We return once again to the quirky, surreal, and heartfelt world of Turtletastic! – the indie webseries that has quietly built a loyal following thanks to its inventive storytelling, oddball humour, and endearing characters.
Created by and starring Craig Selbrede and Ronan Guilfoyle, the show follows the trials and tribulations of Stone Scrivens and his stuffed turtle companion Timothy, who just so happens to be alive – at least in Stone’s head. With Series 2 now drawing to a close, we sat down to watch episodes six and eight, which bring plenty of laughs, unexpected turns, and some surprisingly poignant moments.
One of the pleasures of covering Turtletastic! at Screen Critix is not only the chance to watch each new episode as it drops, but also to appreciate the sheer effort that Selbrede, Guilfoyle, and their collaborators pour into making it. Low-budget web productions often sink or swim depending on the chemistry of the cast and the imagination of the writers, and Turtletastic! consistently demonstrates both. Like their earlier project Hurt, it shows what can be achieved when friends with a passion for storytelling join forces to bring something unusual and personal to the screen.
Episode six kicks things off with Timothy facing one of his strangest encounters yet: meeting The Void in human(ish) form. Played with tongue-in-cheek absurdity – essentially a man in a black morph suit and a flamboyant necktie – The Void declares himself to be Timothy’s legal counsel, sweeping him off to a surreal courtroom. Unsurprisingly, The Void is utterly inept at his supposed job, leaving Timothy to blurt out blunt truths in frustration. Meanwhile, Stone is wrestling with thoughts about his own future, yearning for the guidance of his absent friend Fin.
The courtroom sequence is a highlight, even if the setting is clearly an auditorium repurposed as a makeshift chamber of justice. Here, Timothy is told by the chancellor that he is not a “real person” but merely an idea, a ruling that condemns him to the incinerator. Just as all seems lost, The Void plunges the room into darkness, allowing the pair to make a daring escape. Their flight leads them to “The Human Making Machine,” a wonderfully lo-fi contraption that transforms Timothy into flesh and blood. The Pinocchio parallel is obvious, but it works – especially when Timothy, now human and sporting a turtle-print shirt, casually joins Stone on the sofa as though nothing strange had occurred.
Episode seven remains unavailable at the time of writing, though Selbrede has described it as a self-contained bottle episode, meaning viewers can safely skip to episode eight without losing the thread. And what an episode it is.
We pick up directly where we left off: Stone and the now-human Timothy lounging together. For the first time, Timothy is able to offer genuinely useful advice, helping Stone confront the tricky “Kevin situation.” Yet the heart of the episode lies in Timothy’s unexpected honesty. He admits to years of selfishness and tells Stone that perhaps it is time to move on, to let him go, and to face life without his imaginary companion. This bittersweet confession brings real emotional weight to the series, grounding its whimsy with a touch of melancholy.
The courtroom returns, this time with Timothy offering himself up to the chancellor in exchange for a favour. We also get the welcome reappearance of Quill, Stone’s sister, through a phone call, reminding us how rich this oddball universe of characters has become. Meanwhile, Kevin finally receives his comeuppance, thanks to the combined efforts of the gang, in a moment of well-earned catharsis.
As with earlier episodes, the charm of Turtletastic! lies in its inventive writing and the relationships between its characters. The humour and surrealism mask a surprisingly tender core about friendship, growth, and moving on. On a technical level, however, the series continues to show its limitations. The sound mix is often uneven, and the cinematography rarely rises above basic setups, with shallow focus and unbalanced compositions cropping up throughout.
That said, these shortcomings are easy to forgive once you accept the project for what it is: a labour of love made by a small team working with limited resources. Filmmaking, especially independent filmmaking, is never easy. That the creators have managed to craft not only this show but also Hurt before it is testament to their determination and imagination. One can’t help but wonder what Turtletastic! might look like if Selbrede and Guilfoyle had access to a full professional crew – the storytelling is strong enough that a larger budget could elevate it to something really special.
As the series comes to an end, there is an undeniable sadness. Viewers who have followed Stone, Timothy, and their eccentric circle through two series have witnessed a heartfelt, surreal journey that balances absurd comedy with thoughtful reflections on adulthood and imagination. Whether or not Turtletastic! returns for a third season remains uncertain, but Selbrede has built a world that could easily support a spin-off or new chapter in Stone Scrivens’ life.
For now, though, Turtletastic! Series 2 concludes with a mix of humour, emotion, and quirky inventiveness that deserves recognition. It may be rough around the edges, but it is made with sincerity, and that counts for a lot. Congratulations to all involved for crafting a series that not only entertains but also connects on a personal level.
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