Review of HBO's new series How To Make It In America

Last month HBO quietly premiered a new show called How To Make It In America. I have hesitated to write about it over the last couple of weeks mainly because there isn't exactly a whole lot to be said about the show. That said, please continue reading the following handful of paragraphs...

...Still with me? Ok, cool.

The show is based around the lives of two twenty-something Brooklyn pseudo-hipsters, Ben and Cam, played by Bryan Greenberg and Victor Rasuk, who have to "hustle" to survive. And by "hustle" I mean, they have to sell home-made skateboard decks, work at Barney's, attend fashionable parties and rail hot chicks. Sounds pretty tough right?

Ben and Cam's real goal in life is to strike it rich in the denim jeans game. Yes you read that sentence correctly. HBO's new show is about two dudes whose dream is to become the next Levi Strauss (I know, I know. Levi and Strauss might be two different people, but the fact that I'm not really sure and don't care proves my point that no one cares about two dudes that make jeans).

There is a secondary and, for my money, more interesting plot about Cam's cousin Rene, played by Luis Guzman, who has been recently released from prison and is embarking on a (possibly legitimate?) business venture involving an energy drink called Rasta Monsta.

Beyond the inherent problem with a show about wanna-be denim manufacturers is the fact that it doesn't seem to be sure about what kind of show it wants to be. I have read comparisons between HTMIA and Entourage, but I don't really see it. Entourage, for all its faults, is a comedy. Is HTMIA a comedy? If so, where are the jokes? Is it a drama? If so, why is it only a half-hour? HBO has had a lot of success with hour-long dramas. Speaking of the show being on HBO, where is the cursing? Where are the titties?

The performances in the show are relatively solid. Bryan Greenberg is pretty good, I think I might be the only person who liked Unscripted, but I wonder if he has enough personality to be a truly reliable leading man. I find the Cam character to be a bit annoying, but I guess Victor Rasuk does a decent job. Luis Guzman continues his run as a world-class scene stealer and I am most interested to see where the show takes his Rene character. Kid Cudi was advertised as having a major role in the series, but so far he has only appeared in a couple of scenes (which doesn't bother me that much. Lonely Stoner sucked and you will never convince me otherwise), although I have heard that his on-screen time increases later in the season.

To be honest, one of the most enjoyable parts of the show through three episodes is the into. The opening credits feature still shots of Brooklynites and other New York themed items and places while a pretty damn good song by a guy named Aloe Blacc called "I Need a Dollar" plays in the background.