Strip Search (web series)
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| Strip Search | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Reality TV |
| Created by | Penny Arcade |
| Directed by | Graham Stark |
| Presented by | Graham Stark |
| Starring | see contestants below |
| Composer | Bradley Rains |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 31 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Jerry Holkins Mike Krahulik Robert Khoo |
| Producers | Graham Stark Kathleen De Vere Paul Saunders James Turner |
| Production location | Seattle, Washington |
| Cinematography | Jason Chinnock |
| Editors | Graham Stark Kathleen De Vere (asst.) |
| Production company | Bionic Trousers Media |
| Original release | |
| Release | March 1 – June 18, 2013 |
Strip Search is a 2013 online reality television game show created by Penny Arcade and produced by Bionic Trousers Media (also known as LoadingReadyRun). The show featured twelve artists who competed over thirty-one episodes, with the series' winner receiving a cash prize and integration into the Penny Arcade offices in Seattle for one year.
The show was created as a stretch goal in Penny Arcade's 2012 Kickstarter campaign to remove ads from their website.[1][2] The show was won by artist Katie Rice, who went on to produce the webcomic Camp Weedonwantcha.[3][4]
Creation[edit]
In 2012, Penny Arcade launched a Kickstarter campaign with the primary goal of removing ads from their website for a year. The primary goal required $250,000, but there were also stretch goals, including "a sort of 'America's next top webcomic' show" if the campaign reached $450,000.[5] The campaign exceeded this goal and Penny Arcade committed to producing the show, later named Strip Search.[2] Penny Arcade commissioned Bionic Trousers Media, the legal entity behind sketch comedy group LoadingReadyRun, to film, host, and edit the show.[6] The show cost around $250,000 to produce, and was released in 2013.[7]
In interviews, Penny Arcade said that they received over 1,000 applicants, and used a brutal process to cut down to 12 contestants, including assessing whether they felt they would be able to work with the person for a year,[2] and if they would be funny.[8] Krahulik said of filming that "Jerry [Holkins] was bad cop, and I was the asshole,” and prided himself on how many times he made people cry. Holkins said they had to try hard to create drama, especially in a house filled with aspiring artists who all seemed to get along and understand one another; Krahulik said he look at contestants and think, “what’s the meanest thing that I can say.”[7]
While Penny Arcade referred to the series as "Season One",[2] and left filming of that season confident there would be a second season,[7] only one season was ever produced.
Format[edit]
Strip Search featured twelve cartoonists, living together for the length of the show, competing for a grand prize of $15,000 and a year working in Penny Arcade's offices,[2] including its production resources.[8] The show used progressive elimination to narrow down the initial group of twelve artists to a final winner. While living in a large pineapple-themed house, the artists were given challenges each episode ranging from creative to legal to physical, with the winner or winners of each receiving a prize.
The winner of the last challenge each day had to choose two of the artists to go head-to-head and compete to stay in the game. Elimination candidates met the Penny Arcade creators, Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins, and after selecting two random concepts then created an original comic strip based on fusing the concepts. The winner goes back to the house to continue competing while the loser is eliminated. Several episodes deviated from this format at Krahulik and Holkins' decision, such as eliminating multiple people and returning a previously eliminated contestants.
Contestants[edit]
| Contestant | Comic / work | Occupation / background |
|---|---|---|
| Abby Howard 20, Montreal, Quebec | Junior Scientist Power Hour [9] | Webcomic artist |
| Alex Hobbs 22, Tempe, Arizona | Wanderlust Kid | Webcomic artist |
| Erika Moen 29, Portland, Oregon | Oh Joy Sex Toy[10] | Freelance cartoonist |
| Katie Rice 31, Burbank, California | Skadi, Camp Weedonwantcha[11] | Webcomic artist |
| Lexxy Douglass 27, Carmel, Indiana | The Cloud Factory[12] | Freelance illustrator |
| Mackenzie Schubert 26, Portland, Oregon | Webcomic artist | |
| Maki Naro 31, Brooklyn, New York | Sci-ənce | Webcomic artist |
| Monica Ray 22, Northbrook, Illinois | Phuzzy Comics | Webcomic artist |
| Nick Trujillo 30, Walnut Creek, California | Mynt Condition Comics | Webcomic artist |
| Tavis Maiden 31, Mesa, Arizona | Thunder Skull Press | Artist |
| Trystan Falcone 24, Noank, Connecticut | Clique Refresh[13] | Webcomic artist |
| Ty Halley 25, Portsmouth, Ohio | The Secret Life of a Journal Comic | Webcomic artist |
Contestant progress[edit]
| # | Contestant | Episode | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 30–31 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Katie | NOM | BTM2 | NOM | TOP | WIN | WIN | 5TH | WIN | WIN | WIN | WIN | WIN | WIN | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Abby | LOSS | 2ND | TOP3 | NOM | 3RD | 6TH | WIN | NOM | WIN | OUT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Maki | WIN | WIN | 2ND | NOM | 6TH | 4TH | T3 | NOM | OUT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Lexxy | WIN | OUT | IN | 1ST | 6TH | 2ND | NOM | OUT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Tavis | LOSS | NOM | 3RD | WIN | 2ND | T3 | OUT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Monica | BTM2 | WIN | 4TH | 5TH | 5TH | OUT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Erika | WIN | WIN | DQ | TOP3 | OUT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Trystan | WIN | WIN | TOP | OUT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Nick | WIN | WIN | OUT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Mac | WIN | OUT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Ty | OUT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Alex | OUT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- The artist won the grand prize.
- The artist won a competitive challenge and nominated two others for elimination.
- The artist won a social challenge.
- The artist was explicitly mentioned as finishing well in the challenge.
- The artist was explicitly mentioned as finishing poorly or losing the challenge.
- The artist won an elimination challenge.
- The artist lost an elimination challenge and was eliminated.
- The artist returned after having been eliminated.
Reception[edit]
Multiple reviewers praised the show's friendly, supportive tone, as opposed to trends in other reality TV shows to manufacture and present interpersonal tension and drama.[14][15][16]
References[edit]
- ^ "Penny Arcade Sells Out". Kickstarter. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e Cavna, Michael (February 12, 2013). "'Penny Arcade' Gets Real: With new 'Strip Search' show, 12 cartoonists get a shot at big career boost". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
- ^ "Season Finale Spoiler". Penny Arcade. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
- ^ "Camp Weedonwantcha". Camp Weedonwantcha. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
- ^ Rodgers, Evan (2012-07-16). "Penny Arcade details Strip Search, a webcomic reality show for Kickstarter contributors". The Verge. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
- ^ "Strip Search". Retrieved 2021-02-03.
- ^ a b c Duryee, Tricia (February 17, 2013). "The Penny Arcade Guys Film a Reality TV Show Called "Strip Search"". AllThingsD. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
- ^ a b A Look at Penny Arcade's Web Comic Reality Competition - IGN, 27 February 2013, retrieved 2021-02-03
- ^ "Junior Scientist Power Hour". JS Power Hour. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
- ^ "Oh Joy Sex Toy". Oh Joy Sex Toy. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
- ^ "Camp Comic". Camp Comic. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
- ^ "The Cloud Factory". The Cloud Factory. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
- ^ "Clique Refresh". Clique Refresh. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
- ^ Ferraro, Julius (May 21, 2013). "Getting real with 'Strip Search'". Philly.com. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
- ^ "Penny Arcade's Strip Search: Where Are They Now?". Reviews of Movies | Video Game Reviews | Sketching Details. 6 November 2013. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
- ^ "Strip Search - Series Review". Flickering Myth. 2013-06-22. Retrieved 2021-02-03.