Chaos Theory Gets Cute and Clever About A Girl’s Life

To describe a series as “cute” might come off as demeaning or patronizing, especially when it’s a relationship-focused series featuring a female protagonist. But it’s hard to resist applying the term to Chaos Theory, the New York-based episodic tale of Jess (Lauren Cook), whose search for love in the big city is complicated by her eccentric crew of friends and her lack of gaydar.

Produced by the creators of Floaters, a similarly-themed web series which won an Emmy in 2006, Chaos Theory operates on almost a vignette level, exploring all aspects of Jess’s slightly dysfunctional and awkward life, from work to home to family. It’s not exactly a show heavy on plot, despite the fact that there are overarching story lines, like Jess and her best friend Owen working together on an independent feature, but what it lacks in narrative it makes up for in creativity.

Currently in its first season, what sets Chaos Theory apart from other series really comes down to its level of production across all levels. The actors are all really sharp and charming, the dialogue is well-crafted, the cinematography and sound are pro-quality. It’s an example of how key great execution is to successful storytelling, even on a very low budget — without those factors, it wouldn’t be nearly as rewarding. Also, if you’ll pardon me a feminist moment, most episodes ably pass the Bechdel Test, which is frankly a rare thing at times in the web video world.

The biggest flaw, though, is that at times the lack of consistent narrative keeps the series from really singing as a whole — going from episode two to episode three, for example, we discover that in the time between episodes, Jess has managed to acquire and lose a boyfriend, which has left her crushed. The abbreviated nature of the storytelling has its charms, definitely, but at times there’s just a little too much abridging.

There aren’t a ton of laugh-out-loud moments (though how Jess manages to acquire some cupcakes in the first episode definitely is a stand-out moment). But the charm Cook brings to the series is enough to secure a place for her in the roster of web series screwball comediennes, alongside Kaily Smith from MERRIme and Felicia Day of The Guild. Not a bad place to be.

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