The Bwog
YouTube Review: AndSarah

Too much to sift through on YouTube? Life's hard. Bwog's here to help.

There's nothing as bad as being in Butler on a Saturday night. But, instead of wasting your study break tonight on another disappointing episode of SNL, Bwog suggests checking out Sarah Dooley's (BC '11) delightful YouTube series, AndSarah.

Sarah's face may be familiar to you, but her acting and writing will surprise you. In each of the series' three episodes, Sarah offers clever and carefully crafted portraits of the life and times of college freshman. Her character is a caricature of herself, awkwardly idiosyncratic and simultaneously accessible to all undergraduates.

Her self-conscious fidgets and sputters are well-timed and reinforce her ridiculous, and often poignant, blunders. Although it takes a couple of minutes to get used to Sarah's mannerisms in the first episode, it's impossible to resist her lessons in people watching on College Walk and lunching alone in Hewitt.

What is so impressive about AndSarah is the seamless coordination of Rachel Mersky's cinematography and Sarah's acting and script. Rachel's steady hand and sharp editing capitalize on Sarah's hesitant glances at the camera and draw out her self-reflective pauses. The unadorned camera work adds a confessional tone and almost documentary-like effect to Sarah's scenes. The plot of the third episode, however, relies on a familiar subject matter: social outcast attempts to make big impression at campus dance. But despite the stock premise, Sarah's halting intonation and adorably crumpled smile offer an endearing and refreshing take on this theme.

By far the best in the series, the second episode is equally brilliant in its plot line as it is in its performances. Here, Sarah explores the hilarious consequences of a google search gone terribly wrong. Her faux-pas may be inexcusably naive, but Sarah adds an integrity and honesty to her lines that is remarkably rare.

So if you are uninspired and at a dead end with your research paper, take a look at the some of the creativity and talent of your peers. And if AndSarah doesn't inspire or at least impress, you're probably just jealous.


Posted by Nice job Sarah!: #1 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 12:06 AM (from campus)
You remind me of a female Michael Cera! (That's a compliment!)
Posted by becky: #2 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 12:14 AM
sarah dooley is awesome!
Posted by hmmm: #3 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 12:22 AM (from campus)
boring...

i think i'll stick to snl
Posted by ...: #4 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 12:42 AM (from campus)
i thought she was BC not CC?
Posted by ...a.: #5 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 12:45 AM (from campus)
funny but the mannerisms are basically george michael from arrested development.
Posted by ...: #6 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 1:16 AM (from campus)
how funny... that girl "friended" me on facebook at the beginning of the semester.

unfortunately, she got purged along with all of the other idealistic young freshman who had friended me without ever meeting or or even realizing that i'm an old creep, nearly ten years their senior.
Posted by Juli (Site staff): #7 (in reply to #4) · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 1:21 AM
You're right, thanks!
Posted by Baby Protector: #8 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 1:33 AM (from campus)
Why did this video not mention her baby eating habits. I feel like that is very important to know about a young girl.
Posted by Dooley Fan: #9 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 2:04 AM (from campus)
Incredible. By the way, she sings too.
Posted by She's: #10 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 2:09 AM
In the Varsity Show, right?
Posted by THAT'S RIGHT: #11 (in reply to #10) · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 2:35 AM (from campus)
and you TOO can see her in the cast of the 114th annual varsity show may 2-4
Posted by KCST: #12 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 2:41 AM (from campus)
OR KING'S CROWN "as you like it" may 1-3, it's outdoors AND free!!
Posted by Awesome: #13 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 2:57 AM (from campus)
Wow, very talented, although she took a lot from the Office clearly.
Posted by good stuff: #14 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 3:03 AM
She channels a lot of Reno 911. Interesting to see the same style in a new setting; the humor works too.
Posted by gosh: #15 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 3:28 AM (from campus)
people are accusing her of stealing from the office, reno 911, arrested development... ever thing that maybe the funny awkward character didn't originate from these individual shows? she has an original take on these tried-and-true characters, and the fact that she can still pull them off is a testament to her acting abilities.

then again, i'm really drunk so everything is funny to me.
Posted by yay: #16 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 3:53 AM (from campus)
this is so fabulous

and it's 4/20....you shouldnt be drunk!
Posted by Katie: #17 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 9:48 AM (from campus)
Sarah Dooley = my hero
Posted by MilkMan: #18 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 10:20 AM (from campus)
I just saw all three episodes. Her character reminded me of Steve Carell from the Office, not so much Michael Cera because her character (like Carell's) is so oblivious. All in all the episodes were pretty well made, and Dooley is definitely a gifted comedic actress. It puts most (probably all) YouTube series to shame. It is very much of the "awkward" school of comedy, where a lot of the joke is just someone making an ass of himself/herself publicly. The show doesn't add that many new ideas to this awkward comedy template unfortunately, but it pulls off the basics well. Good job.
Posted by The King of Spain: #19 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 10:55 AM (from campus)
This is some solid work. I bet she will make something of herself.
Posted by was she: #20 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 11:14 AM (from campus)
eating carrots and corn with jelly? hahah
Posted by how weird: #21 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 11:34 AM (from campus)
to add to the list of AD, reno 911 and the office...

she reminded me of the one fan in flight of the conchords
Posted by sasafa: #22 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 11:48 AM
This comment has been deleted.
Posted by marymary: #23 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 11:54 AM (from campus)
woahhh settle down hitler.

