Broad City
Broad City is an American television sitcom created by and starring Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson. It was developed from their independent web series of the same name, which was produced between 2009 and 2011. The sitcom, like the web series, is based on Glazer and Jacobson's real-life friendship, and their attempt to "make it" in New York. The sitcom premiered on Comedy Central on January 22, 2014 and aired for five seasons, ending on March 28, 2019. The show received critical acclaim throughout its run and is considered one of the best television shows of the 2010s.
Synopsis
Broad City follows Ilana and Abbi, two Jewish American women in their twenties, on their adventures in New York City.Cast
Main cast
- Abbi Jacobson as Abbi Abrams, who was born in 1988 and is from the Philadelphia Main Line. She is an aspiring artist. She has an alter ego, Val, who only appears when Abbi is black-out drunk.
- Ilana Glazer as Ilana Wexler, who was born in 1992 and is a New York University graduate from Long Island. She is an extroverted slacker and marijuana enthusiast
Recurring cast
- Hannibal Buress as Lincoln Rice, DDS – a pediatric dentist with whom Ilana has a casual sexual relationship.
- Paul W. Downs as Trey Pucker – Abbi's boss at Soulstice.
- John Gemberling as Matt Bevers – Abbi's roommate Melody's boyfriend
- Arturo Castro as Jaimé Castro – Ilana's roommate.
- Stephen Schneider as Jeremy Santos – Abbi's across-the-hall neighbor
- Chris Gethard as Todd – Ilana's boss at fictional web "deal" company Deals! Deals! Deals!
- Nicole Drespel as Nicole – Ilana's former co-worker.
- Eliot Glazer as Eliot Wexler – Ilana's brother. The actor is Ilana's brother in real life.
- Susie Essman as Bobbi Wexler – Ilana and Eliot's mother who lives on Long Island.
- Bob Balaban as Arthur Wexler – Ilana and Eliot's father who lives on Long Island.
- D'Arcy Carden as Gemma – One of Abbi's co-workers at Soulstice.
Episodes
Production
Development of web series
Glazer and Jacobson met in New York City, where they both attended courses at the Upright Citizens Brigade and were part of a small improv comedy group, Secret Promise Circle. The web series began after Jacobson received poor feedback on a project she and a partner had been working on. Jacobson expressed her frustration to Glazer, and the two decided to work together on a project that became the web series. In February 2010 they started their own web series on YouTube, which proved popular.Jacobson met Paul W. Downs in improv class and both Jacobson and Glazer met Lucia Aniello through the Upright Citizens Brigade. Both were fans of the web series pilot and Aniello would then direct one episode of the web series. The web series ran for two seasons and the finale starred Amy Poehler.
Development of TV pilot and first season
became aware of the series and mentored Glazer and Jacobson, becoming executive producer when the show came to TV. When Glazer and Jacobson wrote the pilot script, their characters were named Evelyn Wexler and Carly Abrams respectively, but ended up using their real first names instead. Poehler, Glazer, and Jacobson went to Los Angeles to pitch the pilot. The show was originally pitched to the FX, who bought the script and passed a year later, due to it being "too girly", according to Jacobson. Comedy Central committed to the show in 2012 and the pilot was developed, with Aniello directing. For the first season, Jacobson and Glazer were paired with Tami Sagher, an experienced showrunner, with Downs, Aniello, and Chris Kelly completing the writing room. Downs and Aniello would also produce the show, with Downs appearing as Trey in the series.Throughout its run, the show was noted for its notable performances by guest stars, which included Kelly Ripa, Poehler, Hillary Clinton, and Ru Paul. Broad City: High Score, a mobile game developed and published by Built Games, was released on April 20, 2018.
