The Booth at the End

[velvetwinter]

I wanted to pass along a show recommendation for “The Booth at the End”, which I consider a masterful piece of sci-fi storytelling.

The first season is 5 episodes long, it’s original format was in short webisodes which was condensed 5 into 1 episode.
Season 1 is 5 episodes (~22 min each) with a fantastic ending, season 2 started this Monday 8/6/2012.

This show is only available on hulu (free) as a webseries. The reason I am so impressed by it is that it combines great storytelling and your imagination, considering the entire show takes place in a booth in a diner.

Anyone else experience this show? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

[Emmerask]

Well the trailer seemed interesting enough, thanks for the recommendation, will watch it soon

[dariathalon]

I watched the first season here a few weeks ago. I liked it a lot. Very interesting premise and way to relate the story. For those that don't know I'll give a brief description of the plot in the spoiler below. I don't really consider what I'm telling here to be spoilers, but some people are very picky.

Spoiler

Show

People come in to a diner and go to the booth at the end where they find a man sitting, usually either reading or writing in a notebook. He asks them what they want and after they tell him, he checks his notes. He responds by telling them that their request will be fulfilled if they complete a specific task and as they work to complete the task, they have to keep coming back to him to give him updates about their progress and tell them how they feel about it.

The tasks could be anything, and usually don't seem at all related to the request. Often (but not always) the task requires the character to do something completely against their normal character. In at least one case he gives two characters contradictory assignments, so the characters are in direct conflict to complete their missions.

The entire series takes place in the booth as the different characters come back to make these status updates, so you never see anything that goes on outside the diner. When I first heard that, I expected the show to be boring since you don't get to see the action. However I was pleasantly surprised. Hearing the story through these confessions gave the series more tension than I expected.

I've decided to wait to watch season 2 until the whole thing is finished. I watched the first one in a couple of sittings, and will probably do the same with the second. The stress of waiting too find out what happens would be too much otherwise.

[Chromascope3D]

Looks interesting. If only I had known about this earlier this summer when I still had so much time on my hands. X(

[inky13112]

The Booth at the End is fantastic. I didn't realize they'd be doing another season, so thanks for the heads up.

I just hope they don't take the show too long. Few things are worse than a series that doesn't end when its due, and it didn't seem like it really needed another season. As long as its done well it should be fine though.

[Dragonus45]

The Booth at the End is fantastic. I didn't realize they'd be doing another season, so thanks for the heads up.

I just hope they don't take the show too long. Few things are worse than a series that doesn't end when its due, and it didn't seem like it really needed another season. As long as its done well it should be fine though.

Well i agree about shows that need to know how to die, i think your dead wrong about the prognosis of the Man and his adventures in sitting. The show easily one or two more seasons worth of world to be learned about alone.

[velvetwinter]

I've decided to wait to watch season 2 until the whole thing is finished. I watched the first one in a couple of sittings, and will probably do the same with the second. The stress of waiting too find out what happens would be too much otherwise.

That was my dilemma about waiting to watch Season 2, I had watched Season 1 in a 2 hour sitting. I gave in and watched the first episode and now my imagination is going wild with the information it provided. Episode 2 is tonight!

[Lord Tyger]

Spoiler

Show

So, the Man wants to make a deal. I suppose this implies that he can't make the deal entirely on his own- the person who makes the deal must be separate from the person who receives the benefit.

There's also the question of who he thinks is behind the waitress (Doris?) Is it the monsters he feeds, or a separate and presumably at least partially opposed group?

[velvetwinter]

Spoiler

Show

Yeah, there is a lot left to the imagination still. I had read a statement from the writer that season two will shed more light on the mysterious book.

I'm still curious about the nature of the Man, and now the Woman. The door is wide open there, they can be angelic, demonic, alien, mini-god, other. The whole dialogue about him changing, I think he is studying mankind, but to what end?

Then there is the relationship between the Man and the book, does the book do all the work? Is the book a conduit or self-contained force?

I love how there is just enough to speculate on everything

[Dragonus45]

You know, i am getting an immensely fey feel from the man.

[Chromascope3D]

Well... I'm hooked.

[Geostationary]

Wait- this excellent piece of short film/storytelling has a second season? Now I have to go wait for it to finish so I may learn its secrets. Curses!

[Weezer]

Just finished watching all of it that has been released, it is really good. Thought provoking, impressive acting for such a low budget production, great ideas, I'm looking forward to more.

Now some (largely unfounded speculation)

Spoiler

Show

So, what do people think the book is? Obviously the Man doesn't control what tasks it gives but there are some trends to be examined. It's clear that the difficulty of the task is proportional to the size of the request, however it's not a hard and fast rule. One person wanting a relative cured was tasked wit' killing a single girl, another was told to blow up a restauraunt and kill a certain number of people. Similar requests but tasks of very different severities. At first I thought it was a time travel type thing, with the man tasking people to fullfill others requests, or set up people's requests to be filled. This would explain a lot of the simpler wishes, from the cop getting a tip to the boyfriend being handed flowers, getting someone money, etc. However it doesn't really hold up, too many of the tasks are far too much for time travel, with the big one in that respect being bringing the girl back to life (I really want to know what the task for that one was...). That really wrecked my theory, anyone else have plausible ones?

@Dragonis45 I know what you mean, he does seem very fey, or at the least otherworldly.

[velvetwinter]

I haven't seen tonight's episode yet but here's my thoughts.

Spoiler

Show

So thus far what we know about the book is:
It's aquired somehow, the Woman knew what it was but was amazed at it's aquisition by the Man.
It's been hinted at in the dialogue that it breaks, or at least changes reality somehow.
It's has to be used by someone, qualifications unknown.

Things that may be the Man's preference:
Coming back to talk about the deed, putting the notes into the book, perhaps he is studying the book?
The book changes the user or perhaps it is specific to the Man?

I get a much more of 'deal with the devil' feel but it really can be almost anything at this point

[Dragonus45]

After watching the newest episode im even more sure that the Man is a Fey or fey like creature. Perhaps an angel of some sort even. I wont say why to avoid spoilers but if anyone has seen it would like to weigh in on the idea.

[Topus]

Yesterday I stumbled upon it and I watched the entire first season in a 2 hour session. I am amazed and excited, because it's very similar to a video serial fitcion project I started to shape a year ago, about redemption and a man called The Redemptor (the redeemer) who has the faculty to redeem people through a specific path. This shows that it can be realized, with a low budget effort, through a wise screenplay and, most important thing, talented actors (in fact not all the stories in The Booth shares the same playing quality).