Afternoon Delight

Afternoon Delight: Don’t Miss ‘Driver Ed’, An Endearingly Offbeat Web Series

What better way to prepare for the fast-approaching weekend than by indulging in the some of the Internet’s most well-done web content? Take advantage of your lunch break and treat yourself to Afternoon Delight, Decider’s carefully curated picks of the best short-form content available on the world wide web. This week we’re spotlighting Driver Ed, a new web series created by Boardwalk Empire vet Jacob A. Ware.

Meet Ed, an introvert of sorts who finds himself in a sticky situation when he prepares to finally meet his online girlfriend of two years – and realizes he might have to confess that he’s been lying about his profession all along. The big fib? That he’s a NASCAR driver. The only problem is that Ed has no idea how to drive, and doesn’t even have his license. Ed implores his BFF to help him get over this massive fear and learn to finally live his life, and he discovers some interesting and unexpected things about himself in the process.

Rather than playing into tired web series tropes, Driver Ed taps into something totally unique. There aren’t lame, hokey jokes, or predictable encounters, but some surprisingly surreal comedy that works. Aided by a buzzy, atmospheric score and stylish editing choices, each moment of the compact series flourishes, leading us to wonder what might next be in store for our newly-daring protagonist. There’s a melancholy humor to it all, an embracing of offbeat tendencies that is equally immersive and alienating – but it all works.

As creator and star, Ware does something special here. What begins as a fairly simple premise turns into a unexpectedly smart and nuanced take on gender fluidity and sexuality, and the show handles it brilliantly – especially given that they’re telling these kinds of stories in just a few minutes. Subject matter often treated as taboo or shocking in other series are instead handled as commonplace here, and explored as merely a unforeseen development in Ed’s journey. On Driver Ed, there’s weight when there needs to be, and intelligent humor, too. It’s no surprise that this was helmed by folks with pretty impressive resumes.

Watch the first three episodes above (a lovely, lean 10 minutes), and be sure to follow Ware on Twitter for more Driver Ed updates.