Backpackers (web series)

This article is about the comedy series. For the travel-reality series, see Backpackers (TV series).
Backpackers
GenreComedy[2]
Created byDaniel Dales

Jarrett Sherman

Jay Bennett[1]
Starring
Country of origin
  • Canada
  • United States[1]
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes
  • 32 (web version)
  • 3 (TV version)
Production
Executive producers
Camera setupsingle-camera[2]
Running time
  • 4–16 minutes (web version)
  • 22 minutes (TV version)
Production companies
Original release
Network
Release
  • 2013–2015 (web version)
  • July 14, 2014 (2014-07-14) – July 21, 2014 (2014-07-21) (TV version)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Backpackers is a Canadian comedy web series, which aired in 2013 on CTV.ca and CW Seed.[3] The CW picked up the series for television broadcast, for which material from the web series was edited into four half-hour episodes, and six new episodes were produced.[1] Backpackers made its television premiere on July 14, 2014. The series stars Dillon Casey and Noah Reid as Brandon and Ryan, two friends on a backpacking trip across Europe after Ryan and his girlfriend Beth (Meghan Heffern) experience cold feet over their pending engagement.[3] Ryan's stolen journal is posted on the Internet and goes viral, sending Ryan, Brandon, and Brandon's brother Andrew (Giacomo Gianniotti) on another journey, to recover the journal and fulfill Ryan's dream of becoming a published author.[1]

The web series was produced by Smokebomb Entertainment, the digital content division of Shaftesbury Films.[4] The television series is produced by Shaftesbury U.S. and Smokebomb in association with The CW.[1]

Casey garnered a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Performance in a Program or Series Produced for Digital Media at the 2nd Canadian Screen Awards.

On July 23, 2014, The CW removed Backpackers from its schedule after just two episodes, and released the remaining episode on CW Seed.[5]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "CW Seed's "Backpackers" Becomes the Network's First Digital Series to Make Leap from Online to On-Air, With Brand New Episodes Set to Debut on the CW Television Network". The Futon Critic. April 8, 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Backpackers on CW". The Futon Critic. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  3. ^ a b "New Canadian web series target viewers watching on mobile devices". Toronto Star. 2013-08-26. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  4. ^ Vlessing, Etan (2012-11-28). "CW Digital Picks Up 'Backpackers' Web Series". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  5. ^ Bibel, Sara (July 23, 2014). "The CW Pulls 'Seed' & 'Backpackers' From Its Schedule After Two Episodes". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on July 29, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2014.