Blacked Out, the vertical micro-drama starring Daniel Augustin of Issa Rae’s Rap Sh!t, has surpassed 3 million views globally on TikTok’s PineDrama platform since its release there. The series also premiered on muVpix on October 9 and the Tough Love Series YouTube channel.
Produced by Tough Love’s Caleb Davis and Roni Davis of Creative Direction Group, alongside Emmy-winning producer Jade Martin, Blacked Out follows a driven professional whose nights of social drinking spiral into dangerous blackouts, forcing her to confront a night she can’t remember after her boyfriend disappears following a party. The series stars Verina Banks, a fan favorite from Creative Direction Group’s Tough Love franchise known for her role as Jordan Samuels, alongside Augustin, best known for his recurring role as Maurice on Rap Sh!t, with additional credits on Wonder Man, Grey’s Anatomy, and How I Met Your Father. The series was selected for ABFF’s first-ever microdrama showcase.
Blacked Out marks the Davises’ first project in the vertical micro-drama space, following their indie rom-com Red Flags, starring Vanessa Simmons and Melyssa Ford, which wrapped production last year and remains in post-production. The Davises have said what drew them to the format was pairing romance and drama with real consequences, building each reveal to create another question that keeps viewers moving to the next episode.
The platform’s own description positions muVpix as a premium vertical entertainment app aimed at cinematic, mobile-first storytelling, part of a broader push toward high-production-value short-form narrative content in the U.S. market.
With the series already crossing 3 million views across platforms shortly after its wider release, Blacked Out adds another data point to how quickly vertical micro-dramas with recognizable cast members can build an audience outside traditional streaming or broadcast distribution.