or also by mobile/cellular phone””

(Yes, I just quoted my own blog entry. Oops!)

But I’ve learned a lot more since generally searching for a general definition. I’ve learned that webisodes are generally 5 to 10 minutes long and get right to the point with their plots and narratives. Anyone with an idea can pick up a camera and start filming and produce their own series. I’ve also learned that webseries are much more than a hobby to many people.

To certain groups, they are a means of expression for ideas that have yet to be picked up by mainstream television. Producing a webseries gives minority groups and ideas a channel to voice their opinions on issues relative to their demographic. Some unrepresented demographics on mainstream television (i.e. blacks or the LGBTQ community) find a stronger voice in watching certain webseries, as well. Though there is not really one major source or platform for sharing webseries, and most people need to actively seek them out, communities continue to emerge, bonding over specific issues portrayed within the content of the series (for example, domestic abuse, drug addiction, love and related topics, etc.).

Now, one MAJOR source of confusion for me was in regards to online networks like Netflix, who produce their own shows, such as Orange is the New Black or House of Cards. Well, I’ve learned that they follow a more traditional/mainstream television model and are NOT webseries. And this example has been brought up quite frequently throughout the remained of the course (and I sink a little lower in my chair each time because I initially made the mistake of calling OITNB a webseries). Netflix original series run as long as traditional shows aired on television, have a higher budget and production quality, and can only be accessed with a Netflix subscription.

Orange is the New Black does cover some issues not addressed on mainstream TV – such as homosexuality, transgender issues, issues of race, etc. but not in the same way that actual webseries do. Webseries found online, though scripted, have no boundaries on what they can and cannot include. There is no regulation on content or censorship as there is on mainstream television (or Netflix, which has become the college-student’s take anywhere TV). Some Webseries HAVE been picked up for television by networks such as HBO, but for the most part they remain a strong “underground” channel.

So, lesson learned – Orange is the New Black is NOT a webseries, and the difference will forever be ingrained in my head because of this class.