Indie Web Series: Dan and Riya
Writing, directing and starring in your own original web series is hard enough. YouTube creators Dan and Riya take things up a notch by each portraying upwards of five characters in every sketch they write.
Dan Kipnis and Riya Malik are best friends of fifteen years who decided to take their comedy to the internet and make skits that take place in their own imaginary universe of Beverly Valley High. Here, a diverse cast of characters face all the struggles and triumphs of high school including schoolwork, relationships and friendships.
The series centers mainly around Riya and her best friend, Tootsie (portrayed by Dan) navigating school in competition with popular girl, Cinnamon. The duo falls into multiple other characters portraying the popular high school stereotypes- nerds, mean girls, jocks and much more.
Not only do Dan and Riya play all of the students at Beverly Valley High, they transform into every teacher as well. Dan and Riya’s versatility and creativity in embodying different characters can be seen episode, specifically one titled, “Back to School: Types of Teachers.” Here, Tootsie and Riya go through their class schedules on the first day of school and meet all of their teachers for the first time. Through this, the duo portrays multiple different kinds of teachers you may encounter at a high school: the unorganized teacher, the rewarding teacher, the strict teacher, and more. In just six minutes, Dan and Riya create a multitude of experiences that viewers can relate to, in a witty and colorful way.
Each installment illustrates common occurrences in the life of high schoolers, including receiving report cards and how to deal with bad teachers. Others tell more of a long-form story in a longer window of time. In one episode, Riya decides to run for student class president against resident mean girl, Cinnamon.
The distinction between short sketches and longer episodes give viewers the choice as to what content they want to consume that day. Their extensive list of subjects guarantees that there is something for everyone and viewers are bound to relate to the conversations and thoughts the characters are having. All of the common topics are explored in a hilarious and entertaining way, with quick jump cuts as Dan and Riya constantly change demeanor and wardrobe to transform into different characters in their world.
Dan and Riya occasionally venture out of the world of high school and portray other aspects of adolescent life that viewers cannot help but chuckle at. For example, in one installment, Dan and Riya explore the world of sleepovers when you are rich versus when you are not. Even if you have never personally experienced a decadent sleepover at your rich friend’s mansion where a chef cooked you gourmet macaroni and cheese, you somehow feel like you have after watching this video. Either way, viewers regardless of wealth can chuckle at childhood memories of sleepovers spent sleeping in uncomfortable places, doing cheap face masks and talking about boys.
Dan and Riya also often portray Riya’s parents, highlighting the ever too common struggle of adolescents dealing with their parents or in the case of rich girl Cinnamon, dealing with maids and chefs. Hidden within the comedy are useful lessons for viewers about tips to survive school, maintain healthy relationships and get along with your parents. In “Rumors in High School,” the pair explore the dangers of spreading rumors while also giving a mini anatomy lesson about the bones in the human body. In another episode, Riya and Cinnamon give Tootsie and Rhubarb makeovers. After montages of haircuts, spa treatments and shopping sprees, the characters realize the importance of change, although it can be scary. They emphasize the importance of feeling comfortable in your skin, regardless of what you look like, and embracing your individuality- a great lesson for any viewer.
Because of the diversity of situations that Dan and Riya cover, their videos can reach a very wide audience base. Their over-the-top characters and physical comedy appeal to younger viewers who look forward to the highs and lows of being a teen. Teens can relate to almost any situation Dan and Riya dream up, while older viewers can look back nostalgically and laugh at the ridiculous exaggerated characters that probably existed in their own schools. Also, by choosing such a broad subject matter, Dan and Riya’s ideas for content are limitless- sure to please their 1.56 million subscribers and often upwards of five million viewers on every weekly video.
Dan and Riya are constantly adding new characters and challenges to keep their content fresh and interesting for viewers of all kinds. In recent videos, Riya’s starts taking a liking to a new boy at work. Meanwhile, Tootsie starts to fall for Riya’s brother which guarantees a lot of chaos and confusion to ensue. Even though Dan and Riya typically portray every character they conjure up, sometimes they introduce another actor to complicate the plot even further. Despite their creative genius being mainly contained between the pair, the choice to occasionally branch out speaks to their creativity and attention to the story.
While all episodes follow the same story line with the same characters, there is no harm to watching them out of sequence, making the series even more user-friendly. Viewers can come and go as they please, though many seem to stay to find out who will win student body president or if Riya’s new crush likes her back. Dan and Riya continue to impress, whether it’s their eccentric characters, colorful high school set or ridiculously accurate scenarios. They truly create something for every viewer and as their fan base grows and grows, so does their dedication and creativity to their work.