BROAD CITY VS. GIRLS

In the ‘90s, a good number of popular television shows were about high school aged kids. From Dawson’s Creek to Clueless, the dramatized problems of high school kids became a part of our culture.
Today, 20-somethings seem to be taking television by storm, although many of them seem to have the same general plot. There is one show, however, that has gained more popularity from the media than the rest. Perhaps it is because HBO has a higher standard for their television shows, or because we just love seeing Lena Dunham naked, GIRLS seems to be one of our generation’s “it” shows.
While the show itself is entertaining, it seems as though the target audience is pretty narrowed, seeing as a good number of the characters are often times less than lovable. Set in New York, it seems as though all of them have a pretty solid social and professional life, give or take a few plot developments. This sort of “reality” is not as relatable to everyone as it is entertaining and may leave viewers wanting something a little more their speed.
Enter Broad City. Comedy Central picked up the show from executive producer Amy Poehler to bring viewers another side of the “females living in New York” themed TV show. While the demographic for shows on Comedy Central is likely to vary from that of HBO, Broad City brings together a show that is equally entertaining as it is relatable for both of the sexes.
Unlike some of the characters on GIRLS, Broad City’s two female leads are people you would actually want to hang out with. Abbi is the seemingly more uptight one of the two, whereas Ilana is more of the spontaneous one that brings the adventure and, sometimes, conflict.
Pilot episodes are always make-it-or-break-it, but it seemed as though episode one made it. The plot was simple enough, as the two main characters were trying to find a way to get tickets for a Lil’ Wayne concert.
In my opinion, this is more relatable to me as an early 20-something than, say, trying to be a writer. The humor was much more my speed than that of GIRLS, and I found myself wanting to befriend the characters from the start. The first episode even featured Fred Armisen as a creepy Craigslist Ad responder, as if playing weird characters were a challenge for him.
The phrase “don’t knock it ‘til you try it” seems to be appropriate when comparing two things, especially when it’s done subjectively. If you’ve got the time, check out both GIRLS and Broad City and get a feel for what you like more. GIRLS has new episodes Sundays at 10 p.m., and new episodes of Broad City air Wednesdays at 10:30 p.m. on Comedy Central. Both of these shows can be found online, though GIRLS may be a bit harder to find.