Second season
After the first season, Glazer and Jacobson parted ways with Sagher and became the showrunners. The second season premiered on January 14, 2015 and was renewed for a third season ahead of the premiere.Final season
Glazer and Jacobson decided to end the show after five seasons. Of their final season, Glazer said: "I feel like we've raised these kids, Abbi Abrams and Ilana Wexler, and we're sending them to college," Glazer says. "We didn't want to just go until it got canceled. We wanted to choose to end it so that it could end as strong as possible. We chose this ending to honor the characters." In their final season, Glazer and Jacobson open with an episode that unfolds likes a long Instagram story. Throughout the season, the characters go to MoMA as well as drag brunch.Reception
Critical reception
The show has received critical acclaim. Review aggregation website Metacritic noted season 1 received "generally favorable reviews," giving it a score of 75 out of 100, based on reviews from 14 critics. Karen Valby from Entertainment Weekly described the show as a "deeply weird, weirdly sweet, and completely hilarious comedy." The Wall Street Journal referred to the show as "Sneak Attack Feminism." Critic Megan Angelo quotes Abbi Jacobson, main star of Comedy Central's Broad City: "If you watch one of our episodes, there's not a big message, but if you watch all of them, I think, they're empowering to women." The A.V. Club critic Caroline Framke wrote that Broad City was "worth watching" despite its "well-trod premise," and that the series is "remarkably self-possessed, even in its first episode." Critics have compared the show to Seinfeld, especially due to the characters' perceived lack of personal development as well as humor involving the minutae of daily life.Season 1 of the show received a 96% "Certified Fresh" rating from Rotten Tomatoes, based on reviews from 23 critics, with the site's consensus stating, "From its talented producers to its clever writing and superb leads, Broad City boasts an uncommonly fine pedigree." The A.V. Club named Broad City the second best TV show of 2014, Slate named it the best show of the year, and Screen Rant named it the 5th best of the year.
Season 2 received positive reviews, with Metacritic giving it a score of 89 out of 100, based on reviews from 8 critics, indicating "universal acclaim." Rotten Tomatoes gave the second season a rating of 100%, based on reviews from 11 critics, with the site's consensus: "Led by two of the funniest women on TV, Broad City uses its stars' vibrant chemistry to lend an element of authenticity to the show's chaotic yet enlightening brand of comedy." Broad City again appeared on year of end lists for 2015, placing 5th on Time Out's list and 2nd on Rolling Stone's list. Vox named it the 2nd funniest show on television and The Atlantic named "Wisdom Teeth" one of the best episodes of TV that year.
Season 3 received positive reviews as well, with Metacritic giving it a score of 87 out of 100, based on reviews from 8 critics, indicating "universal acclaim." Ben Travers from Indiewire summarizes what he sees as the strengths of the first two episodes of season 3: "Each half-hour feels as free-wheeling and wild as Ilana so boldly is, but also as meticulously put-together as Abby strives to be...the integration of its two creators attitudes into the core makeup of the series helps to illustrate how groundbreaking Broad City really is." In 2016, Broad City placed 18th on Complexs best shows of the year, 15th on Den of Geek's list, and 14th on Esquire's mid-year list.
Season 4 received positive reviews, with Metacritic giving it a score of 85 out of 100, based on reviews from 5 critics, indicating "universal acclaim." Rotten Tomatoes gave the season a rating of 100%, based on reviews from 23 critics, with the site's consensus: "Pizza and weird are always in season for Abbi and Ilana in their fourth, wintery year of Broad City
The final season also received positive reviews, with Metacritic giving it a score of 80 out of 100, based on reviews from 5 critics, indicating "generally favourable reviews." Rotten Tomatoes gave the season a rating of 100%, based on reviews from 25 critics, with the site's consensus: "Glazer and Jacobson give the people exactly what they want in Broad Citys final season – relatable content, questionable intimacy, and ingenious escapades through the glorious squalor of IRL NYC." Broad City was named one of the best shows of the year by Junkee and "Stories" was named one of the best TV episodes of the year by Decider.
Broad City appeared on many best of the decade lists for television. Vanity Fair named Broad City the ninth best show of the decade and Rolling Stone named it the 28th best show of the decade. It was also named the 20th, 34th and 41st best show of the decade, by Junkee, The A.V. Club and Film School Rejects, respectively. The Guardian named Broad City the 96th best TV show of the 21st century. The Advocate named the show the 15th "Most Important LGBTQ TV Show" of the decade.
The show has been named as an influence on similar shows, such as PEN15 and Tuca & Bertie.