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Backpackers (web series)

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This article is about the comedy series. For the travel-reality series, see Backpackers (TV series).
Backpackers
Genrecomedy[2]
Created byDaniel Dales

Jarrett Sherman

Jay Bennett[1]
Starring
Country of origin
  • Canada
  • United States[1]
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes
  • 32 (web version)
  • 3 (TV version)
Production
Executive producers
Camera setupsingle-camera[2]
Running time
  • 4-16 minutes (web version)
  • 22 minutes (TV version)
Production companies
Original release
Network
Release
  • 2013–2015 (web version)
  • July 14, 2014 (2014-07-14) – July 21, 2014 (2014-07-21) (TV version)

Backpackers is a Canadian comedy web series, which aired in 2013 on CTV.ca and CW Seed.[3] The CW picked up the series for television broadcast, for which material from the web series was edited into four half-hour episodes, and six new episodes were produced.[1] Backpackers made its television premiere on July 14, 2014.

The series stars Dillon Casey and Noah Reid as Brandon and Ryan, two friends on a backpacking trip across Europe after Ryan and his girlfriend Beth (Meghan Heffern) experience cold feet over their pending engagement.[3] Ryan's stolen journal is posted on the Internet and goes viral, sending Ryan, Brandon, and Brandon's brother Andrew (Giacomo Gianniotti) on another journey, to recover the journal and fulfill Ryan's dream of becoming a published author.[1]

The web series was produced by Smokebomb Entertainment, the digital content division of Shaftesbury Films.[4] The television series is produced by Shaftesbury U.S. and Smokebomb in association with The CW.[1]

Casey garnered a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Performance in a Program or Series Produced for Digital Media at the 2nd Canadian Screen Awards.

On July 23, 2014, The CW removed Backpackers from its schedule after just two episodes, and released the remaining episode on CW Seed.[5]

Webisodes

Season 1

Eight webisodes were released on the CTV website, as well as CW Seed, in 2013.[6]

No. Title Directed by Written by
1"Chapter 1: Pilot"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
2"Chapter 2: Trans-Europe Express"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
3"Chapter 3: A Milf-ey Coast"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
4"Chapter 4: Balls"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
5"Chapter 5: Di Qui All'Eternita aka From Here To Eternity"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
6"Chapter 6: Ich Bin Ein Backpacker"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
7"Chapter 7: Prague is For Lovers"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
8"Chapter 8: Sexy Boys Forever"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid

Season 2

In 2015, The CW began releasing episodes for a second season on CW Seed.[7] The 6 episodes filmed for television were split into 24 webisodes.

No. Title Directed by Written by
1"Chapter 9"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
2"Chapter 10"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
3"Chapter 11"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
4"Chapter 12"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
5"Chapter 13"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
6"Chapter 14"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
7"Chapter 15"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
8"Chapter 16"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
9"Chapter 17"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
10"Chapter 18"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
11"Chapter 19"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
12"Chapter 20"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
13"Chapter 21"Josh LevyIan Malone
14"Chapter 22"Josh LevyIan Malone
15"Chapter 23"Josh LevyIan Malone
16"Chapter 24"Josh LevyIan Malone
17"Chapter 25"Josh LevyIan Malone
18"Chapter 26"Josh LevyIan Malone
19"Chapter 27"Josh LevyIan Malone
20"Chapter 28"Josh LevyIan Malone
21"Chapter 29"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
22"Chapter 30"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
23"Chapter 31"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid
24"Chapter 32"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. Reid

Television episodes

The television episodes each consist of two webisodes merged together.

No. Title Directed by Written by U.S. air date U.S. viewers
(millions)
1"It's Like, 'ow You Say, The Crazy Love"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. ReidJuly 14, 2014 (2014-07-14)0.59[8]
As best friends Ryan and Brandon race across Europe in search of Ryan's missing bride-to-be, they find themselves struggling with the eternal twenty-something question of what to do with their lives.
2"A-MILF-ey Coast"Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. ReidJuly 21, 2014 (2014-07-21)0.35[9]
Ryan is obsessed with finding his fiancée Beth, so he and Brandon reach out to Beth's family to locate her travel itinerary. They quickly find themselves at Beth's younger brother Randall's mercy when he demands payment in the form of topless photos before handing over any info. The guys head to a beach on the Amalfi Coast and spot Isabella Cucinota, the screen siren of Brandon's childhood dreams. Ryan wants to stay focused on getting a topless photo for Beth's brother, but Brandon can't say no when Isabella invites the guys back to her place.
3"Ich bin ein Backpacker"[10]Josh LevyAdam M. Reid & Max B. ReidUnairedTBD
The search for Beth continues, and Ryan and Brandon end up at a music festival in Berlin. They run into Mitchell who, still annoyed at being ditched, withholds Beth's whereabouts, and more importantly, who she is with. Meanwhile, Brandon finds himself choosing friendship over love when he decides to continue to help Ryan search for Beth instead of following his heart.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "CW Seed's "Backpackers" Becomes the Network's First Digital Series to Make Leap from Online to On-Air, With Brand New Episodes Set to Debut on the CW Television Network". The Futon Critic. April 8, 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Backpackers on CW". The Futon Critic. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  3. ^ a b "New Canadian web series target viewers watching on mobile devices". Toronto Star, August 26, 2013.
  4. ^ "CW Digital Picks Up 'Backpackers' Web Series". The Hollywood Reporter, November 28, 2012.
  5. ^ Bibel, Sara (July 23, 2014). "The CW Pulls 'Seed' & 'Backpackers' From Its Schedule After Two Episodes". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  6. ^ http://www.ctv.ca/Backpackers/Video.aspx
  7. ^ http://cwseed.com/shows/backpackers/
  8. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (July 15, 2014). "Monday Final Ratings: 'Mistresses' Adjusted Up; No Adjustment for '24: Live Another Day'". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
  9. ^ Bibel, Sara (July 22, 2014). "Monday Final Ratings: 'Backpackers' Adjusted Down, No Adjustment to 'Under the Dome'". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  10. ^ "(#103) "Ich Bin Ein Backpacker"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
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