Broad City is about two 20-something women living in New York City and their ride-or-die friendship. For these two, nothing is normal, everything is absurdist. It’s still recognizable as real life, just a little more – funnier, riskier, rowdier, and probably more intoxicated.
Hey Ladies
Abbi Abrams and Ilana Wexler are just two best friends trying to have a good time. While amazingly compatible friends, they’re very different people.
Abbi is a little older, a little wiser, and a lot more uptight. Abbi’s her own worst enemy. She’s an aspiring artist whose short-term goal is to be promoted from janitor to trainer at the gym where she works.
Ilana is a little younger, a little wilder, and a lot more crude. The only time she’s going to work is to pick up her paycheck or a convenient place for a mid-day nap.
The best thing about Abbi and Ilana is that they are the most important person in each other’s lives. They will do anything for the other and it’s so rare to see a female friendship as the central thesis of a show that this feels like a blessing. The show not only portrays their friendship, it celebrates it. Sure, they talk about dudes and dicks and relationships, but they always end up together.
Get Some
It’s difficult, at times, to talk about how truly progressive and amazing this show is for women, especially when it comes to sexuality. It’s difficult for a couple reasons, one because my mom reads this blog and there’s still a line of propriety that I’m not sure I’m comfortable crossing in talking about sex on the internet; and two, this show is so prolific, that it’s actually hard to narrow it down. Which, really, is why I love it.
Abbi and Ilana have sex. They have a lot of sex. They have good sex, and bad sex, and weird sex. They hit on guys. They get excited when they’re called “hot”. They call their vaginas “pussies” or any other number of slang words. They have kinks, and they’re not ashamed. They try things. They experiment. They are fluid in their sexuality and it’s not a big deal. They don’t make a point to label themselves or pigeon-hole each other. They date and hook-up, they have one-night stands, and they celebrate being single. They’re just two broads, having a good time living in New York City.
I’m not going to lie, Sense8 is batshit crazy. It may not be for everyone, but for some, it’ll be the show they’ve been waiting for. If, like me, your weaknesses include: found families, beautifully built relationships, women who appear weak but can actually Fuck You Up, broken boys, confused girls, and are super into the idea of sharing brain space with strangers, this show is for you!!!
The show follows eight sensates (characters who are connected on a metaphysical level through a super cool mental walkie-talkie. Except instead of speaking telepathically they kind of astral project) as they begin to learn what they are, how/why they’re connected, and as they try to escape being lobotomized by a super scary corporation of Bad Guys.
Admittedly, the sci-fi-ness and in-show mythology can be daunting. The show doesn’t rely heavily on exposition of what is happening, rather it gives the audience time to figure out what is happening in time with the characters. That delay of information, gratification, explanation – whatever you’ll call it – can be off-putting. But the conflict, relationships, and action are all so beautifully crafted and entwined, that you should at least give the show a chance.
Characters
Sun Bak (South Korea): Sun Bak does not have time for your bullshit. Quiet and fierce, Sun can beat the ever-loving shit out of pretty much anyone, and has an amazing dog.
Wolfgang Bogdanow (Germany): 😍 at Wolfie for daaaaaays. Someone needs to wrap him in a hug and never let go. Wolfgang is a thief that operates so mercilessly at times, you worry he may be a sociopath. A hot, badass sociopath.
Capheus (Kenya): 😍 at Capheus, too. He has a love for Jean-Claude Van Damme that is more adorable than you could anticipate, going so far as to name his transport van the Van Damn. Bad things keep happening to him, and yet he maintains a wonderful optimism.
Kala Dandekar (India): Kala has a spirit so wonderfully pure, at times you may worry she is naive. Instead, she’s fleshed out into a kind, caring woman with a deep sense of faith and an obligation to do what is right.
RileyBlue (London, via Iceland): Riley is lonely and profoundly sad. She’s a DJ who refuses to go back to Iceland and visit her father, despite that clearly being where she left her heart.
Will Gorski (Chicago): A Chicago cop and all around good guy. He’s brave and sweet, with a heart of gold; basically a puppy dog.
Nomi Marks (San Francisco): A hacker and social justice advocate, Nomi is a trans woman in a beautiful, loving relationship. She’s approximately five seconds from opening up her own hacking/detective agency with her girlfriend, Neets, at any given time.
Lito Rodriguez (Mexico): Drama queen movie star. He’s in a closeted (yet fierce) relationship with his live-in boyfriend before his beard moves in with them. Then there’s even more drama.
Representation
This show actually has it!!! It is racially diverse! It has multiple sexualities being represented! In a positive way! It has a trans female character being played by a trans actress! There are monogamous couples and couples that participate in orgies and oh my word, so much is happening and it’s wonderful.
