Web Series Wednesday – Inconceivable

By: Kathryn Trammell

Web Series: Inconceivable

By: This is a Spoon Studios

Who? Written by Joel Ashton McCarthy, Rachel Kirkpatrick and Mike Doaga; directed by Joel Ashton McCarthy; starring Katie Stuart, Bruce Novakowki, Shawn Richard, Chantelle Naude, Mike Doaga, and Justine Warrington.

Why Check It Out? Joel Ashton McCarthy’s track record with creating award-worthy LGBTQ-themed web content is commendable and we have to assume that his next such project will be no different. Otherwise, a this-is-the-moment-we-become-responsible-adults story about a self-identified lesbian who becomes pregnant through an “unlabeled relationship” with a straight man might turn some in the LGBTQ community off from supporting this new McCarthy’s new project. But before you write this show off, consider the creative and inspirational source: Joel Ashton McCarthy and fellow series writer Rachel Kirkpatrick are proof that life imitates art, or in their case art imitates life. This is because Inconceivable is a somewhat autobiographical retelling of a time in which McCarthy, a straight man, and Kirkpatrick, a lesbian woman, became pregnant and decided to keep and raise their child together.

Aside from its interesting production backstory, Inconceivable is exceptionally well-made. Even within the span of the pilot’s first couple minutes, Inconceivable demands to be watched. A little bit mid-nineties MTV, a little bit Juno (if Juno had been a lesbian), Inconceivable looks and feels like a show written for the consumption and appreciation of Gen-Xers and Millenials alike. So, if you enjoyed the profound and timely stories of TV series “My So-Called Life” and applauded movies like Saved and Juno for their ability to approach the topic of pregnancy through positivity and humor, then Inconceivable might just be your cup of tea.

Tea or not, I’d be remiss not to mention that if you are a fan of “The 100” and didn’t get enough of Monroe in the show before her story came to an end, Katie Stuart plays the lead in Inconceivable and gives her new character, Rita, a definite swagger, confidence and charm she never had the chance to give Monroe. Stuart shines in this role and imbues Rita with the perfect kind of light cynicism and dry sarcasm that is so desperately needed when trying to balance out a character who is faced with new and serious choices. Her performance alone is enough to give this series a shot.

Check It Out: Inconceivable’s pilot episode is available to watch on the YouTube channel for This Is a Spoon Studios. It is currently in the production phase of its first full season. And follow the series on their webpage!