During the rare TV-less time of the Holidays I did a quick pop culture catch-up on some movies and TV shows I missed in 2014. Comedy Central’s Broad City, the ‘anti-Girls if you will, was one of them.
I put off watching this highly recommended series for a number of usual reasons, but I’m also always a bit more cautious when it comes to comedies. I feel like humor is far more subjective than drama, so while it’s not hard for me to agree that a certain one-hour series may be excellent, I find it much difficult to come to a consensus about similarly heralded comedies.
But Broad City surprised me, there’s a lot to love about this show. So don’t miss out, you can still arrive fashionably late to the party. Season one is just ten 30-min episodes, all of which are available on ComedyCentral.com with an authenticated cable subscription.
If the short time commitment isn’t reason enough to marathon Broad City, here’s three more solid reasons why you ought to catch-up on this series before it’s season 2 premier on January 14th:
A Very Funny Pedigree
Broad City is the brainchild of Upright Citizens Brigade alums Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer. The two pull double duty as they both write for and star in this comedy about twenty something female friends living in New York City. The premise might sound familiar, but their take is refreshingly relatable.
Amy Poehler, another UCB alum, serves as an Executive Producer. In addition to her credibility, the series also boasts guest stars like Fred Armisen and Janeane Garofalo.
Not Just Funny But Clever
Besides the obvious comparison to Girls, I was also told Broad City was like Workaholics for women, which sort of led me to think that the show would mostly employ stoner / slacker humor. And that certainly comes into play, but Broad City is so much more than that.
There’s some really great physical comedy throughout the first season, episode 4 “The Lockout” features one of my favorite moments. And while there isn’t an Abed of the group, there’s plenty of pop culture references to go around too.
The show’s humor extends beyond the acting and dialog as well; cleverly employed editing and audio cues ought to make you chuckle. Broad City also makes good use of dream sequences and music tracks. There’s a little something for everyone.
Excellent Use of NYC
Plenty of TV series are set in New York City, some even film on location. However, Broad City goes way beyond the obligatory establishing shot. From the neighborhoods and landmarks to the transportation and the people, Broad City really benefits from it’s expansive use of the Big Apple.
NYC is inherently colorful, random, and humorous and Broad City really utilizes those quirks. In some episodes the city is practically another character, “Stolen Phone” (1×6) and “Destination: Wedding” (1×8) are particular standouts and make a strong case for nixing the sound stage.
