WATCH: DOWNSIZED Season 2 Episode 3

DOWNSIZED is back today with an all new episode.

In Episode 3, Andy (Conan McCarty) goes door-to-door with his self-help program 'The E Trinity' and discovers his ex-wife Priscilla (Meredith Zinner) is selling off their property in a House Sale.

DOWNSIZED is a made-for-the-web ensemble dramedy about the extremes people go to when faced with an economic crash. The critically acclaimed series, told in "the mosaic style of Magnolia with the dark humor of NURSE JACKIE," follows the lives of several New Yorkers as they try to balance work, love and their checkbooks post-economic crisis.

Watch it below.

WATCH: This Week's Indie Soaps

The week of April 24-30, 2011 had a lot of activity from the indie soap world. ANYONE BUT ME returned to start Season 3, ORANGE JUICE IN BISHOP'S GARDEN
launched Season 4, and DOWNSIZED kicked off Season 2. BROOKLYN IS IN LOVE debuted, as did new series DEVANITY. FREAKS was back with an all-new episode, as was Hillary B. Smith's FUMBLING THRU THE PIECES.

Watch all this action and more below, then go vote for your favorite in our weekly web series poll.

WATCH: DOWNSIZED Season Two Premiere

In the Season 2 opener of DOWNSIZED, Hank (Gerard Urciuoli) tries to shake Beth (Daryn Strauss) out of her depression, while Connor (Chris Henry Coffey) is caught between the sheets with his estranged wife (Michele Mavissakalian.)

DOWNSIZED is a made-for-the-web ensemble dramedy about the extremes people go to when faced with an economic crash. The critically acclaimed series, told in "the mosaic style of Magnolia with the dark humor of NURSE JACKIE," follows the lives of several New Yorkers as they try to balance work, love and their checkbooks post-economic crisis.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV 2.53 DOWNSIZED Season Two Premiere Party

On episode 2.53 of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, Roger Newcomb and Kevin Mulcahy Jr. travel to Copia NYC, site of the second season premiere party for DOWNSIZED the web series. Daryn Strauss (Beth, creator/producer), Duncan Murdoch (Lowell) and Conan McCarty (Andy) are interviewed.

Indie Soap Beat: The Latest Web Series News

Here's a rundown of some of the latest web series news:

WE LOVE SOAPS TV attended the second season premiere party for DOWNSIZED on Tuesday night at Copia in New York City. The crowd, which included ALL'S FAIRE creator Thom Woodley, and THEN WE GOT HELP's Julie Ann Emery and Kevin Earley, loved it. Look for additional coverage of this event later today.

Southside, the new movie from THE BAY creator Gregori J. Martin starring Kristos Andrews, begins shooting today in New York. Emmy winner and Indie Soap Award nominee Martha Byrne will be playing an NYPD cop in the film.

WATCH: THEN WE GOT HELP! 2.3 "Battle of the Exes"

On this week's episode of THEN WE GOT HELP we meet Emily's husband Michael! Since he won't come to Group, Emily begins secretly taping Michael (played beautifully by Darren Legallo) at home.

Also this week, a new couple, played by Eric Anderson (Broadway's "South Pacific") and Daryn Strauss (DOWNSIZED and Digital Chick TV), comes to group with a secret.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV 2.45 THEN WE GOT HELP's Rush, Jacobsen, Ferrara & Strauss

On episode 2.45 of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, Damon L. Jacobs and Kevin Mulcahy Jr. travel to Gossip in New York City to attend the THEN WE GOT HELP! Season Two launch party. Along the way they speak with actors Jessica Rush (Jenny), Shane Jacobsen (Scott), Susan Ferrara (Gerry) and Daryn Strauss (Paige), who also created the web series DOWNSIZED.



