I Love LA Is Young, Dumb, and Full of Fun

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The new show I Love LA doesn’t immediately grab your attention with its first episode, so let me share a quick example of what it’s like. In the second episode, Maia (Rachel Sennott) and Tallulah (Odessa A’zion) meet with a rival of Tallulah’s from New York—a seemingly perfect influencer who accuses Tallulah of stealing her designer bag. The meeting, intended as a peace offering, quickly spirals out of control into a chaotic, drug-fueled scene that gets recorded. The video ends up online, and Maia’s boyfriend, Dylan (Josh Hutcherson), becomes a viral meme—dubbed “Coke Larry”—while volunteering at a school carnival. He desperately explains to Maia that the name comes from looking like a “Larry” while doing cocaine. When his strict principal approaches, Dylan braces for trouble, expecting to be fired and fight with Maia. But the principal surprisingly asks, “Are you Coke Larry?” and sheepishly admits he has a golf trip planned with friends and doesn’t want to disappoint them. After a tense moment and a distraction about snickerdoodles, Dylan realizes he’s now responsible for getting drugs for his boss, which luckily, Maia’s friend can help with. The show then moves on, as if to say, “That’s just life in L.A.”

What I really love about I Love LA is how it captures that feeling of being young – when you’re full of hope and dreams, and that optimism feels like a shield against everything life throws at you. It reminds me of being at the start of my career, before I learned to be jaded. It has a similar vibe to Adults on FX, actually. The connection between Maia and Tallulah is so strong; it gives the show this really uplifting, ‘us against the world’ feeling, which fuels both the funny moments and the more emotional ones. Of course, it’s easy to compare it to shows like Insecure, Girls, or Broad City, but I Love LA feels different – it’s more than just a continuation of those stories. It really stands on its own.

In the show, Sennott plays Maia, a character who, like in films such as Shiva Baby, Bottoms, and Bodies Bodies Bodies, expertly balances vulnerability and confidence. Maia is driven and determined to succeed in the competitive Los Angeles scene, but her boss at the advertising agency, Alyssa 180 (played with charisma by Leighton Meester, fresh off her role in Nobody Wants This), doesn’t fully appreciate her. Maia relies on her friends: Charlie, a stylist; Alani, a well-meaning but out-of-touch newcomer; and Dylan, who prefers hobbies like board games and history to social media trends. Everything changes when Maia’s former best friend, the popular Tallulah, arrives back in town. Their strained relationship, caused by distance and Tallulah’s success, begins to heal, and Maia sees a chance to collaborate with her, potentially boosting both their careers and rekindling their friendship. The first episode feels crowded and predictable as it sets up the story, but after that, the show finds its rhythm and develops a unique voice.

“I Love LA” really lets Jess Sennott shine – she created the show and writes it too. The funniest parts often come from awkward, uncomfortable situations, like one particularly over-the-top jealous scene. What makes her character, Maia, so interesting is that even she doesn’t fully understand herself. She’s constantly striving for something without knowing what it is or what it will cost her, which leads to friction with Alyssa. Sennott is brilliant at showing this internal conflict – her face perfectly conveys a tension between determination and confusion, like someone frozen but ready to fight. The whole cast walks a fine line between being cartoonish and believable, and they manage it thanks to smart writing that plays to their strengths and knows where to stop.

With so many strong performances, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but Whitaker as Alani consistently shines, offering some of the show’s funniest and most surprising moments. Hutcherson is also a standout, playing a surprisingly effective straight man whose sincerity balances the show’s high energy. It remains to be seen if I Love LA truly captures the spirit of this generation, but its unique visual style will definitely be remembered as a snapshot of this strange moment in Los Angeles culture, where influencers are everywhere. The characters’ costumes are cleverly used to build the world of the show and provide visual jokes. Tallulah’s revealing outfits reflect the over-the-top ambition of the influencer world, while Charlie’s complex wardrobe highlights how each character pursues different professional dreams in L.A.

The show’s energy comes from the characters’ struggles to land sponsorships, navigate the strange world of L.A. celebrities, and chase bigger opportunities. But at its heart, I Love LA suggests that with enough drive and good friends, it’s still possible to succeed in a city—and industry—that often feels designed to tear you down. The series benefits from a talented team of executive producers, including Lorene Scafaria, Max Silvestri, Emma Barrie, and Aida Rodgers. Barrie and Rodgers, known for their work on Barry, bring a similar darkly comedic feel, though I Love LA is ultimately more optimistic and lighthearted. The result is a funny, yet surprisingly heartfelt comedy that captures the experience of young people striving for their dreams, making viewers both relieved they’re no longer that age and a little wistful for those who are.

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2025-10-31 20:55