Canon Relationships
When we’re introduced to the Sensates and their world, three of them are already in relationships. The best thing about this show is that all of the relationships (both platonic and romantic) are so dynamic and interesting. Some of the main characters never interact until the finale – believe me when I tell you that the payoff there is beyond great. Some characters only appear to one another in times of great emotional distress, while some sensates fall in love.
I’m not going to lie, I’m almost to the point where I just ship everyone on this show and polyamory. If nothing else, it would probably be easier. (And if you do go this route, well, episode 6 is for you!) There are a lot of couples to keep track of otherwise.
Lito, our Mexican movie star, is in a beautiful (but closeted) relationship with Hernando. Hernando is great and the most attractive and if you disagree you can just leave right now. They’re adorable, but their relationship hits some major turbulence over the course of the season, but it’s all handled intelligently. Also, their kisses are 🔥🔥🔥
Nomi, our amazing LGBT blogger/hacker extraordinaire is in a lesbian relationship with Neets. They are completely in sync and so delightfully supportive of one another and so, so in love.
Kala, our Indian pharmaceutical wiz, is engaged to Rajan at the beginning of the series. Despite the fact that it’s a love match, Kala is not so sure Rajan is the dude for her. He’s lovely and charming, but his father owns the pharmaceutical company Kala works for and also wants to tear down the temple at which she prays. But before long she meets Wolfgang, another sensate, and can’s stop looking at him. (Bless episode 5. Bless.) I honestly can’t blame her. That’s not even hitting the tip of the iceberg as to how perfect Kala and Wolfgang are for one another, so let’s have some evidence:
The other ship that’s out of the world between Sensates is the developing relationship between Riley and Will. Riley is the character that you will end the season yelling “someone HOLD HER” and Will is just the cutest little puppy dog that you just want to be happy. They’re stupidly cute together. Where Kala and Wolfgang had me yelling MAKE OUT at the screen, Will and Riley actually had me yelling “HOLD HANDS”.
So, it’s not just the bountiful shipping opportunities. It’s that your ships WILL ACTUALLY SAIL.
Batshit Craziness
It’s hard to quantify something that’s insane or action-packed without simply reverting to a refrain of, “oh my god, oh my god, oh my god” or simply yelling, “It’s so good????”. One of the things I found compelling about the show is that it’s actually really heartwarming and affirming.
Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of intrigue, drama, and consistent doses of “what the hell did I just watch?”. It is made by the Wachowski siblings, after all.
Last but not least: the cool fight sequences. Cool fight sequences that often rely on the sensates astral projecting (or whatever you want to call it) into each others’ lives and realities so that they can take part in the action.
Up front, iZombie has a lot going on. It’s a procedural, but it’s a zombie show, but it’s a fake-psychic show, but, but but.
But it’s delightful.
Overview
The show follows Liv Moore (I know), who in the first five minutes of the pilot transforms from a promising young med student to reluctant zombie after a boat party goes awry. In order to sate her newfound need for brains, Liv abandons her surgical residency to work as a medical examiner in the morgue (alongside the beautiful, charming, hilarious Ravi).
Brains aren’t the only big change in her life. She’s now preternaturally pale and depressed as hell. In order to avoid infecting her perfect fiancé (Major Lilywhite), Liv dumps him. Once you’ve seen his face, you’ll understand what a travesty this truly is. Her family is under the impression she is simply suffering some mild PTSD after witnessing the veritable massacre that was the boat party, but Liv is struggling a lot more than that.
Thankfully, Liv is given some purpose again with the realization that the brains she consumes give her flashes of the deceased’s life and their graphic deaths. Using this new information, Liv joins forces with the local police department, partnering with skeptical Detective Babineaux to solve the murders.
Perfect for…
Veronica Mars lovers. It’s got the same procedural roots, witty characters, and snappy writing that viewers have come to expect from Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero-Wright. It’s current and polished and refreshingly diverse. And great news Veronica Mars-lovers: Major is not just another Duncan Kane! He is so, so much more.
Fake-Psychic show obsessives. It’s hard to believe there’s still a market for this very niche genre, but iZombie fills the Psych-shaped hole in my heart.
Those who’ve missed seeing Sark / David Anders on their screens. (I’ve just started watching Alias, so his presence is especially delightful.)
Fans of Merlin – Bradley James (Arthur) makes some recurring appearances as rock star/Liv’s hot British boyfriend.
Science! – Ravi tries to reverse engineer the zombie virus as well as attempting to create a potential cure.
What Else I Love
It’s not just a fake-psychic show. Or a zombie show. iZombie has the added bonus of a deftly implementing a twist in which perimortem flashbacks aren’t the only side-effect of Liv’s condition: she also temporarily exhibits some of the victim’s personality traits, from kleptomania to a peppy cheerleader persona. What could be an annoying trope has been cleverly used as a nice comedic tool.
Molly Kasperek 