Leap Year
Poster image
GenreComedy drama
Created byWilson Cleveland
Yuri Baranovsky
Vlad Baranovsky
Directed byYuri Baranovsky
StarringWilson Cleveland
Alexis Boozer Sterling
Yuri Baranovsky
Daniela DiIorio
Drew Lanning
Rachel Risen
Craig Bierko
Emma Caulfield
Eliza Dushku
Mark Gantt
Joshua Malina
Dustin Toshiyuki
Julie Warner
Steven Weber
Country of originUnited States
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes20 (list of episodes)
Production
ProducersWilson Cleveland
Yuri Baranovsky
Vlad Baranovsky
Justin Morrison
Dashiell Reinhardt
Garrett Law
Eliza Dushku (season 2)
Production locationSan Francisco
CinematographyJustin Morrison
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time15–25 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkHulu
YouTube
USA Network[2]
ReleaseJune 6, 2011 (2011-06-06) –
August 20, 2012 (2012-08-20)

Leap Year is an American comedy-drama series created and executive produced by Wilson Cleveland[3] and Yuri Baranovsky, who also star as brothers Derek and Aaron Morrison. The series, sponsored by Hiscox, about five former co-workers starting a tech company, debuted June 6, 2011, on Hulu and YouTube. The first season had received 3.7 million streams as of February 29, 2012,[4] when it was announced the series had been renewed for a second season,[5] which premiered on June 18, 2012.[6]

Reception

Leap Year cast at the 2013 IAWTV Awards

The series received generally favorable reviews from critics. TheWrap's John Sellers called Leap Year "a well-wrought online comedy," adding that while the series was sponsored by a brand, "even those who are cynical about such matters should laugh at the show."[7] Forbes contributor Jesse Thomas titled his August 9, 2011 review "Leap Year: The Web Series Every Entrepreneur Should Watch"[8] and New York Observer tech writer Jessica Roy noted, "The show follows the ups (but mostly downs) of building a startup, with a wry comedic voice and plenty of inside jokes for the tech set."[9] In his August 1, 2012 review, television critic Keith McDuffee wrote, "I’m not sure I care about any of these characters enough. I struggle to see what anyone sees in Aaron besides that he's apparently good in business. Aaron's brother, Derek (Wilson Cleveland) doesn't yet have a meaty enough role to latch onto, and Olivia (Daniela DiIorio) is almost right up there with how I feel about Aaron: lots of negative vibes."[10]

The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences honored Leap Year with the 2012 Webby Award for Best Online Series. The series also received Streamy and Banff World Media Festival Awards for Best Branded Entertainment Series and the IAWTV Award for Best Dramatic Series at CES in 2013.[11][12]

Plot

Season 1 (2011)

After being laid-off from their corporate day jobs, Aaron, Bryn, Derek, Olivia and Jack compete to get their businesses off the ground when a mystery benefactor promises to invest $500,000 in one of their startups.

Season 2 (2012)

Six months have passed since Aaron, Bryn, Derek, Olivia and Jack won half a million dollars by banding together to create a holographic video conferencing platform called C3D. Now living in Silicon Valley with launch day approaching, the founders of C3D are beset by a mysterious series of setbacks.

Cast and characters

Main cast

Recurring

Episodes

Season 1 (2011)

No.TitleDirected byWritten byRuntime
(minuets)		Original air date
1"All Hands"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky8:50June 6, 2011 (2011-06-06)
Rumored layoffs overshadow Aaron's surprise birthday party. Jack tries to convince Aaron, his brother Derek and their friend Olivia (Daniela DiIorio), that getting laid off may not be as awful as it seems.
2"Released"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky10:19June 13, 2011 (2011-06-13)
Jack, Bryn, Olivia, Derek and Aaron face uncertainty about their future as CEO, Andy Corvell (guest star Craig Bierko) calls an all-hands meeting. With lay-offs looming, tensions rise and the group wonders, if they do get fired - what's next?
3"A Simple Contest"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky7:56June 20, 2011 (2011-06-20)
Newly laid-off, Jack, Aaron, Derek, Olivia and Bryn are recruited to participate in a mysterious business contest with a $500k prize. In the meantime, Jack tries desperately to convince popular novelist, Scarlett Lane to be his first client.
4"Used People Salesman"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky8:18June 27, 2011 (2011-06-27)
Jack's business relationship with his only client, novelist Scarlett Lane moves from professional to sexual. In the meantime, Olivia, struggling to find any client, hires Jack to help her market her only product -- herself.
5"Nothing Personal"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky9:57July 4, 2011 (2011-07-04)
Olivia tries to decide whether betraying her close friend, Aaron is worth a potential boost to her personal business.
6"That Kind of Day"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky7:12July 11, 2011 (2011-07-11)
The office server goes missing and Bryn faces a crisis of conscience and identity. Aaron, furious over Olivia's and Jack's betrayal, unleashes the full fury of a financial analyst.
7"Corporate Cupid"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky8:36July 19, 2011 (2011-07-19)
Derek (Wilson Cleveland) gets slapped with a lawsuit and seeks help from attorney Josie Lanning (guest star Julie Warner). Jack loses his only client and most of his friends. Also guest starring Teri Reeves.
8"Five Roads"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky9:14July 25, 2011 (2011-07-25)
Jack has a plan to win the contest and save his friends' businesses. The problem? No one trusts him, no one likes him, and "friends" has become a very loose term.
9"Kind of a Genius"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky10:23August 1, 2011 (2011-08-01)
Jack tries to win Scarlett back with some help from Guy Kawasaki
10"Life in 3D"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky12:49August 8, 2011 (2011-08-08)
Lisa goes into labor while she, Aaron, Bryn and Derek visit programming genius, Sergei Lenov (guest star Mark Gantt) at his cabin in the woods. With hours left, the gang tries desperately to get the final pieces together to present their new plan to their mysterious investor.

