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The 9 Best Web Series About Living In Los Angeles
Los Angeles is the media capitol of the world. This is obvious. It's also more specifically the web series capital of the world. Also, fairly intuitive.
As the streaming/content wars ramp up, L.A. is the battleground for scripted web content, and most of the city's makers embrace L.A. as a backdrop for its stories. Now, in many circles, saying you're "working on a web series" often comes with an obligatory eye-roll or yawn. Sure, there are plenty of forgettable projects to go around. But there is an underappreciated wealth of good, great, and sometimes superlative web series streaming out of L.A. Here are some of the scripted series that speak to what a wonderful, diverse, imperfect, mind-boggling, neurotic and sometimes terrible place Los Angeles can be.
GRIDLOCKED
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The most truthful knock on L.A. is that the traffic often makes life for many here a non-stop garbage fire. Gridlocked is a raucous sketch series about a traffic jam on the notorious 405 and the poor souls stuck in it. Creator/actor Zack Gold plays a different character in every episode, like a Chris Lilley or Fred Armisen. It's got a weird kinetic energy that anyone who has gotten stuck in an L.A. traffic logjam can relate to and plenty of solid character actor cameos.
ONLY IN HELL-A
Only in HelLA is a comedic web series about the perils of living in Los Angeles told from the perspective of Rory Uphold, a native twenty-something, in little snapshot scenes. From awkward celebrity run-ins to gluten-free homeless men, each episode highlights an "Only in L.A."-type moment where Rory is usually the target of an embarrassing, yet relatable, social situation. Episodes are short and sweet.
THE FOB AND I
USC alum Meena Ramamurthy takes on the immigrant experience head-on in this thoughtful series. Sita (Shefali Deshay) is a hip, westernized Indian-American, and Jisha (Uttera Singh), is a fresh arrival from India. The Fob and I follows this odd couple through a semester at a Southern California university.
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GENTE-FIED
While Gentefied has yet to debut, it boasts an impressive trailer. The show ambitiously tries to capture the Chicano experience, particularly in gentrifying neighborhoods (of which L.A. has a glut at the moment). The stories are centered in Boyle Heights and will explore the pros and cons of rapid gentrification from a wide swath of Angelenos' perspectives. (Executive produced by America Ferrera)
ACTING DEAD
Acting Dead is a bizarre series that follows a middle-aged character actor named Tate (creator Brian Beacock) trying to make it in Hollywood. The premise is that Tate is so desperate for work, he sells his soul to the devil to become an undead actor. An allegory about Scientology? Maybe.
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HOLLYWOOD HITMEN
Hollywood Hitmen is a fast-talking dark comedy starring two insecure, neurotic hitmen struggling to make a name for themselves in L.A.'s bizarre community of contract killers. The result is an irreverent parody the entertainment industry and the criminal underworld, two worlds who often overlap.
EASTSIDERS
EastSiders is the brainchild of Kit Williamson, who describes the series as "a dark comedy about a gay couple trying to stay together in the aftermath of infidelity in Silver Lake." Unlike most of the shows on this list, EastSiders is truly much more of a weighty drama and delivers a lot of pathos. Its protagonists are Silver Lake queer hipster 20 somethings trying to answer all the big questions: Who am I? What type of relationship do I want? What am I going to be? Can I crash on your couch? (EastSiders is now streaming on Netflix)
L.A. MACABRE
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L.A. Macabre is a mockumentary about a bunch of L.A. ghosthunters in the style of The Blair Witch Project. Southern California has a rich history of disturbing and fucked up events, and this project takes on a lot of the classics from the Black Dahlia to the Manson murders.
BE HERE NOWISH
Be Here Nowish is a show about two young women who ditch the Big Apple for L.A. to find adventure and inspiration, which should ring true to the thousands of New Yorkers who have migrated here in recent years. Lots of sex stuff/NSFW. Bonus: Kyp Malone from TV on the Radio plays a guru.
Jonny Coleman is a writer based in Los Angeles. Oddly enough, he has produced a web show that centers on two struggling Angelenos called BROS which you should totally watch to feel better about where you are in your life.
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We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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