Though it’s still early in its first season, I Love LA is already being compared to previous character-driven sitcoms about aimless young people in big cities, namely Girls — only there’s an element of that show that’s noticeably missing from this new one.
I Love LA follows aspiring talent manager Maia (Rachel Sennott) and her tight-knit group of friends, including her formerly estranged, influencer bestie Tallulah (Odessa A’zion), whom she represents as a client. Right off the bat, it’s clear the show wants to establish the sort of relatable, “which one are you?” type of TV ensemble. However, their personalities, aside from Maia’s straight-man boyfriend, aren’t all that distinguishable. Maia, in particular, is an oddly nonspecific protagonist whose voice resembles Twitter more than an actual person. Everyone speaks in the same dry, “cool-girl” tone. Maybe this is an accurate depiction of Gen-Z Angelenos nowadays, but it doesn’t really work for a show that’s aiming to make you invested in its characters.
This could very well change as the season progresses. Still, sitting through I Love LA brings to mind a larger question: Are we in a TV character drought? Will we ever have someone as iconic and knowable as Carrie Bradshaw or Don Draper on our screens again? |