Harvard Social Life: The Drama

The O.C. might draw crowds around common room televisions campus wide, but computer screens are increasingly the hot spot for high-drama entertainment. First aired in common rooms and JCRs, Ivory Tower, the HRTV soap opera that tries to make Harvard social life interesting, is available online.

Its easy accessibility encourages fans—or procrastinators—to log on and catch up on the fates of pretty boy Cameron, promiscuous Angela, final-club groupie J. Isaac Wentworth III, and other favorite characters. Each show has been downloaded about 30,000 times, says Eda Pepi ’06, the show’s executive producer and one of its stars.

After its four debut episodes addressed serious questions like rape, student-TF romance, and sexuality, episodes five and six—scheduled for release this month—will tackle a new slate of topical plotlines. At the top of the list, Pepi says, is Wentworth’s journey through the painstaking trials of punch season.

“It is definitely a lot more entertaining than last year. All the actors are starting to click and get comfortable in their roles, which helps a lot,” says Oliver A. Horovitz ’08, a writer and director.

Horovitz is one of a staff of 75 whose efforts combine to produce the show.

“The writers’ meetings work just like the real world,” he says—complete with endless discussions over each hookup, breakup, and trip to the Quad. Th\eir perfectionism seems to have paid off.“When I see characters from Ivory Tower on the streets of Cambridge I flip out,” says devoted fan Danielle R. Sassoon ’08. “It is such a good drama and amazing quality television.”

TO WATCH: www.ivorytowersoap.com