Lexie, aka sassylassie1018, has graciously agreed to provide recaps of Jan.  In her own words, Lexie “is married to her husband, who is incredibly patient with her Steve/True Blood obsession.”  She’s employed as a Paramedic, so be kind to her … you may need her one day!  Lexie “has written over a dozen best-selling novels, is a winner of virtually every award that there is to offer mostly for her humanitarian work (just checking to see if you’re paying attention). Lexie also lives in a castle in New Jersey. No? I gave it a shot.”

“Jan” has been developed by Jon Avnet (Uprising, Black Swan, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Risky Business) and Rodrigo Garcia (Albert Nobbs,  In Treatment and Mother and Child). Avnet and Garcia have created and launched WIGS, a digital channel on YouTube that is creating original scripted dramas and short films about the lives of women.  These men have a proven track record of success and quality. WIGS is showcasing “Jan”, which could be considered a filmed novella, as their premier series. Might as well start strong, right? Might I be so bold as to suggest you subscribe to WIGS? Well I just did…so there.

Episode 1: “First Job”

Jan (Caitlin Gerard) wins a competition to work alongside Mel (Virginia Madsen) who is a famous photographer a la Annie Leibovitz. Let’s just say her first day is fraught with disaster. Virginia Madsen’s character Mel is, well … she’s a bitch. But sorta kinda in a good way. She has made it in a business that more often than not is unkind to women who are too soft and who don’t go after what they want with a vengeance. More on that later. Well, Mel is doing a book featuring pictures of women who have just made love, although I think it’s after they orgasm. The book is called “Afterglow”. Granted that sounds daunting, especially for a  young woman doing her first big job (or is it her first job, period?).

Saying Jan is nervous is putting it mildly. Gerald (we all know it’s Steve) calls out to Mel and Jan reacts like someone just shot her in the keester with an electric cattle prod. Her lens cleaning brush flies into the air and she falls to the ground, limbs akimbo. Ok, so maybe I will cut her some slack; she MUST know who the subjects are and she does have a poster featuring Gerald in her apartment (seen in Episode 3) so maybe she has a crush on Gerald. But really??  The brush flying into the air and falling into a heap? Gery introduces himself and Jan looks up at him with an expression that I would imagine most of us would have (somewhat less infantile though) if we met Steve wearing just a towel (although I would be copiously drooling).

There is a brief exchange between Mel and Gery ending with Mel telling Gerry to get back to work and Gery responding with “I shan’t be long”. Afterglow indeed, hell I was a fucking glow worm right after he said, “Hello my name is Gerald,” wearing a towel. Anywho, Mel leaves the room muttering, “watch they take forever”. Forever … mmm purely as a horny fan of Mr. Moyer … forever would be good … but hell, I was almost done when he appeared in the towel, but I digress.

Jan immediately picks up her phone and starts texting. Really??!! On a job where you’re trying to make a good impression and so far you’re not quite batting a 1000, your first priority is to text? Is this just  society today?  No, sorry, I can’t accept that. You’re on a job and so far the boss seems to think you’re … well, I don’t know what Mel thinks, but I know it’s not positive. They say you can’t make a second first impression. So far … I think Jan is way too immature to cope with this situation. She has been thrown into the deep end of the pool and she’s doing that finger pointing thing you see in cartoons where the drowning person comes up 3 times. 1 finger is up ladies. Jan’s attention to her phone causes HER to break her glasses by stepping on them.

Meanwhile, in the background you hear Andie (Jaime Murray) “enjoying” Gerry’s attentions. I must make a confession here … I replayed that scene about 9000 times listening to hear if Gerry was having any fun (hey, I need more ammunition for the continuous sex loop I have going in my head involving Steve and me).  Sure call me a pervert.  I would like to think I’m more of a libidinous philosopher. When the actual photos are taken, Gery mentions, “I’m responsible for that look.” I said it before but it bears repeating. You surely are Stevie Mcsexytowel, you surely are.

While the photos are being taken, Jan is holding the reflector and Gery comes over to help hold it higher and her glasses fall off and he sort of half steps on them. The lens does crack more, but they were already cracked. Gery seems to be a genuinely nice guy. You can see a mischievous gleam in Gery’s eyes. Gery is a bit of a rascal, but with a good heart. Jan? So far Immature, clumsy and ungainly. I get that she is supposed to appear as innocent and nervous. The whole glasses incident seems a tad cliched.

I just have one question … can I get the towel Gery was wearing on e-bay? I had thought of getting it, putting it on my bed and wriggling around on it. Is that wrong?

Read more episode recaps by Lexie.

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