TV Obsessive
ALT (on DUST)
Katie: I’m going to need you to stop what you’re doing…well, finish this What’s the Buzz first but then go and check out the streaming app DUST. It’s full of independently made science fiction web series, short films and constantly streaming Star Trek. I’m not here to continue to rave about this streaming platform though, I’m here to bring one of its “originals” to your attention.
ALT is a short series about Val (played by Katie Parker of The Haunting Of Hill House and The Haunting Of Bly Manor), a woman who has recently lost her father (Angel’s Sam Anderson). While she is cleaning his house she receives a message through the computer that is apparently from him telling her to not allow a group of people to get a hold of a hard drive that has the plans of a multi dimensional travel device on it. This sends Val into trying to uncover if her father is truly gone. It also drops her in the middle of the search for a power source that gives its holder telekinetic powers.
I’m a huge fan of Urban Fantasy, where supernatural elements are placed in a modern day setting. ALT manages to capture portions of Urban Fantasy but also sci-fi and combine them to create a story that remains grounded even when a topic like multi-dimensions are introduced. It becomes very reminiscent of SYFY’s Wynonna Earp and Warehouse 13 when it comes to its collection of eclectic characters.
A real highlight to ALT is Antoine Chudd (Austin Rising) and Fat Ray Chudd (Courtney Cunningham) a backwater brother and sister duo who run the illegal arms trade in their small town. They bring about a fun element to the series, especially when most of the time they seem to think they are these big shot criminals who wiggle their way into being involved. A lot of the time it seems that they are in their own little episode of Cops, but it strangely works.
What’s a good sci-fi series without an interesting villain that makes you so invested in what he’s after? Enter Amen (Jan Uddin) who was a co-creator of the power source but had let the power it gave him go to his head. Every moment Amen is on screen it feels as though he is a cross between Doctor Sleep’s Crow Daddy and Wynonna Earp’s Bobo. He’s terrifying but also someone you feel you could trust or would trust and follow.
It continues to baffle me as to why science fiction and fantasy are always light years ahead of other genres when it comes to representation, and yet it isn’t taken as seriously. Star Trek had one of the first interracial kisses on television. Lost Girl normalized bisexuality in its story instead of capitalizing on it. ALT achieves a multi raced cast full of characters that are complex and intriguing. It’s a concept that most films are still struggling to achieve.
I could really go on and on about this series. How every frame is a feast for the eyes, which is a hard find when it comes to low budget features. The effects are practical and never once feel cheesy. They even managed to throw in some romance without it feeling like an add on, but in order to fully take in all the ALT has to offer I highly recommend going and watching this for yourself.
