Jump Into Broad City

“’What’s this show about?’

‘It’s about two Jewish girls living in New York City...’”

First time I was ever introduced to Broad City, I was sitting on a couch with two people roller coasting funky concoctions of drinks and enjoying copious bong hits. I don’t smoke or drink so it felt mostly like the TV was turned on just to keep me entertained, and I so was. Three episodes in, I found myself screaming “YAS QUEEN!” and wishing so desperately for Abbi Abrams to be promoted to trainer. In a span of just over an hour, I was emotionally invested into the characters, and physically hurting from laughing so hard. How had I been missing this?

From the first televised episode to the last, Broad City is hilarious. You can stop reading now, create your Hulu account, watch seasons 1-3 and die happy and fulfilled. But I implore you to keep reading. What quickly becomes clear in the show's dynamic is the cadence and chemistry that has been perfected between its stars Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson. Rarely does this show feel like two comedians performing independent standup routines than just two high as hell goof balls letting you in on their exaggerating foolishness. That’s the magic of the show – Ilana and Abbi are essentially playing themselves, same names in all, eliminating the process of getting into a created character, far-removed from reality.

Aiding this is the fact that the show was granted to true privilege of being able to find its feet long before it ever aired on anyone’s television. The Broad City web series is a collection of skits that are the raw, condensed skeleton of what is now a hit series heading into its 4th season. Consuming these sweet morsels after enjoying each tv episode (twice) as I did allows you to see the genesis of the jokes and genius between Jacobson and Glazer. Much of these shorts seems ab-lived yet there’s never a hick-up nor do they ever step on each other’s moment. Much like the tv series, there’s a balanced space that both occupy that allows you the viewer to consume and digest each joke no matter its size or importance in the story.

 

Many are quick to categorize this show as an example of women being funny and using that to begin a conversation of equality and the start to an eventual end of sexism in comedy. While there's certainly a place for that discussion, Broad City doesn't center itself around its stars being women in a space thought of as male dominated. Spending time to focus on the lone feature misses the point of the show and places restrictions on what the show is and can be. It's bigger than a program featuring funny women, its larger than a simple cause. It's fresh and more importantly; funny - and in comedy that’s all that has ever mattered. Seinfeld may have broken ground with how they spent 30 minutes telling a masturbation joke, but the show was never about breaking ground, just splitting sides. Modern Family may be “smart comedy” but that simply translates into the show being funny because it's well-written. These series along with Broad City complete the singular function of a (network) comedy – make people laugh.

 

This show is very much in it's peak. Three seasons in, it's found its groove and now it's here to enjoy the fruits of its labor evidenced by cameo's from Kelly Ripa, Blake Griffin, and even Hilary Fucking Clinton. Broad City exists in a sweet spot where it's a mainstream success but gets to retain its creative freedom. It's created its own community of followers, otherwise known as a "cult following" and is now in a place where it's doing the Hulk Hogan cupping-of-the-ear to find out who wants to hop aboard its bandwagon.

If you're tuning in for the first time tonight you've already missed so much. You're already that person who shows up to the party wanting to get crazy as the DJ is packing up and last call has already commenced. But it's okay. That's what the internet is for. You can catch up on the show's classic bits. If you still want to have your own perfected handshake at your local Bed Bath and Beyond, you can (maybe). If you ever felt the need to twerk on a wall because your best friend has conquered new sexual conquests, that's okay. However, words of advice, don't hit the bong with underage college kids because that can get weird quick and is not okay. Abbi and Ilana did that so you wouldn't have to go through that awkwardness.

The new season of Broad City airs Wednesday after South Park, so set your schedules accordingly. You might feel behind and luckily for you, the first three seasons are on Hulu. You then might stumble upon Youtbe videos of the show to which I'd say to be prepared to waste plenty of time consumed with Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer's channels. You'll then find the web series shorts, and extra footage from episodes throughout each season. This will all happened and once again, that's okay, enjoy it. The funny never runs dry whether it's yoga fart jokes or the creative ways to smuggle weed. Broad City serves one sole purpose and does it very well whether or not you can relate to being Jewish or living in New York City. There's not a soul walking this planet that doesn't enjoy to laugh and that's what Glazer and Jacobson have mastered.