Entertainment - by Kenneth Hsu on Thursday, February 18, 2010 10:15 - 9 Comments - 844 views
I was annoyed by the Urban Outfitter-esque ads enough to finally watch HBO’s new comedy series How to Make It America, which debuted last Sunday. The first episode is still available on iTunes for free, which is crucial because I probably would never pay to see another episode.
Don’t get me wrong: the show doesn’t seem terrible and might even have some potential, but if I wanted to watch 20-something hipsters talk about partying in New York, I think I’d know where to go (hint: NYU).
Even HTMIIA‘s opening credits are predictable — a montage of trendy young people and “real New Yorkers” in various parts of the city. At least the song (“I Need a Dollar” by Aloe Blacc) beats Jay-Z and Alicia Keys.
The show itself follows two Brooklyn bro-hipsters (Bryan Greenberg, Victor Rasuk) trying to “make it” by hustling New York’s fashion scene. Although their wardrobes and apartments are quite snooty, they sell fake designer jackets in SoHo and bargain sketchy vendors for jeans.
Of course, the only problem is that Ben (Greenberg) works at Barney’s, or according to the loquacious Cam, “the man.” Sell out! Cam has his own problems, however, when his Latino thug cousin (Luis Guzman) comes back home from prison. And guess what? He owes him money! And if he doesn’t give him that money? He’s probably going to get killed!
Meanwhile, Ben and Cam crash attend their friend’s art gallery, where Ben is introduced to his intended hook-up for the night but also bumps into his ex-girlfriend Rachel (Lake Bell). To ease the awkwardness, Kid Cudi shows up. And within five seconds, he’s gone. The acting debut of a lifetime. (Note: Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi plays Domingo, another bro-hipster who looks like he could only be named Domingo.)
And long story short: Ben gets rejected by his hook-up, drunkenly visits his ex’s apartment, then wakes up hungover to help Cam pay his debt to his Latino thug prisoner cousin. Crisis (death by Latino thug?) averted.
Because HTMIIA shares the same producers of Entourage, the show inevitably included overly-attractive love interests and unrealistic plot points in which the characters somehow end unscathed. It almost has too familiar of a ring. Handsome bros having a good time together in a big city? Gee, this isn’t a new series — this is Entourage in skinny jeans.
9 Comments
I was equally unimpressed. I’ll stick to Bored to Death for my TV dose of Brooklyn hipsters.
The one guy said something to the effect of “don’t work for ‘the man’ at Barney’s, just get your money from your parents like I do” and I was hoping it was supposed to received as ironic, but I really don’t think it was.
Myles Tanzer
Didn’t really go for it either, agreed with Luis with that it really wasn’t funny at all.
I don’t know, it seems like everyone hated this show. I liked it based off the first episode, and people have to concede that it was only episode 1 of a 30 minute show. Most people I know did not like entourage based off of the first few episodes, and it turned into a hit. The first season of the wire didnt get really interesting until the 4th or 5th episode.
I think I liked it so much because of the fact that it is kind of like a pre-entourage show. I think the draw for me is that I am in my twenties, I “work for the man” in the corporate world, and I hate it, but at the same time I am not too sure of what else I want to do. I feel like a lot of people around my age can relate to that. Even though it is clearly going to contain some higly unreallistic scenarios, it’s still just a show..we cant take it too seriously (we arent talking about the wire here).
And to the guy that says it wasnt funny, you cant tell me you werent laughing when dude thought he had the girl wrapped up only to find the “gay” guy giving her the business…
rahn serrano
it maybe because im from philly. but i loved the show. i admit. when i saw mark wahlberg i thought of an east coast entourage. more importantly it was in the NY. If you can make it there your can make it anywhere and all those other corney but inspiring lines come to mind. “overly attractive” schiet evrytime i’m in ny THAT ALL I SEE! lol
what im particularly waiting to see is the wilfredo gomez continuations.
peace!
@M Wanzer – I actually did not laugh at that. Maybe a smirk came out, but I honestly didn’t care enough about “Working for the Man” guy (Ben is his name?) to find it funny that he got shut down. Like I said, the only part I thought was funny was the “gay” guy’s comments.
Phillip Klugman
I’m a fan of the show. The characters are likable and people can relate to them in one way or another. Watching the show semi felt like you were just hanging out in New York City, which I thought was a good thing. That being said it definitely has some work to do for it to become a great show.
Also, I’m kinda surprised of this reviews (Although I’m sure it was intentional) non-mention of Finch from American Pie.
Bill Marcham
Yawn. What a cliche response. If you didn’t know Walhberg and the Entourage crew was involved with this, you wouldn’t say half the things you said.
‘Bro-hipsters?’ They look like half the people walking in the LES. What makes them bro? Because they hang out together and go to parties?
There’s no one overly-attractive involved in the show. So cross that off.
The only reason to think something would be unrealistic is, perhaps, you don’t get the sensationalism that TV portrays for entrainment value….
A little harsh, Kendawg. I thought the premise was more interesting than Entourage, since its basically pre-Entourage. I’m sure it’ll get dull and redundant in a few seasons (episodes?) when they “make it” as fashion people, but for now its got its own niche that I can (possibly) enjoy.
Which brings me to the main problem I had: its not very funny. I remember laughing only at the “is he gay? is he straight?” guy (forgot his name), just because he was so out there (“I would tear that ass up!” “really?”) but aside from that, I didn’t laugh…at all. And I’ve read advance reviews of the first 4 or so episodes, and supposedly it doesn’t get better. So that, not the hipsters, might be what gets me to stop watching this show.
Side note – Kid Cudi deserves an Emmy for his 7 word performance.