From social climbers to the Hailey Bieber Erewhon smoothie, LA has a certain zeitgeist that people clamor for. At least, influencers and transplants do in “I Love LA.”
“I Love LA” — a comedy TV show on HBO — follows Maia (Rachel Sennott), an aspiring talent manager, as she navigates the tumultuous return of Tallulah (Odessa A’zion), an influencer and Maia’s ex-best friend, through the ups and downs of Los Angeles celebrity culture.
Completing the friend group that feels hopelessly enmeshed is Alani (True Whitaker), a harmless nepo-baby, Charlie (Jordan Firstman), a celebrity stylist and Dylan (Josh Hutcherson), Maia’s boyfriend.
As Maia and Tallulah plunge into codependency, they take bigger and bigger swings career-wise, which don’t always work out for them, through witty and deeply Gen Z-coded dialogue.
Sennott created and wrote the show, which premiered in November. It’s been renewed for a second season, but a release date hasn’t been announced yet.
Although oddly endearing, none of the main characters are particularly personable, but don’t let that deter you from the show. They’re human, and aren’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but their problems at a very basic level are ones we all deal with: relationship issues, insecurities, work conflicts and more.
On top of it all, the writing manages to have you laughing while mocking the rich, privileged and celebrity/influencer culture in general. It’s raunchy, sarcastic and will resonate if you’re chronically online.
From Maia and Tallulah getting tattoos that say “the nightmare before business” to Alani’s airheaded and at times confusing commentary, the jokes aren’t throwaways to fill the space. They serve a purpose and make you feel like you’re in on it.
Josh Hutcherson is a highlight of the show. For most of the season, he serves as the voice of reason and grounds Maia’s tomfoolery. As the show goes on, however, we find ourselves in Maia’s shoes as we question if his sensible logic is what she needs, or if it’s masking a deep-seated insecurity.
The culture of ambition and striving for success is infectious — the vibe that anyone can make it if they work hard enough is felt through the screen. I couldn’t help but root for Maia and her at times misguided creativity, on the off chance that it actually works. What if she does succeed? She might not be the most likable main character, but I easily got sucked in and couldn’t help but hop in for the ride.
“I Love LA” provides thoughtful commentary on what it’s like to be a Gen Z adult and has the potential to be a great sitcom like “Friends,” “Girls” or “Sex and the City.” While it’s too early to tell if it’ll be a generation-defining show, it’s trending in the right direction.
As the world changes, previously iconic sitcoms become less relatable, which has left us with a vacuum of a show that understands young adults. Rachel Sennott is here to step in — all we need to do is let her fill the space and make it her own.