RELATED LINKS:
- WE LOVE SOAPS TV 2.44 THEN WE GOT HELP's Emery, Earley & Hammond
- THEN WE GOT HELP! Official Website
- THEN WE GOT HELP! 2.1: "Haven't We Been Here Before?"
- THEN WE GOT HELP! 2.2: "Keep on the Sunny Side"
- DOWNSIZED Official Website

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INDIE SOAP BEAT: March 19, 2010

In this week's "Indie Soap Beat" feature we reveal the latest happenings from around the world of independent soap opera and web series production. Click the show logos to visit the official websites.

In case you missed it, check out Damon L. Jacobs' recent feature on "Gays on Indie Soaps" here.

Winner for Best Indie Soap at the 1st Annual Indie Soap Awards, DIARY OF A SINGLE MOM released another new episode on Thursday titled "Promise Keeper." Ocean tries to help Peggy who's been behaving erratically. Peggy finally takes a step to help herself and in doing so, realizes how lonely she is for male attention. Lupe wonders if God has abandoned her. At the same time, Ocean confronts the devil she knows. DIARY has been named "Web Series of the Year" by the Los Angeles Web Series Festival.

GOTHAM aired a new episode this week featuring the debut of Matt Crane as Perry. This week's opening theme was "New York, New York" sung by Broadway legend Lee Roy Reams. In the pre-show chat, producer Martha Byrne revealed that GOTHAM would be casting Richard's son, Nick. Stay tuned!

Enver Gjokaj, who played Victor on DOLLHOUSE, is following launching a new webseries called PREVIOUSLY ON POINT DUME He describes it as "TWIN PEAKS meets Clue." Every "webisode" will be a PREVIOUSLY ON POINT DUME style collection of clips from the previous episodes — and there'll never be a full-length episode, at least not for the foreseeable future. Instead, you'll see the soap-opera parody's storyline unfold through these little recaps.

Here's the synopsis: Something is hiding in the wealthy beach enclave of Point Dume. A dark secret so so secretive it could take at least five seasons to reveal. When big city-boy Lazlo Wood returns home for his father's funeral, his nosy questions threaten to dig up more than just a corpse. What exactly is his step-mother Ginabeth hiding in the pantry? What exactly is Professor Pyle injecting local children with? And when exactly will Bron the Landscapist ever wear a shirt? These and other mysteries promise to almost never be explained in this new recap show for the greatest nighttime soap opera never seen, POINT DUME.

INDIE SOAP BEAT: March 11, 2010

In this week's "Indie Soap Beat" feature we reveal the latest happenings from around the world of independent soap opera and web series production. Click the show logos to visit the official websites.

There was huge casting news from REALITY BYTES this week as the show announced that former daytime soap stars Drake Hogestyn and Tonja Walker were joining the cast. Hogestyn will play Jerry Parker, while Walker will be playing Avery "the queen bitch of daytime" Meadows. If you missed the We Love Soaps interview with newcomer Jered Allen, who will play Ben, read it here. Look for more on the new cast members of RB very soon.

STEAMBOAT creator Michael O'Leary recently spoke to We Love Soaps about the series: "Each one of us is taking what are sensibilities are and trying to make it into a different format, with no money. But the only place you can do that is the internet. If you’re looking for a network to say yes to you, hell will freeze over. This is the great thing about the internet. At least it gives you the forum and opportunity to get your ideas out there. For Martha [Byrne] and Crystal [Chappell] and I, at least you want to get the shot at bat." Read the full interview here.

Winner for Best Indie Soap at the 1st Annual Indie Soap Awards, DIARY OF A SINGLE MOM released another new episode on Thursday titled "Snap-back." Ocean happily takes life-changing action. Lupe flounders on her career path and feels judged by Ocean. Trina's need for attention takes a dangerous course involving Sammy. Indie Soap Award winner Billy Dee Williams is particularly amazing in this episode.

