In this day and age, the scope of Generation Z culture seems to reach far and wide. From TikToks to books, it should be easy to write a Gen Z character. Although when it comes to movies and TV shows, it seems like script writers don’t even try.
After all this time, it is still so hard to find a TV show that accurately portrays Gen Z’s humor. Take Netflix’s “Ginny and Georgia” for example. A large part of the show is the young characters who are supposed to be in high school. While, as a whole, the show has a good amount of cringeworthy moments, there are some lines where you can tell that the writers were trying to sound younger and failed. One moment I can think of is when the characters Abby, Max and Nora are arguing in Max’s kitchen. To end the argument, Nora’s character says, “It’s the betrayal for me.” It’s phrases like this that show a misunderstanding of Gen Z’s slang among screenwriters. This then makes me want to not watch new shows or movies that come out because everything feels so scripted and inauthentic.
I maintained this mindset for a while until I decided to open up my computer to HBO Max. I had the show “I Love LA” on my list back when it came out in November, although I didn’t have time to start it until winter break. Once I did, I fell in love instantly. It felt like the most accurate portrayal of Gen Z humor I had ever seen, yet it seems like I’ve heard no one talk about it. There are so many things that made me love the show, and I’ll list them all.
The Plot
After reading the show’s description, I was immediately hooked. It follows Maia, played by actor and creator of the show, Rachel Sennott. She does public relations and is forced to become her old best friend Tallulah’s publicist again. We’re also introduced to other characters in her friend group, such as Alani, who is supposed to be a rich Los Angeles nepotism baby, Charlie, who is a stylist for celebrities and Maia’s boyfriend, Dylan, who’s a teacher. The show navigates through Maia managing Tallulah and all the ups and downs during her career. In one episode, she has to keep her from being cancelled. In another episode, a brand deal goes bad, and everything that happens is portrayed so perfectly.
The Cast
The cast in this show was another big reason why I loved it so much. The cast was absolutely stacked, and everyone played their role so well. Going into the show, I already loved Rachel Sennott from the horror movie “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” so I knew that this would be another hit from her. “Bodies Bodies Bodies” was already a great representation of how Gen Z acts, so I think Rachel Sennott just really knocked it out of the park with this show. I also love Josh Hutcherson, who plays Dylan, and I honestly thought this was a unique role for him. I’ve never seen him in anything like this, and his character is really interesting to watch play out over the course of the show. Leighton Meester also appears in the show as Maia’s boss, and I’m a huge “Gossip Girl” fan, so I loved getting to see her play the mean boss. Elijah Wood also makes a cameo as himself, and that episode was honestly the funniest out of them all. If you’re not going to watch the show, at least watch his episode; it’s hilarious. Also in that episode is influencer Quenlin Blackwell. I was very curious to see how she would do acting because influencers keep flocking to Hollywood just because, although I thought Blackwell’s delivery was great.
The Fashion
I’m a big fashion lover. I yearn for the days when I can finally buy my dream wardrobe, but until then, TV will have to do. This show’s wardrobe was incredible. Another problem with the portrayal of Gen Z is the outfits they’ll put these characters in. They’re always all over the place or oversexualized when in reality no one dresses like that. This show’s fashion is a little over the top, although their goal was to capture influencer fashion, so I thought all the outfits were very accurate. In one scene, Charlie, the stylist friend, is giving advice to Dylan and is wearing a shirt that says, “Can I quiz you on ocean facts.” I feel like this is kind of an “if you know, you know” kind of situation. I know that if I tried to explain the meaning of this shirt to my parents, I’d be talking to a brick wall. Yet to viewers like me, this was absolutely hilarious. The best part, too, was that they didn’t even acknowledge the shirt at all; it was just there. It’s humor like that which sold the show to me.
“I Love LA” isn’t the only show out there that gets Gen Z. I’ll give “Euphoria” and “Outer Banks” some points as well. Although if you’re looking for a good portrayal that’s new, then “I Love LA” is your next show to binge.