Season 2 (2012)

No.TitleDirected byWritten byRuntime
(minuets)		Original air date
11"A Train Wreck"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky17:34June 18, 2012 (2012-06-18)
Jack goes missing after an encounter with June Pepper (guest star Eliza Dushku) an hour before he's supposed to announce C3D's launch date live on What's Trending with Shira Lazar
12"One of Those Nights"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky19:10June 25, 2012 (2012-06-25)
Aaron and Derek retain the services of Smiley (guest star Emma Caulfield) to find those responsible for breaking into the C3D office and stealing the prototypes.
13"Of All the Gin Joints"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky17:14July 2, 2012 (2012-07-02)
Olivia suffers a crisis of confidence in herself and C3D until she meets the "Freezer King," Sam Berry (guest star Joshua Malina).
14"Just Trying to Survive"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky16:03July 9, 2012 (2012-07-09)
Derek (Wilson Cleveland) crumbles from personal and financial pressure after a chance encounter with his attorney Josie Lanning (guest star Julie Warner) and June Pepper (guest star Eliza Dushku) is there to help him pick up the pieces with an offer he can't refuse.
15"The Very Idea of Loving Love"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky19:49July 16, 2012 (2012-07-16)
With help from their investor Glenn Cheeky; Aaron, Bryn and Jack are accepted to the Techstars NY startup accelerator, where they get some advice from guest star Alexis Ohanian. Derek and Olivia continue looking for evidence to use against Livefye.
16"What It Takes to Win"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky18:39July 23, 2012 (2012-07-23)
Aaron struggles with guilt over his indiscretion with Bryn. Sam Berry's (guest star Joshua Malina) true identity is revealed and it hits too close to home for Olivia.
17"A Moment of Weakness"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky15:32July 30, 2012 (2012-07-30)
Bryn taunts herself over her behavior with Aaron after being confronted by his wife Lisa. Derek is fired for spying for Livefye.
18"Behind the Hologram"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky17:04August 6, 2012 (2012-08-06)
Bryn takes drastic measures against an old enemy and is arrested by Detective Remy Doyle (guest star Steven Weber).
19"What We're Capable Of"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky24:31August 13, 2012 (2012-08-13)
June Pepper (guest star Eliza Dushku) reveals the name of C3D's true enemy. Aaron, Bryn, Derek, Olivia and Jack prepare for war with an old nemesis. Sam Berry (guest star Joshua Malina) woos Olivia back.
20"How to Bite"Yuri BaranovskyVlad Baranovsky & Yuri Baranovsky22:12August 20, 2012 (2012-08-20)
At the C3D launch event, Aaron, Bryn, Derek, Olivia and Jack band together with Detective Remy Doyle (guest star Steven Weber) to teach Andy Corvell (guest star Craig Bierko) a lesson once and for all.

References

  1. ^ Sellers, John (August 8, 2011). "Leap Year Branded Sitcom From Break a Leg Creators Is Worth a Look". TheWrap. The Wrap News Inc. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  2. ^ Nededog, Jethro (February 29, 2012). "Leap Year Web Series Renewed for Season 2, Sets Summer Premiere". The Hollywood Reporter. Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  3. ^ Edelsburg, Natan (July 18, 2012). "How Leap Year built a web show for social savvy TV actors". Adweek. Retrieved April 24, 2018 – via Eldridge Industries, LLC.
  4. ^ Cohen, Joshua (February 29, 2012). "Web Series Leaps into Second Season". Tubefilter. Tubefilter, Inc. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  5. ^ Nededog, Jethro (February 29, 2012). "Leap Year Web Series Renewed for Season 2, Sets Summer Premiere". The Hollywood Reporter. Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  6. ^ Shields, Mike (June 18, 2012). "Web Series Leaps into Second Season". Adweek. Beringer Capital. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  7. ^ Sellers, John (August 8, 2011). "Leap Year Branded Sitcom From Break a Leg Creators Is Worth a Look". TheWrap. The Wrap News Inc. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  8. ^ Thomas, Jesse (August 9, 2011). "Leap Year the Web Series Every Entrepreneur Should Watch". Forbes. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  9. ^ Roy, Jessica (July 16, 2012). "Dave Tisch, Alexis Ohanian and Other NYC Tech Favs Cameo in Hulu Dramedy Leap Year". The New York Observer. Retrieved April 24, 2018 – via Observer Media.
  10. ^ McDuffee, Keith (August 1, 2012). "Leap Year – A startup story web series with an impressive array of guests". CliqueClack. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  11. ^ Hill, Naja (February 17, 2013). "Streamy Awards 2013: Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 25, 2018 – via Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group.
  12. ^ Variety Staff (January 8, 2013). "CES: 'Squaresville' tops Web TV Awards". Variety. Retrieved April 24, 2018 – via Variety Media, LLC.

External links

Streamy Awards winners – Channel, Series, or Show
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