Flatbush Misdemeanors

Writing this as season 2 ep1 just came out. Really like this show. Similar to High Maintenance in that it blends what could be NYC real life people and situations. Only difference is HM will go towards the surrealistic at times. The humor in Flatbush comes from the absurdities of real life that when happening in the moment to people wouldn't necessarily seem funny, but looking on as viewers, are very comical. Then there's the characters.... Kareem (Dan's stepfather) and Dr Flowers (Dan's online therapist) are absolutely hilarious characters.

I saw several reviews say it was stupid and not funny, those people don't know funny cause this is HILARIOUS.

The story revolves around two twenty something childhood friends, recently reunited and now roommates. . One is a struggling artist; the other a struggling teacher. Both are very low key, timid, and likable types, trying to make their way in a crazy and dangerous inner city environment, with some funny characters. We are introduced to a great supporting cast.. including some oddballs that bring on the laughs. The writing is very good... subtle humor. It seems, though, that half the opening episode was edited out, as it contained many loose ends that probably wound up on the cutting room floor.

Solid start, though, to what promises to develop into a hit series.

I didn't know what to make of Flatbush in the first episode - but the almost horizontally laidback vibe punctuated by high tension and moments of wild surrealism as well as the occasional inclusion abstract meta-subtitles won me over. Not to mention its sardonic and deft observations about the aimlessness of contemporary adulthood and the dark indifference of metropolitan American living. Oh also that the core of it a dissection of a toxic friendship. Kevin Iso's listless artist and Dan Perlman's perpetually anxious teacher are a great deadpan combo - and their wild spiralling involvement with the hypnotically erratic Drew (played brilliantly by Hassan Johnson of "The Wire" fame) and his bolshy niece Zayna is a great central arc.

Amazingly it got a second season which I wasn't expecting, and it strips out a lot of the more abstract elements which is to its benefit. Zoe Winters shines as the manically misguided arts benefactor in ways that hit harder and sharper than a lot of Flatbush's more dramatic contemporaries. There are still moments of clunky plot contrivance but it ends well and I find myself wondering if it'll have more of a legacy than we currently realise - the mash of the deadpan and the strange and the affecting was really intoxicating.

With all the political nonsense coming out in the last couple of years that's only redeeming quality is that it talks "real" about race, this show is super refreshing in that it comes as close as a comedy can to the real situation on the ground.

I found both of the main characters totally relatable, and I don't think you need to have experience with Flatbush to feel the same. I grew up relatively poor in a totally different area but these guys reminded me a lot of my multiracial mix of friends growing up. Different races, but similar problems, similar outlook on life. We didn't care about your skin color and openly joked about it with each other, things that are apparently super taboo these days.

Probably should have said this first, but this show is also hilarious. Specifically want to call out Hassan Johnson. How is he not in way more stuff? He cracked me up at least a few times. Also the jackass stepfather dude had some great dialogue.

I cannot believe I never heard of this show, the only reason I saw it as because it was a Staff Pick on Crave (Canada). This deserves way higher than its current criminally low rating. Showtime, get your house in order and promote this, because I know it would be wildly popular with those of us who grew up watching things like Fresh Prince or Family Matters.