INDIE SOAP BEAT: February 19, 2010

In this week's "Indie Soap Beat" feature, GOTHAM shoots at Nicole Miller, DIARY OF A SINGLE MOM releases another excellent episode, STEAMBOAT moves toward a release, and we reveal the latest happenings from around the world of independent soap opera and web series production. Click the show logos to visit the official websites.

STEAMBOAT is a new web comedy series written by longtime GUIDING LIGHT star Michael O'Leary and directed by former AS THE WORLD TURNS actor Scott Bryce. O'Leary was a guest on "Dayplayer Dish" on Sunday and previewed the series. The show was shot in one day on December 13. O'Leary wants to give fans something he thinks is missing in soaps today - humor and satire (the show is about the backstage happenings at a dying soap). You can listen to the entire interview here. The show is planning to debut on March 1st (first episode or teaser) on YouTube and hoping advertisers will like what they see. They shot 30 minutes which will be broken down into five webisodes. Kim Zimmer plays the executive producer of the soap spoofed in STEAMBOAT. Justin Deas plays the line producer. Orlagh Cassidy is a new age actress. Beth Chamberlin plays a character with drastic mood swings. Kurt McKinnery plays an upper crust actor trying to sell a skin line. Michael Park, who also stars on GOTHAM, plays O'Leary's (Michael) roommate, Dirk, in the series and O'Leary says he's "off the charts funny."

The first episode is about the Daytime Emmys and the things people will do to get votes. Dirk and Michael throw a barbecue to suck up to voters. At the end of the first episode, someone is shot. The show is being shopped to cable networks as well. The show will integrate products into the show in a satirical way.

GOTHAM taped scenes at the Nicole Miller Fashion Week show last Friday. Then on Wednesday, new cast member Matt Crane (Perry), along with Martha Byrne (Catherine) and LaMont Craig (Jayqui), taped on location to the Nicole Miller offices. You can check out photos from the shoot here. The next episode of GOTHAM will air on March 1 and will featuring the opening song, "Love Makes The World Go 'Round," performed as a duet between Byrne and Michael Park.

ANYONE BUT ME will air its next new episode of ANYONE BUT ME will air February 23. Producers/Writers Susan Miller and Tina Cesa Ward appeared on "Sister's Talk Radio" on Thursday night and you can listen to their interview here. The first question is about their Indie Soap Award wins.

We Love Soaps caught up with VENICE actress Gina Tognoni (Sami) at the ONE LIFE TO LIVE studio this week. She said she taped two episodes for season one (the first of which was the scene with dust blowing all round Sami's date with Owen). She enjoyed it and would love to do more. In last week's epiosde Nadia Bjorlin debuted as Lara and had mad chemistry with Jessica Leccia's Ani.

INDIE SOAP BEAT: February 12, 2010

In this week's "Indie Soap Beat" feature, we take a look back at the recent signing of some indie web series by the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), Crystal Chappell directs VENICE, and we reveal the latest happenings from around the world of independent soap opera and web series production. Click the show logos to visit the official websites.

GOTHAM is now a WGAE signatory show. WGAE executive director Lowell Peterson told We Love Soaps that the writers' strike in 2007-08 was focused on web content but more for rebroadcast of television shows: "More recently we've been focusing our resources and analysis on made-for the web shows." Read our entire interview with Peterson here. GOTHAM recently reached a million page views since the show's website was launched. The show also edited the first four episodes together to make it easier for fans to catch up on the saga of Richard and Catherine. You can watch the new edit at gothamtheseries.com.

Winner for Best Indie Soap at the 1st Annual Indie Soap Awards, DIARY OF A SINGLE MOM, returned on Thursday with an all new episode. Look for Season Two to play out every Thursday through March 25. The show is directed and produced by Robert Townsend and stars Monica Calhoun, Valery Ortiz and Janice Lynde, along with Richard Roundtree and Billy Dee Williams.

ANACOSTIA is back today with a new episode! You can watch it here. The episodes starts out by the cast giving fans a "taste of DC." This is must watch! ANACOSTIA is one of the longer web shows. This episode runs over 38 minutes including the fun intro. The show takes place in DC's Anacostia community neighborhood.

