“AS IF”
Starring Adrienne Wilkinson
The creative team behind the current British television hit of the same name brings the concept to American television in this new half-hour dramedy. “As If” explores the emotional drama - and exhilaration - of the time in a young adult’s life when everything seems possible. The series focuses on a group of six friends at the very pinnacle of young urban adult emotional insecurity. Ranging from the sweetly beguiling to the most post-modernly cynical, this contentious but ultimately loyal gang faces a world of sex, romance, career and identity with unequal parts of optimism and doubt. Fresh and youthful, they represent the first adult generation of the 21st century while at the same time are saddled with the age-old complication of trying to discover the truth about themselves and their world.
Comprising this disparate group are:
Jamie: A college student with infinite restless energy, Jamie is appealing in the same way as a puppy - cute, wide-eyed and always making a mess. He is the natural comedian of the group whose endearing persona is offset by his clumsy social manner and embarrassingly low success rate with women.
Nicki (Adrienne Wilkinson): Nicki is materialistic, beautiful, wildly flirtatious and sophisticated far beyond her years. Commandingly in charge of her sexual destiny, she has no reservations about picking up and discarding men at will. Although some may regard her as shallow, she is good-hearted and bright - bright enough not to work too hard.
Rob: Rob is cool and laid-back. He’s a bit older than the rest of the group, and they tend to view him as the “mature” one. Rob is self-supporting yet seems to have little direction in his life. Though he positions himself as mysterious and complex, he’s got more attitude than substance.
Sasha: Extraordinarily driven, persevering and independent, Sasha has made her way up from the bottom and has learned how to get what she wants. She is the group’s resident drama queen, whose theatrics have a way of keeping those around her off-balance.
Alex: Slightly younger than the rest, Alex is the smartest of the group and is clearly destined for success. He is also highly intuitive which makes him the confidante of choice to many of his friends. Additionally, he is gay, which isn’t a problem with him or his circle but might be for his parents whom he hasn’t told yet.
Sooz: Cool, whip-smart, sharp-tongued, guarded, alternative and cynical, Sooz thinks long and hard about everything. Her lack of confidence - sexual and otherwise - and her array of tattoos and facial piercings has led her to assume a rather forbidding appearance. Nothing about Sooz - or about being around Sooz - is easy.
In upcoming episodes, Jamie discovers love - or at least lust - on the Internet. When he actually meets his “dream woman,” he learns painful but valuable lessons about the importance of honesty. In another installment, Alex is in love with a tall, dark, handsome stranger. Unfortunately, they haven’t yet had a conversation. When they finally meet, Alex makes a disarming discovery. In a Nicki-centered episode, she grows bored with her friends - she’s sick of hearing about their juvenile problems. However, when her date with a sophisticated older man doesn’t turn out to be quite as romantic as she planned, she realizes the value of her true friends - almost.
“As If” is shot with a single camera in cinema verité style on location throughout Los Angeles. Starring are Emily Corrie as Sooz, Robin Dunne as Alex, Chris Engen as Rob, Derek Hughes as Jamie, Tracie Thoms as Sasha and Adrienne Wilkinson as Nicki. The executive producers of “As If” are Brian Eastman (“Shadowlands,” “Traffik”), Julian Murphy (“The Scarlet Pimpernel”) and John Collier (“The Simpsons”). The director/producer is Brian Grant. “As If” is a production of Carnival Films in association with Columbia TriStar Television.
The show is slated to begin airing some time in March.