James Franco’s Massive 50-Episode Comeback Is Now Streaming
James Franco Returns to TV in a New Kind of Show: "Love, Lies & Frank"
TL;DR: James Franco is back on screen in a 50-episode "microdrama" made for your phone. It’s called Love, Lies & Frank, and it’s streaming now on an app called Shortical.
What Is This Show All About?
Imagine a TV show, but chopped into tiny, bite-sized pieces—each episode is only a minute or two long. That’s a microdrama. Now, imagine it’s filmed vertically (up and down) so it fits your phone screen perfectly without you having to turn it sideways. That’s vertical entertainment.
James Franco’s new series, Love, Lies & Frank, is exactly that: a 50-episode microdrama made for mobile-first viewing. You can watch it exclusively on the Shortical app.
Meet the Characters
The show centers on an advertising agency where things are definitely not normal.
| Actor | Character | Who Are They? |
|---|---|---|
| James Franco | Jimmy Frank | The eccentric CEO. He acts confident and funny, but he’s hiding serious problems—think criminal danger and maybe even supernatural threats. Plus, his past is catching up to him. |
| Eric Guilmette | Cameron Frank | Jimmy’s stepbrother. He works at the agency too. |
| Neela Jolene | Daniella Hanson | An ambitious employee who just landed a huge campaign. She also has a secret romance with Cameron. |
Fun Fact: Guilmette and Jolene are already stars in the vertical drama world. This is Franco’s first time joining them in this format.
Behind the Scenes: How It Was Made
This wasn’t just a quick phone recording. It was a real Hollywood production—just shaped for a new screen.
Key Production Details
- Directed by: Eric Wang Schwager
- Written by: Melissa Lynn Moore
- Produced by: Knockout Shorts + Peter Gold (Gold Films)
- Union Status: Made under the SAG-AFTRA Verticals Agreement (a special contract for short-form, mobile content)
- No AI Used: The team confirmed no AI-generated performances or digital replicas were used. That’s a big deal—some new short-form shows do use AI actors. This one didn’t.
Important Point
This show is one of the first major productions under the new SAG-AFTRA Verticals Agreement. That means real actors, real writers, real crew—all protected by union rules—making content for your phone.
Why This Matters for TV’s Future
Hollywood is finally taking vertical storytelling seriously.
What the Bosses Are Saying
Guy Shimoni, CEO of Shortical:
"Hollywood is beginning to embrace vertical storytelling in a meaningful way. To see a talent like James Franco headlining an original microdrama is an important milestone for the industry."Matthew Ko, Co-founder & CEO of Knockout Shorts:
"It’s a really fun collision of worlds. We wanted to explore familiar genre ideas while adding unexpected elements."
The Numbers Don’t Lie
- Shortical gets 20+ million episode plays per month in the U.S. alone.
- The platform hosts live-action, celebrity-led, IP-based, and creator-led vertical shows.
- This isn’t a niche experiment—it’s a growing new lane for entertainment.
Summary
- James Franco stars in 50 short, vertical episodes of Love, Lies & Frank.
- It’s a microdrama—think TV drama, but snack-sized and made for your phone.
- He plays Jimmy Frank, a CEO with secrets, threats, and a messy past.
- Co-stars Eric Guilmette and Neela Jolene are vertical-drama veterans.
- Made union-approved, no AI, by Knockout Shorts for Shortical.
- Industry leaders call it a milestone for mobile-native storytelling.
- Shortical already sees 20M+ monthly plays—this format is here to stay.
FAQ
What is a "microdrama"?
A microdrama is a scripted show with very short episodes (usually 1–3 minutes). It tells a full story over many tiny episodes—like a novel told in text messages.
What does "vertical format" mean?
It means the video is tall, not wide—shot in 9:16 aspect ratio (like TikTok, Reels, or Stories). You watch it holding your phone normally, no rotating needed.
Where can I watch Love, Lies & Frank?
Only on the Shortical app. It’s not on Netflix, Hulu, or YouTube. You’ll need to download Shortical (iOS or Android) to stream it.
Is this a "real" TV show or just influencer content?
It’s a real production: union crew, professional actors, experienced director/writer, and no AI. It just happens to be formatted for mobile.
Why is James Franco doing this now?
Vertical storytelling is exploding. With 20M+ monthly plays on Shortical alone, top talent is following the audience—to the phone screen.