PORN: The Series

Brad Armstrong makes his initial foray into the world of episodic adult content with his groundbreaking project “Porn: The Series.”

As one of the most decorated and celebrated writers and directors in porn, Armstrong has done a plethora of films that have ranged from one end of the spectrum to the other, but surprisingly, “Porn: The Series” marks his first foray into the world of episodic content.

Conceptualized nearly three years ago, Armstrong presents the series as a candid look at real experiences from the world of adult. Every episode of this series will catalogue a scenario or situation that Brad himself has either seen, or been directly involved in.

That’s right, every situation you see in “Porn: The Series” is something that has actually happened to specific adult performers that Armstrong is familiar with. In a world where porn tends to eschew peeks behind the veil (unless the consumer is subscribed to a performer’s personal content) Armstrong is bringing his signature brand of high-quality erotica to the playing field to give general audiences that much desired peek.

“Episode 1: Content Trade”

Jessica Drake plays a porn star who is in therapy and during her sessions, she decides to share intimate details of an experience that is troubling her. Looking for guidance at a time when she can’t seem to be her own rudder, Jessica recounts the series of events that led her to this point in her career, and perhaps on a greater scale, her life.

The episode (written mostly by Jessica herself) opens with Drake talking to her therapist (Calvert) about the walls she has to erect to keep herself sane in her line of work, while simultaneously foreshadowing the sex the audience is going to see. I loved the dynamic between Drake and Calvert here; while Jessica is a bit apprehensive and hesitant, Calvert is open, welcoming and patient. I could see any number of current adult performers sitting in similar offices, talking in guarded tones to a therapist who is patiently waiting for them to feel comfortable enough to open up. The entire sequence really serves to remind audiences that our favorite sexual performers are still people.

The scene shifts from the therapy session to the sexual session, and we see a vibrant Drake clad in black fishnet stockings and black, leather bustier, setting up a content date with fellow performer Marcus London. When he arrives, Drake wastes no time devouring his cock, but before things can get too serious, Isiah Maxwell arrives, to the slight chagrin of London. Drake assures the two swordsmen that there’s plenty of her to go around, and just like that, we have a threesome with three different performers getting content for their own personal platforms while having a grand time.

Jessica feels extremely hungry in this scene, her body seemingly aching to be filled with as much cock as possible. She drips sexuality, and watching her revel in her wantonness is a real joy. When Brad arrives (again, unexpectedly, as far as the gentlemen are concerned), Jessica feels right at home with the prospect of a third cock to play with. There’s a subtle feeling that she might be looking to fill a personal void with sex, but the story doesn’t give any hard indication one way or the other.

The real story is Brad, who cannot seem to get or stay hard despite Jessica’s best efforts. Longtime porn fans might be familiar with the horror stories of male talent having wood problems, but this is honestly the first time I’ve ever seen the subject broached in a film. All I can say about this is what a brave undertaking by everyone involved. It cannot be easy to explore the dark side of erection struggles in the world of porn, but Brad takes the challenge head on, even casting himself as the male talent with the issue. After Brad taps out, unable to make the magic happen, Maxwell and London don’t miss a beat, and proceed to DP the hell out of drake. She looks so incredibly good getting skewered by these two stallions! Their rhythm is on point and her face tells a story of a woman blissfully overwhelmed by pleasure.

The meat of the story occurs after Maxwell and London have made their exit, when Brad informs Drake that this is an issue he’s been dealing with for a while, and nothing he’s doing is helping. He admits that perhaps he’s getting too old for the business and Drake is left shaken. The scene snaps back to the therapy session, where Drake shares a huge admission with Calvert that slams home the sometimes harsh reality of adult entertainment.

“Episode 2: Oh God…oh God…oh God…”

The second episode recounts a tale that is all too common in the adult world. After a few years in the business, a performer will sometimes exit the lascivious lifestyle of adult cinema and turn to religion seeking a fresh start through the dogmatic doctrine of forgiveness through penance. But what does this tale actually look like? Is the performer always regretful of their time in the adult world, or are some performers perfectly happy with every choice they’ve made? Kendra Spade plays retired adult performer Kerri Monroe (now going by her given name of Tammy Dawson), who has volunteered to shoot an anti-porn PSA for a religious-based support group. When things start to go awry, Tammy finds comfort and understanding in Jonathan, the group’s videographer.

For Tammy, her story is very personal and very different from what the support group coordinator is hoping to capture. As the shoot progresses and the coordinator’s intentions for the PSA video become more clear, Tammy becomes more guarded. After an unsuccessful morning of shooting, the coordinator breaks everyone for lunch and suggests to his cameraman Jonathan (Gamble) that he talk with Tammy privately to coerce her into reshaping her experience to fall more in line with the group’s anti-porn agenda. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortuitously) Jonathan is struck by Tammy’s honesty and finds himself drawn to her magnetic sensuality. His steadfast devotion to his religious morale code collides with his carnal human desires in explosive fashion, and despite his best efforts, Jonathan succumbs to the joys of the flesh.

The thing that really stands out about the sex in this episode is the way it sounds. Everything about Kendra drips sensual temptress and every noise she makes (from the sloppy gurgles emanating from her throat as she swallows Seth’s cock to the gratefully blissful way her moans invoke the name of god as Seth fucks her), stimulates every part of the libido. Kendra and Seth capture their characters perfectly, and their sweet murmurs of lust call to the story in a powerful way. Just take moment to listen to some of the things they say to each other as they devour each other; their coupling is far beyond the realm of mere fucking, it’s an awakening for Jonathan and a validation for Tammy. Note the desperate way Jonathan slams Tammy’s asshole, he’s giving in completely to her temptation and his own suppressed desires, while Tammy’s face expresses her truth; her sexual self-discoveries during her time in the industry bring her nothing but unadulterated pleasure. And on a side note, Kendra Spade has an incredible body and the view of her bouncing on Seth’s cock from behind was a chef’s kiss moment as was the standing anal!

The conversation at the end of the encounter carries a ton of legitimate weight. It speaks to a truth that so many performers share, and shines a light on their desire for the civilian world to acknowledge said truth instead of trying to manipulate it to push a single story as the universal truth about the industry. Kendra has a line right near the end of her conversation with Seth about being taken advantage of that is incredibly powerful. It’s a poignant moment that works not only as a confession between Jonathan and Tammy, but Tammy and the audience as well.

This project is extremely intriguing, mainly because it feeds the yearning many fans have of getting to know personal things about their favorite performers. Follow any star on social media and their feed is littered with fans asking them personal questions about the sex they have in movies. They want to build that connection and knowing real truths about the sex they have on set is one way they can do that. Through this series, viewers will get an idea of what their favorite stars might be going through, and it has the potential to really connect with the audience as they wonder which of their favorite adult performers the story might be about. It’s the coolest thing about this entire series.