Imagine if Dawson Leery grew up in the age of YouTube and Twitter. Now, imagine if that level of delusion and determination manifested in two brothers so hellbent on fame and freeloading they were willing to fake addiction and hostage situations. Say hello to Comedy Central’s new scripted series.
Big Time in Hollywood, FL is seemingly another in a long line of series and films revolving around underdogs (and/or losers) trying to make it, LA-style. Movies like Swingers and shows like Togetherness have deserved praise for their takes on regular people attempting to inject themselves into an industry famous for breaking (as opposed to making) people, while Party Down showed us an even less glamorous side of Hollywood via characters working in catering just to make ends meet. Meanwhile, Entourage followed a posse of dudes trying to be “something” (even if “something” was “cool enough to keep hanging out with Vinnie Chase”), and Californication delivered self-destructive Hank Moody (played by David Duchovny), whose transition from New York to the west coast made his life even messier. So do we really need another chapter in a never-ending fame saga?
Need? No. The only thing we need is more Broad City. But instead of glamorizing the self-righteousness and entitlement needed to (spoiler) stage a kidnapping to con their parents out of $20 000, Big Time paints brothers Ben and Jack Dolfe in such an unflattering way that you’re laughing at them and at what they represent.
In the same way Scarface has been over-romanticized by fans who obviously missed the point of the story (he’s a monster, you guys), movies and shows about stunted adults climbing the Hollywood ranks have been, too. When it comes to these stories, “loveable” tends to precede the description of “losers”, so inevitably, these characters are granted permission to act out – and act like idiots – in order to achieve their dreams.
But refreshingly, Big Time isn’t sending us mixed messages: its main characters are the worst, and it’s not a secret. Jack and Ben are selfish. They’re stunted, bratty, privileged, and they’re the problem. They’re unemployed, they’re disrespectful, and they’ve lost touch with their reality. Arguably, they represent the people who bank on earning internet fame while assuming anybody who doesn’t understand their genius is a waste of time. They’re Dawson Leery, circa 2015. Which is what makes Big Time less of a tale about two losers’ aspirations for success, and more of a cautionary tale about the dangers of delusion. There’s nothing to romanticize here – there’s only the hope Ben and Jack will be beat at their own game (or at least forced to grow up at the hands of their parents).
This time, there’s no wrong way to interpret these (not-so) loveable losers. Our hearts can’t go out to their struggle – especially since they’re so transparent in their selfish intentions. So instead of it being the next brick on a pathway paved by Hollywood dreams, smart writing and tight performances (by stars Alex Anfanger, Lenny Jacobson, Stephen Tobolowsky, Kathy Baker, and Jon Bass) deliver the story of two anti-heroes who are comedy’s answer to Walter White. Their actions are hard to watch, but they’re done so convincingly (and hilariously) that you can’t turn away.
Ultimately, this series isn’t about laughing with its characters despite their shortcomings (or looking at said shortcomings with love) – it’s about laughing at them and at anyone else who’s ever scolded you for not appreciating their “art”. Big Time lets us in on the joke by creating characters it’s impossible to truly root for. For what seems like the first time, we’re allowed to say “losers” without “loveable”. Which means watching Ben and Jack work towards their realizsation that they are truly ridiculous will be even more fun.