Sarah is hilarious. Kind of like clarkandmichael, but maybe even better. It's great to see such talent on our campus.
Posted by Wisdom of a Gentile: #24 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 12:09 PM
It's spelled yarmulke
Posted by Hey Bwog: #25 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 12:10 PM (from campus)
We need a deletion of #22 now.
Posted by Yes!: #26 (in reply to #21) · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 12:16 PM
Kristen Schaal! And she was just on the Daily Show for the first time as a correspondent last week!
Posted by oh em gee: #27 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 1:16 PM (from campus)
it funny
Posted by !!!: #28 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 1:38 PM (from campus)
Dude! Check out her myspace! [external link to profile.myspace.com]
Posted by Showing up: #29 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 2:25 PM
to the dance escorted by her laptop was heartbreaking/fucking hilarious. Great series!

Posted by yeah: #30 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 2:32 PM (from campus)
this is pretty much amazing.
Posted by singing: #31 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 2:49 PM (from campus)
holy smokes. she is regina spektor redux.
Posted by hmmm: #32 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 3:13 PM
i really want to like this girl, but her humor simply IS a collegiate spin on michael cera and her songs sounds EXACTLY like regina spektor's but without that something special. that being said, i'm pretty confident that she has the talent and wherewithal to use flagrant emulation as a mere jumping-off point for somewhere pretty great.
Posted by whatever: #33 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 3:14 PM (from campus)
Why does Bwog, in EVERY article about a specific campus character, insist on accusing the reader of being jealous? Enough already.
Posted by hmmm again: #34 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 3:18 PM
scratch that. i maintain that she's going to have to find a new niche or broaden her sound, but i officially like her. tried not to. no dice.
Posted by at least: #35 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 3:26 PM
she's more of an artist than Aliza Shvarts.
Posted by NOT GONNA: #36 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 5:00 PM (from campus)
get anywhere just stealing other ppls comedy.
Posted by hmmm: #37 (in reply to #33) · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 5:38 PM (from campus)
probably because of the flurry of negative comments that usually follow anything creative people are doing on campus. see comments 3, 22, 36 as prime examples of distaste fueled by jealousy.

that being said, it was nice to see people appreciating other student's art in these comments. and it's well-deserved -- the series is funny and well-made, and I really enjoyed her music, too.
Posted by wow: #38 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 7:36 PM (from campus)
i just watched all 3 and really enjoyed them. for the critics out there i think you've got a stick up your ass -- or rather... "if [your] vagina[s] had a monologue..." i thought she was damn funny. of course it shares some stylistic qualities of others in the awkward-deluded humor genre (the video is even tagged michael cera so i don't think she's not acknowledging her influences). but overall, very good. let us know when the next one comes out bwog

i'm musically out of touch so i haven't heard the people that she's accused of stealing from, but i think she sounds damn good, and even if you're right, plagiarism is the highest form of flattery

in conclusion, go suck an egg naysayers - i'm a fan.
Posted by lol: #39 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 8:17 PM (from campus)
suck an egg?
Posted by whatevaaa: #40 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 8:46 PM (from campus)
love her music!!!
Posted by Whatever: #41 · reply · track
April 20, 2008 at 10:35 PM (from campus)
It was boring and was obviously just her rehashing characters from other shows. Are Michael Cera and Michael Scott original characters? Probably not. Does that mean basically remaking them into another show is fine? No.

Wow, the character thinks she's funny and cool but isn't, and keeps looking at the camera as if there's an inside joke.

Please bring the hate. I bet the show resonates a bit *too* much with some of you.
Posted by Stephen: #42 · reply · track
April 21, 2008 at 1:28 AM
I really liked her videos, and to my surprise, her music as well. Both though, seemed to be rehashes of other people's stuff, like... the videos were clearly, clearly in the style of Michael Cera, more so from Arrested Development than superbad (thus her tagging her own stuff on youtube with "michael cera". Her music is also basically a derivative of Regina Spektor. I'd like to hear and see more, maybe with some additional originality.
Posted by Korbach Andrews: #43 · reply · track
April 21, 2008 at 1:48 AM (from campus)
This lady can make me laugh. Korbach is pleased.
Posted by i think: #44 · reply · track
April 21, 2008 at 2:30 PM (from campus)
sarah dooley is BETTER than regina spektor
Posted by wah: #45 · reply · track
April 21, 2008 at 4:02 PM (from campus)
i agree about the plagiarism. i could actually pick out exact quotes originally said by michael cera in superbad
Posted by happy: #46 · reply · track
April 21, 2008 at 8:25 PM (from campus)
THIS GIRL IS THE BEST. haters, please shut up and just smile.
Posted by thoughts: #47 · reply · track
April 22, 2008 at 2:42 AM (from campus)
she's one of the big talents at columbia.
Posted by Stephen: #48 · reply · track
April 23, 2008 at 2:47 AM
i can't stop watching, i want more episodes! a lot of people i showed it to at work are addicted.
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