ALL'S FAIRE returned on Thursday with a new episode. King Gary investigates the camp of the enemy; Sir Drederick encounters a foreign invader; the women of the faire behold Sir Robert (former GUIDING LIGHT Robert Bogue). If you haven't checked out this absurd and hilarious comedy, check it out.

Writers Guild of America, East Embracing New Media

The Writers Guild of America, East launched an initiative in October 2009 called “Writers Guild 2.0” to address how digital media impacts the ability of writers to balance the urge to create with the need to earn a living. The WGAE is now actively signing digital media companies to Guild agreements and added 22 digital media companies as signatories in 2009 alone.

Martha Byrne's GOTHAM, which recently passed one million page views and has steadily improved since its debut, is one example of an indie web soap that is now a Writers Guild signatory show. Other signatories include Indie Soap Award winner for Best Web Series, Comedy, THEN WE GOT HELP! and the Daryn Strauss series DOWNSIZED, both of which are regularly reported on in our Indie Soap Beat column.

We Love Soaps spoke with WGAE executive director Lowell Peterson about the initiative and the impact it may have on our favorite indie soaps and web series.

We Love Soaps: Web series have been around for years, but in the past year they have really gained more attention. How long have web series been on the WGA's radar?
Lowell Peterson: I've been at the Guild going on two years, and I know for the past year, especially the last eight to 10 months, we have been focusing on made-for-the-web shows, including soaps and daytime serial programs made directly for digital. One of the things we've done is to really think deeply about what it means to be writing for the web, or creating content for the web, as opposed to traditional television. In some ways there are a lot of similarities and in other ways it's a very different medium. What we've tried to do is listen a lot to what people had to say to us about what it's like to write for the internet and mobile devices. In the soap area, a lot of folks doing it are already Guild members. Martha Byrne is a good example with GOTHAM. She's a Guild member.

INDIE SOAP BEAT: February 3, 2010

In this week's "Indie Soap Beat" feature, we take a look back at the Indie Soap Awards, have an interview with COVIES creator Len Collin, details on a Super Bowl contest from THE RULES, and reveal the latest happenings from around the world of independent soap opera and web series production. Click the show logos to visit the official websites.

The 1st Annual Indie Soap Awards were broadcast on Monday, February 1 at We Love Soaps, Outviews, Daytime Confidential and several other websites. DIARY OF A SINGLE MOM won the award for Best Indie Soap, while ANYONE BUT ME and COMPULSIONS tied with four wins each. VENICE won the Fan's Choice Award in which thousands of fans voted for their favorite indie soap.

In total, 13 shows were honored and they all sent representation at the ceremony. The passion and dedication from this talented bunch of producers, writers, actors, directors, etc. was inspirational.

Click here for a complete list of winners.

Irish soap COVIES has now been airing for a month. We Love Soaps spoke with creator Len Collin about the project.

We Love Soaps: For fans who may not have seen COVIES yet, how would you describe the show to them?
Len Collin: It's a drama that combines high comedy and fantasy with social issues, set against the backdrop of the beautiful Mayo countryside. Other than that it's been described as TWIN PEAKS meets FATHER TED.

We Love Soaps: How many episodes have you produced?
Len Collin: We've made eight episodes, each approximately 15 minutes long, so two hours worth of drama and comedy.

We Love Soaps: Have you watched any other web series?
Len Collin: When I came up with the idea for COVIES there wasn't really much to watch. At least not in Europe. It was only later that I discovered series such as PROM QUEEN - which looks sumptuous, but probably only got so many viewers because "Prom" is very similar to another four letter word beginning with "P". I've also seen WEB THERAPY and NOVEL ADVENTURES. I've also looked at the nominees for the Indie Soap Awards. I like BUPPIES and COMPULSIONS.