Web Series Wednesday – Love in 2020

By: Spring Marie Cullen

WHAT? Love in 2020

BY: Christina Garofalo Bonifacio, Eirinn Disbrow and Anna Jaller

WHY SHOULD I WATCH?

Love in 2020 is a timely new web series about surviving quarantine and attempting to date during a worldwide pandemic. The series follows Kenna Benjamin (Anna Jaller), a 28-year-old who’s unlucky in love and hates her job. If life wasn’t bad enough, watching everyone around her quarantine with a partner made her long for some companionship of her own; during a time when finding someone seems impossible. In search of a deeper connection, Kenna turns to dating apps. She refuses to suffer through the pandemic alone.

As the frequent obligatory single friend in my personal friend group, the description alone drew me in. Kenna’s story is incredibly relatable from being the third wheel to almost reluctantly taking on the beast of online dating. The first episode pulled me in, but the follow up, “50 First (Facetime) Dates,” had me glued. Watching Kenna change and slip into different versions of herself for every date, depending on the interests of her prospective matches, made me simultaneously shake my head in disapproval and take some notes. The drastic switch between surfer girl to hippie to preppy only for her to end up texting her ex back instead is exactly what I want out of my romantic dramas. Then, the episode ending with him asking to see her? It’s the soapy cliffhanger dreams are made of.

Kenna’s quarantine journey is a joy to watch. She goes from someone desperate to make a connection with a significant other above all else to learning the importance of being comfortable and loving yourself first. It’s equal parts heartwarming and humorous and Jaller does a great job of making Kenna someone you can see yourself in. Her monologue about being agreeable so she can be deemed nice rather than being herself stuck with me long after the scene ended. The supportive cast is strong, too. James Tang absolutely made me have a crush on Jack and I suddenly need friends exactly like Melissa (Gabrielle Lane) and Chad (Jeff Pierre) in my life.

Aside from the stellar performances, there’s a reason Love in 2020 is so clever, enjoyable and genuine and it has everything to do with the team behind the scenes. The series is 100% written, directed, produced, shot and edited by women. It is the perfect example of how beautiful and entertaining a show can be when it’s a collaborative effort with women at the forefront.

Anyone who felt like they went a little crazy in 2020, either because they were hoarding toilet paper or contemplating their entire life, needs to check out this series. It’s a fun, bingeable show that will have you smiling. I’ve watched a handful of series surrounding the pandemic and Love in 2020 was one of the best. I hope to see a lot more from this cast and crew.

WHERE CAN I WATCH? Episodes are available on the series’ website: https://www.lovein2020tv.com/

Follow on Social Media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovein2020tv/

Website: https://www.lovein2020tv.com/