Birnkrant 616

Birnkrant 616 is an American half-hour situation comedy that originally aired on University of Southern California's Trojan Vision television station from March 2006 to March 2008, lasting two seasons. It is distinguishable for being the first entirely student-produced sitcom in the history of USC television, and the most watched show in the history of the station. Due to it's initial success the program was picked up for distribution by the OSTN, ultimately airing to nearly 5 million people on three networks (Trojan Vision, LA36, and the OSTN). The entire second season appeared exclusively online as USC Television's first official webisode series. Of the series, film critic Jim O'Brien of ABC Cleveland raved, "Better than half the crap I watch on television!"

The series was created by USC Film students Logan Burdick and Jonathan M. Levine, and follows the lives of a group of USC student's interactions with their bumbling WWII Nazi neighbors.

Overview
"Birnkrant 616," was pitched to USC Television in Spring 2005. Although the subject matter was at first deemed too risque for the college, the show was ultimately picked up for distribution through Trojan Vision, online at Trojan Vision.com, and on LA36.

The show primarily followed the antics of lovesick pushover Gary Fischer (Andrew Barton), and his obsession with liberal extremist Dawn Winters (Janel Healy). Gary's best friend and possible schizophrenic Roger Lastaname (Alex Garcia), and drunken fratboy roommate Tad (Jordan Turchin) are often along for the ride. The foursomes adventures however often merge paths with a bumbling group of World War II Nazis (Trevor Davis, Seth Gullion, Will Campos, Ray Chase, and Anthony Christodoulou), who are inexplicably at USC trying to conquer the world, and giving Gary a Reich-size headache.

The first Season of Birnkrant 616 was broadcast during the Spring of 2006. It consisted of seven half-hour episodes primarily following Gary's fruitless attempts to woo Dawn, juxtaposed against the Nazis equally fruitless attempts to conquer the world. Episodes 1-4 were directed by Logan Burdick, with special guest directors taking the helm for the final three: Jonathan M. Levine (Episode 5: "Doheny"), Lauren Scheider (Episode 6: "Astrid"), and Lucas Belkind (Episode 7: "Guten Tad"). Season 1 was a huge success, for the station and the show. Birnkrant 616 won an unprecedented record 6 TV8 awards, including a special award commemorating the show's hefty online audience, which helped make it the most watched show in the station's history.

Following the success of Season 1, Burdick and Levine opted to return for a second season for an opportunity to expand upon the original show. Although originally episodic, the second season took the form of a continuous series, with plot lines and character arcs that followed through all six episodes. A large part of season 2, besides shooting for even greater production value, was greater integration between the production and the university. The 2007 acquisition of Trojan Vision by the USC School of Cinematic Arts allowed cinema students to work on Birnkrant 616 for college credit. To that end, each episode of season 2 was directed by a guest director from the Cinema program: Jonathan M. Levine (Episode 1: "Club Fair"), Monika Lind (Episode 2: "Rush"), Jordan Bahat (Episode 3: "Tad Moon Rising"), Michael Rousselet (Episode 4: "Baby Fat"), Scott Brown (Episode 5: "Roger Isn't Here Right Now"), and Logan Burdick/Jonathan M. Levine (Episode 6: "The R.C. Rapes the Children").

Characteristics

Style
Visually, Birnkrant 616 is notable among both college television programming and the webisode world for it's high production value, and filmic sensibilities. Although written in the tradition of half-hour situation comedies like Seinfeld and Friends most episodes are shot on location with a single camera, shot to look as film-like as possible. Birnkrant was also heavily influenced by the style of popular cartoons of the time like Family Guy or Southpark, most clearly evidenced in Season 2: Episode 4 (Baby Fat). In addition some episodes are also inspired by the documentary approach a la the Office or Arrested Development.

The humor of the show is a blend of situational comedy, satire, and cartoon-inspired insanity.

Themes
Although clearly rooted in slapstick situational comedy, much of Birnkrant 616's humor is also derived from satire. Political ideologies, race, sex/gender issues, and religion play a prominent role in Birnkrant episodes. "It's very un-PC. We attempt to poke fun at everyone and everything. If everyone is offended equally, we're all right," Burdick once said. . The very premise of the show is steeped in satire: WWII Nazis living on a college campus.

"At what point, if ever, are we as a society 'over it'? Does this apply to other catastrophes, like 9/11?

Basically, it doesn’t matter; Burdick is selling a show and a perspective. He thinks that we can either see Nazis as vessels of evil or completely incapable morons.

He thinks - in what he calls the Mel Brooks school of thought - that as long as people consider Nazis the pinnacle of evil, others will seek to join them and will admire their quest. However, by considering them morons and making fun of them, we take away their power and render their existence completely ridiculous. The suggestion is that we can reclaim and recast the meaning of 'Nazi.'" - Kimberly Mickenberg, Campus Circle Magazine

According to Burdick this was not something left up to chance. "There were rules. Extremely strict rules regarding the Nazis on the show. Nothing good can ever happen for them. Any attempt to cause fear backfires. The goal was to turn them into inane cartoon caricatures, and to this end we were very successful. At least, the Orthodox rabbi on campus said he enjoyed the show."

