Amy Poehler’s new web series Smart Girls At The Party launched today from ON Networks with Mattel’s Barbie attached as lead sponsor. The series, announced earlier this fall, had been looking for the right sponsor, one that aligned with its parents and kid-focused audience. While the official launch of the series isn’t until Monday, ON has gone ahead with a soft launch today.
Poehler stars as host along with longtime friend Meredith Walker, a former senior producer for Nickelodeon’s Nick News, and musical lead Amy Miles, recording artist and host of PBS children’s show LOMAX: Hound of Music. The 8-episode series was created for young girls and their parents and “aims to help young girls find confidence in their own aspirations and talents.” In each episode, Poehler interviews a smart young girl with a unique talent, community interest or point of view.
The first episode, “The Writer – Cameron” (above) debuted today, featuring Poehler interviewing 10 year-old Cameron King who has taken to writing paranormal and mystery stories. Questions range from “When did you first find our you love writing?” and “How do you beat writer’s block?” showing the remarkably mature and intelligent young writer knows what she’s doing.
Balancing serious moments with Poehler’s style of intelligent humor, the show breezes through the 5-10 minute episodes in a light-hearted fashion. Upcoming episodes will feature a variety of young go-getters including a young yogini named Anna chatting about the benefits of yoga, a young urban gardener tending her crops in a New York City community garden and even an all-young-girl band named “Care Bears on Fire.”
While the first season is slated for just 8 episodes, all future seasons will have 12 episodes each, according to the producers. Showing their passion for the project, ON Networks and Amy Poehler have committed to a staggering four additional seasons. Austin-based ON Networks is one of the largest independent distributors of original, episodic HD programming. Smart Girls will be distributed through the show’s main site, www.smartgirlsattheparty.tv, iTunes, Adobe Media Player and several mobile partners, including AT&T who is also an investor in ON. New episodes will be released every Monday for the next eight weeks.
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Comments
Wow Mark.
Did you enjoy writing this post? It must have been work cause I couldn’t sit through the whole episode. I love Amy Poehler to death but after two show opens and a Barbie ad before any content I was really ready for a joke. A big joke. I couldn’t believe it when the precocious 10 y/o says she can’t remember when she didn’t like writing. I was out.
I don’t know if Amy Poehler has “Brand Permission” to make this kind of show. After watching her do that incredible Sarah Palin Rap on SNL I want more. Watching this like walking into Disney World to go on Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean only to find rides from a local kid’s carnival.
Maybe I wrong about this? Maybe I should become a mom and watch this show with my daughter.
I want the comic genius Amy Poehler not Amy the mom.
I took Tim’s lead, and watched the show with an actual 7 year old (my daughter). I’m guessing that’s the low end of the target audience age range?
She liked the show well enough – not terribly excited about it, but said “it was pretty good.” We watched the whole thing. She perked up when the clever little munchkin read her scary story.
Afterward, she said, “Isn’t that the lady with the pretend moose and the eskimos?”
I think she, like me, was a little disappointed that Poehler was so…. reserved. She didn’t seem genuinely interested in what the kid was talking about – it was more like, “look at me, I’m feigning interest in this smarty-pants kid.”
And, of course, the whole Barbie thing is repugnant. I wanted so badly to like the show. What a cool idea, showcasing talented smart girls. And Amy Poehler (usually) rocks.
But what does message does it send, having it sponsored by, of all things, Barbie, the antithesis of be yourself “girl power”? It’s disappointing.
Elisabeth “podcastmama,”
Always the trooper.
I was hoping I was wrong and that I just wasn’t patient enough. Maybe future episodes will rock the house. All the Mamas in the house put your hands up! All the Mamas in the house put your hands up! All the Mamas in the house put your hands up! What you know Eskimo?
@Tim – I’m not in the demo either. But to be honest, I didn’t think it was that bad. Maybe I’m a sucker for girls who can actually think and intelligently represent themselves.
@Elisabeth – Thanks for sharing the 7 year-old screening recap. I was wondering what they would think. Does this mean she watched the Poehler-Palin rap on SNL?? Impressive.
And about Barbie – let’s take this for what it is. A premium brand taking a chance on a web series that no one has seen and isn’t going to be on a traditional TV network. Sure, the overlay ads were a bit much after the pre-roll, but it’s still a good thing for the web video industry in general. The show is cute, touching and better than a lot of what’s on cable.
Wow… I’m so mind-numbingly bored now… that was AWFUL! Oh shit, it’s still playing in the background… going to commit seppuku now…
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