What began as a one-off format for the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidtmight just be a new trend in entertainment ā the Disneyfied show for adults.
In his new webseries Merce, Charles Sanchez plays Merced (aka Merce), a middle-aged, single, gay, HIV-positive man living in New York City. While in the past that may have called for a drama, Sanchez takes his life and turns it into a musical comedy.
What pops up is something familiar to any kid raised on the Disney channel: A perky protagonist living it up in the big city with bright saturated colors and the occasional break into song.
In the first episode, Merce has a date with Remmington and Skypes with his mother about his excitement for the upcoming date. His understanding Southern mother reminds him to look good and remember "no glove, no love," the theme for the first episode. Merce then sings to himself about the highs and lows of aging before discussing disclosure with his roommate.
Merce and Remmington hit off right away leading one to believe the evening will end with the two hooking up. But things don't go as planned when Merce discloses his HIV status.
Nevertheless, the show manages to stay upbeat and peppy, even with such a tough topic. See all the episodes so far here or watch the first one below.
