Two kids running an illegal chocolate ring while a totalitarian government hunts them for it sounds absurd. It is absurd. The show commits completely to the premise, treating contraband candy with the same conspiratorial weight as a spy thriller, and that sincerity is exactly what makes it work. You're watching teenagers actually risk something for the simple, human act of eating a candy bar. The comedy lands because it never winks at you about how ridiculous the stakes are.

In a world where chocolate and sweets have been outlawed by an oppressive government, two teenage friends refuse to accept a life without their favorite treats. Smudger and Huntley become amateur rebels, hunting down rumors of chocolate bootleggers in a society where the new laws are enforced by force. Smudger's family bakery is struggling under the ban, and Huntley is upset that he cannot keep a promise to his late father. With help from Louise and other friends, the pair begin running their own underground chocolate trade, only to find the fight is harder than they expected. Adapted from Alex Shearer's novel Bootleg, the 13-episode web series is a comedy. If you're drawn to stories about small acts of defiance, or you just want to watch teenagers scheme their way around ridiculous laws, this delivers.