Bulge Bracket

As a former banking analyst in a TMT group - this was personally my favorite show from 2020. I'd put it on the same shelf as Wolf of Wall Street and Boiler Room for a hilarious Hollywood peek into finance - and more specifically, investment banking. I binged Bulge Bracket and watched it 2-3x the first week, which either says something about me or the show - which is rare.

Compelling story and characters, I'm really rooting for Cathy - who beyond facing the standard obstacles for any new investment banker on the quest to make Partner (long hours, crazy bosses, sacrificing relationships), faces her own internal challenges (her family doesn't approve of her choices, is this what she really wants for her life?).

I loved how things were exaggerated for comedic effect and was pleasantly surprised by how accurate some of the details are - G&A, apples to apples, pitch books tossed in the trash, MD markups having you change the font back to what you originally had, relationship hires...lol it brought right back to my bullpen days. +1 to see the finance journey from the all-too-rare female perspective.

Lastly, I really liked how the episodes were short and bite-sized, it's a cool new format/length that I think more creators will emulate.

I shared this with all my old bullpen coworkers and the email thread has revived some good times for us. Can't wait for season 2!

Binge watched the entire season one. It was like a much needed therapy session for this recovering finance professional. It's like Silicon Valley (the TV show) but for Wall Street, with great storytelling, acting, and cinematography. Can't wait for season 2.

As a former banker, I was skeptical when my friends told me about this show. But I was pleasantly surprised! The lead actress does a good job of making us care about her character. I could definitely identify with her situation. The set was sub-par - it doesn't look like any bulge bracket bank that I know. Looks more like a boutique, lol. The most realistic part is the VP Jackson who berates the analysts. It was funny because it was uncomfortably close to the truth. Overall I really enjoyed it and binge-watched all of the episodes in one sitting.

You aren't going to like this as much if you're not in the industry, but as a former banker I found this hilarious. The show expertly shames the absurdity of the banking industry in a super funny way.

I liked this show, because I like Jessika Van, but it's not well-written or acted and the timing and pacing are way off. There's no real reason for this to be 6 episodes of something. Good production, weird lighting.

I'd have given it an honest 5 stars for it's potential, but my single star is to counteract the fluffing 10-star ratings by accounts all containing only a single review and coincidentally created within a day or two of the show's release.