Strip Search (web series)

In 2012, Penny Arcade launched a Kickstarter campaign with the primary goal of removing ads from their website for a year. The primary goal required $250,000, but there were also stretch goals, including "a sort of 'America's next top webcomic' show" if the campaign reached $450,000.{{Cite web|last=Rodgers|first=Evan|date=2012-07-16|title=Penny Arcade details Strip Search, a webcomic reality show for Kickstarter contributors|url=https://www.theverge.com/2012/7/16/3163231/penny-arcade-strip-search-webcomic-reality-show|access-date=2021-02-03|website=The Verge|language=en}} The campaign exceeded this goal and Penny Arcade committed to producing the show, later named Strip Search. Penny Arcade commissioned Bionic Trousers Media, the legal entity behind sketch comedy group LoadingReadyRun, to film, host, and edit the show.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Strip Search|url=http://bionictrousers.com/strip-search/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-03|website=|language=en-US}} The show cost around $250,000 to produce, and was released in 2013.{{Cite web|last=Duryee|first=Tricia|date=February 17, 2013|title=The Penny Arcade Guys Film a Reality TV Show Called "Strip Search"|url=http://allthingsd.com/20130217/the-penny-arcade-guys-film-a-reality-tv-show-called-strip-search/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-03|website=AllThingsD|language=en-US}}

In interviews, Penny Arcade said that they received over 1,000 applicants, and used a brutal process to cut down to 12 contestants, including assessing whether they felt they would be able to work with the person for a year, and if they would be funny.{{Citation|title=A Look at Penny Arcade's Web Comic Reality Competition - IGN|date=27 February 2013 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/27/a-look-at-penny-arcades-web-comic-reality-competition|language=en|access-date=2021-02-03}} Krahulik said of filming that "Jerry [Holkins] was bad cop, and I was the asshole,” and prided himself on how many times he made people cry. Holkins said they had to try hard to create drama, especially in a house filled with aspiring artists who all seemed to get along and understand one another; Krahulik said he look at contestants and think, “what’s the meanest thing that I can say.”

While Penny Arcade referred to the series as "Season One", and left filming of that season confident there would be a second season, only one season was ever produced.

Strip Search featured twelve cartoonists, living together for the length of the show, competing for a grand prize of $15,000 and a year working in Penny Arcade's offices, including its production resources. The show used progressive elimination to narrow down the initial group of twelve artists to a final winner. While living in a large pineapple-themed house, the artists were given challenges each episode ranging from creative to legal to physical, with the winner or winners of each receiving a prize.

The winner of the last challenge each day had to choose two of the artists to go head-to-head and compete to stay in the game. Elimination candidates met the Penny Arcade creators, Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins, and after selecting two random concepts then created an original comic strip based on fusing the concepts. The winner goes back to the house to continue competing while the loser is eliminated. Several episodes deviated from this format at Krahulik and Holkins' decision, such as eliminating multiple people and returning a previously eliminated contestants.

:{{Color box|purple|border=darkgray}} The artist won the grand prize.

:{{Color box|royalblue|border=darkgray}} The artist won a competitive challenge and nominated two others for elimination.

:{{Color box|skyblue|border=darkgray}} The artist won a social challenge.

:{{Color box|lightcyan|border=darkgray}} The artist was explicitly mentioned as finishing well in the challenge.

:{{Color box|pink|border=darkgray}} The artist was explicitly mentioned as finishing poorly or losing the challenge.

:{{Color box|greenyellow|border=darkgray}} The artist won an elimination challenge.

:{{Color box|red|border=darkgray}} The artist lost an elimination challenge and was eliminated.

:{{Color box|yellow|border=darkgray}} The artist returned after having been eliminated.

Multiple reviewers praised the show's friendly, supportive tone, as opposed to trends in other reality TV shows to manufacture and present interpersonal tension and drama.{{cite news|last1=Ferraro|first1=Julius|title=Getting real with 'Strip Search'|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/art_attack/Getting-real-with-Strip-Search.html|accessdate=January 4, 2016|work=Philly.com|date=May 21, 2013}}{{Cite web|title=Penny Arcade's Strip Search: Where Are They Now?|url=https://sketchingdetails.com/sketchy-details/views/penny-arcades-strip-search-where-are-they-now|access-date=2021-02-03|website=Reviews of Movies {{!}} Video Game Reviews {{!}} Sketching Details|date=6 November 2013 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2013-06-22|title=Strip Search - Series Review|url=https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2013/06/strip-search-series-review/|access-date=2021-02-03|website=Flickering Myth|language=en-US}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/user/pennyarcadeTV Penny Arcade YouTube channel]
• [http://penny-arcade.com/strip-search Official website]

{{Penny Arcade}}

Category:YouTube original programming

Category:American non-fiction web series

Category:Kickstarter-funded web series

Category:2013 web series debuts