Can I Get A YAAAAS: “Broad City” Is TV’s Funniest Half-Hour
Sitting down in front of my TV on Thursday morning and seeing a freshly recorded “Broad City” on the DVR is one of the joyous television experiences of the past year. Without question, I express my excitement with a couple YAS YAS YAAAS’s.
Thanks, Illana.
Comedy Central’s “Broad City” is the funniest and most fun half hour of television in 2016 — arguably 2015, as well. The sitcom comes from the comedic minds of Illana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson, who both write and star in their show. “Broad City” is about two women, named Abbi and Illana, experience some misadventures in New York City. Originally, “Broad City” was a web-series, which aired from 2009 to 2011. In 2014, Comedy Central aired the first season of TV’s iteration of “Broad City”.
Right off the bat, the show raises the bar for half hour comedy.
What makes the show work is the chemistry between Glazer and Jacobson, who, in real life, met while attending classes at a comedy improv group. On the show, they are the closest of friends. On that basis alone would make for an entertaining duo to watch. What Glazer and Jacobson possess is the ability to hit the beats of being best friends; there is no phoniness going on between the two. Because they were friends outside the show, their chemistry was pre-established. This level of friendship on the show thanks to being friends off the show is the engine that makes “Broad City” the hit show it became. (It is way better then some executive producer having an idea for a TV show and hiring two complete strangers as main characters).
Knowing the chemistry exists right from the beginning, the most important part of any show — especially comedy — needs to be great: the writing.
Thankfully, the humor is of the greatest quality.
While Glazer and Jacobson are the creators and input a great amount of time into the show’s material, they do not write every episode. (Unlike their web-series). No matter who has the writing credit, each episode is smartly done in similar tones and style. The beats in jokes are never missed by Glazer and Jacobson. There is a consistency to the humor that leaves the viewer satisfied and yearning for more.
The great part of “Broad City’s” humor is the variance of humor. In the show, there is balance between goofy jokes — which there is a lot of — physical jokes, situational jokes and subtle jokes. The subtle jokes are repeated ever so slightly, they grow to become even funnier the second, third, fourth time they are said between any of the actors. The show features other characters from friends and co-workers of Abbi and Illana. Perfectly cast and written, the same quality of humor that the two main characters showcase is given to the secondary characters.
A wide range of scenarios and topics are dealt with on “Broad City”. The show really does not say no to anything. If it a topic can be seen in a comedic light, chances are the topic is featured one way or another on the show.
A perfect example of the different levels of humor (and my favorite scene of any episode) is a scene where Abbi and Illana go to the bank, because Abbi needs to cash a check. The scene starts absurdly, where the two are happy to be cashing a large check as they enter the bank to Drake’s Started From the Bottom. We realize that is just a day dream and the humor transitions to situational humor.
It is beautiful and hilarious.
There is another reason I love the show: it discourages binge watching. Yes, “Broad City” is only on its third season and, yes, all the episodes are on Hulu. Regardless of that, hear me out.
Shows like “Broad City” can not be consumed back to back to back. The humor is too rich and crazy and will all blend together. Episodes will lose their punch. Give each episode some time to breathe and the jokes to sink in, only then — compared to binge watching the show — does “Broad City” become a stronger, funnier show.
Impeccably acted and written, “Broad City” is one of the most fun times you can have sitting in front of your television. The third season currently airs on Comedy Central on Wednesday nights.
