Bring back the serial drama: lonelygirl15 and newspaper serials

Fine Brothers Entertainment recently created a YouTubers React video about Lonelygirl15, and it made me realize that this was ten years ago. I couldn't believe it. I remember when I started watching LG15--I was totally inspired, and even thought about starting my own video webseries about twins who had been separated at birth and were about to meet up again. Of course, I got too lazy to actually do that, and realized that the production behind that was actually quite complicated. 

I didn't start watching LG15 until I was in college, and even then didn't start watching it until the second half of my first year (2008). So I had quite a lot of catching up to do, and by the time I started watching it, it was already revealed that it was a fake. I was already familiar with the concept of a YouTube series. What was revolutionary to me at the time was the concept of an interactive YouTube series, where you could be actively involved in the story. It was totally awesome. I was so engaged with the story, despite the massive amounts of plot holes. It was the Chosen One story before Chosen One stories blew up the YA literary/film scene. And it was independent.

Like most old videos, LG15 didn't age horribly well. Looking back on these videos, it's got all of the epitomes of Teen Drama--the overly beautiful teenagers, the overdramaticism, the bloodletting, the cultism, the sexual tension. There's hardly an explanation of how they get their money when they're on the lam, and there's SO MUCH focus on teen sex/relationships. 

Totally stupid. But totally profitable.

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