The Jerma985 Dollhouse (or simply The Dollhouse) was a livestreamed event created by American streamer Jerma985 that ran between August 18 and 21, 2021.[1] The event took place between three separate livestreams, broadcast on Jerma's Twitch page.[2] The event was modeled after life simulation game franchise The Sims.[2][3] In the event, the stream viewers were given control over what Jerma does, through the ability to make decisions using a stream extension.[4][5] The event used status bars—a mechanic from The Sims—that displayed Jerma's needs, such as hygiene and energy.[5] The status bars affected the outcomes of the decisions made by the viewers.[4] Viewers could also choose the location for new furniture additions to the Dollhouse.[6]
| The Jerma985 Dollhouse | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Created by | Jerma985 |
| Based on | The Sims |
| Directed by | Alex Herreid |
| Starring |
|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 3 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Jacob Komar |
| Running time | 5 hr (300 min) |
| Production company | JK Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | Twitch |
| Release | August 18 – August 21, 2021 |
Production and set
The stream was noted for its production value in comparison to most Twitch streams.[3] The set included multiple rooms and a front yard, and the production comprised a crew of about 35 people.[2] With each stream, new rooms were added to the set, as well as more characters.[6] The event's planning took place over seven months.[1] The exact cost of production is unknown, but it required a sponsorship from Coinbase and was more expensive than Jerma985's previous interactive stream, which cost $40,000 to produce.[6]
Streams
The event was first announced on August 3, 2021.[4] The first stream, dubbed the "tutorial",[7] took place on August 18, 2021, and lasted three hours.[4] At the start of the stream, viewers were able to pick Jerma's outfit.[5][7] The stream reached over 600,000 live viewers.[4] The second stream took place on August 20, 2021, at 3pm EST.[4] The third and final stream occurred on August 21, 2021, at 12pm EST.[4]
Reception
PC Gamer called Jerma's acting "charming and personable".[5] GameRant described the stream as absurdist comedy, and noted the stream's high production value, calling it a "high-quality stream".[3] Uproxx compared the stream to The Truman Show, and wrote "while The Sims streams have always been a pretty solid staple on Twitch, this unique take on it certainly feels like a first for the site".[7] The Glasgow Guardian described the event as "a psychedelic fever dream of improv comedy brought to astounding new heights by inclusion of its interactive aspect".[1] Study Breaks wrote, "It's difficult to imagine another livestream surpassing the ambition and surprising success of The Jerma985 Dollhouse."[6] They praised the interactivity of the audience and the cohesiveness of the plot that continued between streams.[6]
Awards and nominations
| Ceremony | Year | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Streamer Awards | 2022 | Best Streamed Event | Won | [8] |