Main characters
* Gary Fischer (Andrew Barton) - The lovable everyman with a heart of gold, and the glue that holds Birnkrant 616 together. Known by his trademark 1984 Olympic hat, Gary is (in general) the guy who gets walked all over, especially in his quest to get jiggy with Dawn Winters. Gary spends most of Season 1 pining for unrequited love, and most of Season 2 finding himself inept at life as a Residential Advisor.

* Roger Lastaname (Alex Garcia) - Gary's best friend, a fun-loving soul who is constantly teetering on the brink of insanity. During Season 1 Roger's antics are mostly harmless and fun, but he seems a little too close to the edge. It's no wonder that he finally snaps in Season 2, after impregnating his best friend Tad, who he slept with after Tad's sex change in Mexico.

* Dawn Winters (Janel Healy) - A hardened soldier of America's left-wing youth. Dawn spends most of her time fighting for causes she believes in, using Gary as her tool, and ultimately forgetting he even exists. During Season 2 Dawn spends her time fighting to become Student Viceroy, desiring the post to further her agenda, and quench her thirst for power.

* Tad Rad/She-Tad (Jordan Turchin/Sarah Hawley) - Tad is Gary's drunken, fratboy roommate, who spends most of Season 1 chasing tail and wandering in an aimless drunken stupor. At the end of the Season it's revealed Tad can get drunk off alcohol fumes in the air. In Season 2 Tad disappears without a trace, prompting a frantic search by Roger and Gary. Ultimately Tad returns as a woman, having had a sex-change in Mexico while particularly drunk. Now a woman, he finds he has feelings for Roger. When he becomes pregnant with Roger's child however, Roger vows to abort the baby by all means possible - even if that means aborting Tad.

* Mein Herr (Trevor Davis) - The leader of the Nazis, but no one is sure why. Prone to fits of rage and childlike temper tantrums, Mein Herr unsuccessfully steers the Nazis towards their goal of world domination through a variety of inane and half-assed plans. Ultimately their antics get the Nazis kicked out of school housing, so Mein Herr decides to join a sorority, eventually becoming Social Chair, and grotesquely obese.

* Nazi #1 (Seth Gullion/Will Campos) - Described as the most wretched of the Nazi characters, Nazi #1 is better known as the Nazi perpetually in a gas mask. More closely resembling a lost puppy than a fascist warrior, Nazi #1 spends his time being Mein Herr's bitch in Season 1, and Gary's bitch in Season 2, and whining about his worthless existence through it all. Nazi #1 was played by Will Campos in Season 1, and Seth Gullion in Season 2.

* Nazi #2 (Ray Chase) - Nazi #2 is the most uncomfortable of the Nazis, and the most angry as a result of his hat being too tight. Although Nazi #1 is generally considered to be Mein Herr's right hand man, Nazi #2 covets the position, desiring it for himself. Although his affection towards Mein Herr seems almost homosexual at times, it's generally understand that Nazi #2 doesn't love Mein Herr, but the idea of what Mein Herr stands for. When Mein Herr ultimately loses his way in Season 2, Nazi #2 decides to take his place and fufil the Nazis destiny.

Secondary Characters

* Timmy (Daniel Johnson) - The Nazis roommate, who lives in constant fear as a result. In Season 2 Timmy's back story reveals a life of one horrific catastrophe after another. Timmy's goal in life is to be a famous detective. He also might be black.

* Dean John S. Dean (Larry Radden) - The Dean of USC, who inexplicably hates Gary.

* The R.C. (James Young) - Gary's boss in the dormitory, who hates also hates Gary. This is because Gary killed his pet fish.

* The Nerds (Brian Sounalath/Gehan Cooray/Zach Smith) - When Gary becomes an RA, he finds himself responsible for a trio of nerdy residents: Quentin, Edwin, and Pubert. They look up to Gary with love and respect, and encourage him to run for school office. When that doesn't work, they blackmail him into running.

Crew and Writing Staff
* Series Producers - Logan Burdick, Jonathan M. Levine, Mary Howard, Ann Kim, Michael Rousselet, Sean Ursani, Scott Brown, Trevor Nelson.
* Series Writing Staff - Season 1: Jess Brownell, Logan Burdick, Will Campos, Zak Hammond, Max Hurwitz, Alex Lemley, Jonathan Levine, Jamie Nelson, Michael Rousselet, Lauren Schneider, Mychael Solis-Wheeler. Season 2: Logan Burdick, Lia Burton, Ray Chase, Alex Lemley, Jonathan Levine, Jamie Nelson, Michael Rousselet, Christopher Schultz, Mychael Solis-Wheeler, Sarah Tarkoff, Jon Worley
* Series Production Sound - Mario Villalobos, Trevor Nelson, Monika Lind, Craig Stubing, Nick de Rossi, Chevy Chen
* Series Editing - Scott Denman, Curtis Thurber, Garett Sergeant, Jordan Bahat, Logan Burdick, Jonathan M. Levine
* Series Photography- Scott Brown, Jordan Bahat, Chevy Chen, Michael Rousselet, John Paul Puno, Jon Salmon
* Series Art Direction- Isabelle Shu, Mio Moroe, Maggie Revello, Jessica Schriebstein, Nicole Henderson, Laurel Tincher

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