Watch out, Degrassi! “Friends, Freaks, and Fakes,” a new web series made by Eastern Michigan University students, is the new buzz.
The series is based on four college students, played by Natalie Joseph, Rickie McDowell, Jahmeel Powers and Kasey Donnelly, trying to break through classic stereotypes and identify themselves in college. The show’s writer and director is Ben Wright.
Powers, who plays Forest Young, said the title shows the category you can put most people into.
“Friends are lifelong friends, freaks are the people who live outside the box and fakes feel as if they have to portray themselves a certain way to be accepted or if that’s how they were raised,” Powers said.
The show officially aired online Jan. 14 and started as an original idea of the writer and director, Wright.
“From my understanding, it was an original project,” Powers said. “It was his [Wright’s] idea. He writes the scripts for us. We had an audition and we were able to meet with him on a one-on-one basis.”
Abigail, Forest, Lucas and Hollie are the main characters who are identified in the show as a friend, freak, or fake. They are first introduced as what they appear to be to others, but Powers said over time, viewers will be able to learn more about each character.
“Each of the episodes is based on a different character, so basically all of the characters get their turn as the central focus point, or as the narrator.”
Forest Young, introduced in the first show, is the best friend of Abigail Flanagan, and can be categorized by some as a freak.
“He doesn’t feel the need to fit in and doesn’t need anyone to control him,” Powers said. “Forest is very interesting for me to play, just because of how realistic he has to be. It’s not too far of a stretch to play him, because I’ve always seen myself outside the box. The main difference between Forest and I is that it doesn’t bother him, and it used to bother me. But we definitely have a lot of common traits and similar struggles.”
This show is for any age, although it will appeal more to college students. “The show could really appeal to anyone,” Powers said. “But I know a lot of the issues that we target and bring into the show are definitely more for college age students.”
Why does this appeal to EMU students? Powers says it is because of the way it is written.
“It is written in a language that is used,” Powers said. “This is something they can relate to, based off the way it is written. It is written by a student who is going to school like you, and shows characters going through the same problems you are going through. I feel this gives the viewers a chance to really connect with the characters.”
Taneaka Haley, a non-EMU student who heard of the show through acquaintances on Facebook, agrees with Powers. Since watching the first episode on Facebook, Haley said she’s hooked.
“The show deals with college students on a college campus, but what they talk about and go through can really be for anyone that is in school, be it high school or college.”
Haley is not the only fan of the show. Powers said the show has gotten positive responses overall.
“I’ve heard it was funny,” Powers said. “Our biggest fans we have are members of the theatre department and definitely, our family and friends. We’re still very new and very fresh. This was our first episode and we’re trying to really put it out there. We are definitely growing and expanding.”
To find out more information on this show, and catch up on the first episode, visit the show’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-Freaks-Fakes.
