Digital TV Review: Chicago-Produced ‘Geek Lounge’ Premieres on Amazon Prime

CHICAGO – The comic book admiration society has been the fastest growing sub-culture in the last 25 years. Once thought a remnant of childhood is now a flourishing industry in show business, comic book shops and conventions. “Geek Lounge,” a TV series created by producer/director/writer Larry Ziegelman, explores the comic book/pop culture generation, and is now streaming on Amazon Prime. Click here [21] for the details.

Television Rating: 4.0/5.0

Set like the series “Cheers” in a bar, “Geek Lounge” is where pop culture enthusiasts – both guys and gals – come together to exchanges notes on their favorite obsession. The series has a nice light touch with banter and a surprising depth, choosing to focus on the relationships combined with the obscure objects of their geek desires. The denizens of the lounge are likable and funny, and have the anxieties that most relationship seekers have … are they good enough to pass muster with their fellow travelers, and potential partners? “Geek Lounge” is a place you’ll want to visit.

The barflys of “Geek Lounge” include Chicago actors and improv players Liam Gallogly, Will J. Green, David Weiner, Lee Russell, Erin Colleen Gordon, Conor Burke, Madelyn Murphy, Zoquera Milburn and Danny Ennion (who also have co-writing credit), portraying a group of friends as they sit around, sipping specialty beers, and arguing over important issues like who is hotter, Catwoman or Dark Phoenix, and who would win in a fight between The Hulk and Superman.

’Geek Lounge,’ Available on Amazon Prime
Photo credit: Amazon Prime

What works best about the series is the relationships. The gang feels like the friends you hang out with and debate on various issues, and what better place than a bar for making your point? In one prominent episode (“Going Solo”), it’s a Halloween dress up party. A couple starts talking about trying to approach others with pick up lines, and the conversation moves to something deeper. Show creator Ziegelman has a gift for getting to the poignancy and the underlying themes in the dialogue, which makes the characters that much more engaging.

The ultimate episode is “Game Over-er,” which projects a common theme of saying goodbye to phases in our lives. The gang is together and one of them is leaving. They decide to have a mock funeral getting rid of things that have been seen a barriers to their lives, but it really comes down to how to say goodbye. Because Ziegelman focuses on the friendships, there is an extra sensitivity and power to the proceedings, which is seemingly unimportant at the moment, but resonates in memory because of connections.

The Gang Keeps Debating at ‘Geek Lounge’
Photo credit: Amazon Prime

The series is now available on Amazon Prime, and can be downloaded on other outlets (see link below). Take some time for a trip to the Geek Lounge, and meet some people who will remind you of the importance of your friends.

For an interview with series creator Larry Ziegelman of “Geek Lounge,” click here. [22]

[24]	By PATRICK McDONALD [25] Editor and Film Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com [24]