Even if you didn't think it was catchy or funny-and I find you a strange human being if you didn't-Joss Whedon's "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" was a significant moment in the development of content produced exclusively for online distribution. Produced during 2008's WGA Strike, it was a major case for why revenue from digital content was so crucial to writers. Also, it looked professional, featured great performances, and had Whedon's singular wit. And now he has an Emmy Award for it. Hit the jump but know that the Emmy is not his penis.
Speaking with NPR about his Emmy* win, The "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" creator noted that how the production came together was as important producing a highly-entertaining musical-comedy. "[I wanted to show] we could do this without the giant corporations who are squashing us under their heel," he says, "and that everybody could get paid." While the Emmys usually get a lot wrong (tonight they basically shot themselves in the foot by having Neil Patrick Harris host the awards ceremony, show everyone how funny he is, and then give the Best Supporting Actor award to Jon Cryer for "Two-and-a-Half Men"), this award for "Dr. Horrible" provides an important recognition about content created exclusively for the Internet.
And what's in the future for Dr. Horrible, Captain Hammer, and the musical's other delightful characters? "Right now we're just writing with the idea of 'What's the next thing we'd like to see these characters do?'" says Whedon. He doesn't yet know whether or not it will follow the same three-act, 45-minute online format but I think it has to stay true to its roots and remain exclusive to the Internet.
Unless they want to make it a movie. Then I say go for it.
*You didn't miss Joss Whedon going up on stage during tonight's Emmy telecast. Whedon received his award last week when statuettes where handed out in the Creative Arts division. Also, this is Whedon's second Emmy nomination and first win. His only other nomination was for Best Writing for a Drama Series for the "Buffy" episode, "Hush". That's his only other nominations. This is what I mean when I say, "The Emmys usually get a lot wrong."
