Put on a happy face!
Abbi Abrams (Abbi Jacobson) and Ilana Wexler (Ilana Glazer) are back and still living large in the big city…or at least pretending to. As Ilana worries dentist Lincoln Rice (Hannibal Buress) could be classified as “her boyfriend”, Abbi still dreams of getting a chance to be a trainer at her gym. From heat waves, wisdom teeth removals, dog weddings, underground jazz clubs, Kelly Ripa, knockoff bags and dildos, Abbi and Ilana always are finding trouble if trouble doesn’t find them.
Broad City—Season 2 aired on Comedy Central from January 14, 2015 to March 17, 2015. The series continued to gain fans and praises from critics.
I didn’t see Broad City until it was almost over. Like other “ladies in the city” series, the women of the series talk the talk and walk the walk of people who don’t care who is listening to them (aka a lot of swearing and sex talk). This might turn off some viewers, but even if it does, you have to credit its writing and style.
Drugs are a hell of a thing…
The scripts for the episodes are smart. Generally there are couple different storylines running through each episode (an Abbi story and an Ilana story), but the writing generally manages to weave them together to make it feel like you aren’t watching two shows. The basic idea of the episode generally develops through the story and often blows up in Abbi and Ilana’s face (though they still end up friends through it all). Some of the plots can be pretty crude, but the intelligence in which are written give them weight.
The show works because Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson. While I do favor the awkward and unsure Abbi, I also find myself loving some of Ilana’s storylines. It is relatively balanced and the two stay true to their characters in situations that challenge them. They have a nice supporting cast (Hannibal Buress is particularly funny as Lincoln), and this season has a number of guest stars including Seth Rogan, D’Arcy Carden, Kumail Nanjiani, Bob Balaban, Amy Ryan, Susie Essman, Janeane Garofalo, Alia Shawkat, Kelly Ripa (as herself), Leo Fitzpatrick, Patricia Clarkson, and Eliot Glazer playing brother to his real-life sister Ilana.
Like looking in a mirror
The show is also very New York. Shot in and around the city and its boroughs, the show gets the city vibe. It often almost has a claustrophobic feel of tight streets and alleys, but Ilana and Abbi’s personalities allow the city to explode. Despite the strange people, the mess, and the heat, it show is a love letter to the city.
Broad City is a fun and quick TV series. Focusing on content rather than quantity the short seasons can be ploughed through rather quickly if you want to…or you can sit and savor it. Ilana would definitely be the former while Abbi would be the latter. It is why they make such a great pairing. Take a second trip to Broad City.
Broad City—Season 2 Complete Episode Guide:
“In Heat”
2.1 In Heat Airdate: 01/14/15
It’s a heat wave in the city and Abbi (Abbi Jacobson) and Ilana (Ilana Glazer) are just trying to keep cool. Abbi worries she’s committed rape when Male Stacy (Seth Rogan) passes out during sex. Ilana discovers she doesn’t know as much about Lincoln (Hannibal Buress) as she thought. When the heat gets too much for Abbi, Abbi and Ilana go in search of an air conditioner.
“Mochalatte Chills”
2.2 Mochalatta Chills Airdate: 01/21/15
Abbi has had enough of Bevers (John Gemberling) and orders him off her couch…but when he decides to hit her gym, Abbi finds her worlds colliding. Todd (Chris Gethard) orders Ilana to make a sale at work, so Ilana does the next best thing and hires interns to do it for her.
“Wisdom Teeth”
2.3 Wisdom Teeth Airdate: 01/28/15
Abbi is getting her wisdom teeth taken out by Lincoln, and Ilana has one job to watch over her. When Ilana overdoses Abbi on Vicodin and weed, Abbi goes out to see the city with her new best friend Bingo Bronson. Plus, Jaime (Arturo Castro) goes on an emergency trip for frozen yogurt.
“Knockoffs”
2.4 Knockoffs Airdate: 02/04/15
Abbi is finally getting her shot at her neighbor Jeremy Santos (Stephen Schneider), but Jeremy has a request that Abbi isn’t sure she can accommodate. Ilana and her mother Bobbi (Susie Essman) go shopping for knock-off bags in Chinatown as they prepare for Ilana’s grandmother’s funeral.
“Hashtag FOMO”
2.5 Hashtag FOMO Airdate: 02/11/15
Ilana and Abbi are invited to a party at the apartment of Trey Pucker (Paul W. Downs), and Abbi hopes it is her chance to prove she can be a trainer. When Ilana and Abbi ditch the party, they seek out new fun, and Ilana learns a secret about Abbi when she gets blackout drunk.
“The Matrix”
2.6 The Matrix Airdate: 02/18/15
Abbi and Ilana decide they are spending too much time on the internet and ditch their phones before heading out the dog wedding of Ilana’s brother Eliot (Eliot Glazer). When Abbi ends up in a pit, Ilana must use her survival and nature skills to seek out the wedding and rescue her friend.
“Citizen Ship”
2.7 Citizen Ship Airdate: 02/25/15
Jaime is becoming an American citizen, and Ilana, Abbi, and Lincoln are out to give him a good time by going on a boat tour of the city put on by Abbi’s roommate Melody. When Bevers reveals he intends to propose to Melody, Abbi realizes she could get him out of her apartment. Ilana worries that she and Lincoln are moving into boyfriend-girlfriend status.
“Kirk Steele”
2.8 Kirk Steele Airdate: 03/04/15
Ilana’s discovery that Abbi’s gym boss Trey was a former porn star called Kirk Steele gives Abbi leverage over him, but when she breaks a mirror in kettle bell class, Abbi and Trey have to come up with the money to replace it. Ilana does her babysitting duty for Heidi Strand (Amy Ryan) and her son Oliver (Grayson Taylor).
“Coat Check”
2.9 Coat Check Airdate: 03/10/15
Jaime gets Abbi and Ilana a job at the coat check for a fancy charity party. Ilana meets the girl of her dreams in Adele (Alia Shawkat), but Abbi has bad news for her. Abbi discovers Kelly Ripa’s coat is missing and sets out to reunite her with it…leading to a strange evening with the star.
“St. Mark’s”
2.10 St. Mark’s Airdate: 03/17/15
It is Ilana’s twenty-third birthday, and she and Abbi are out to celebrate. From a ruined dinner to a purse thief (Leo Fitzpatrick) and his angry mother (Patricia Clarkson), Ilana finds her birthday will be memorable.
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