Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
What better way to prepare for the fast-approaching weekend than by indulging in the some of the Internet’s most well-done web content? Take advantage of your lunch break and treat yourself to Afternoon Delight, Decider’s carefully curated picks of the best short-form content available on the world wide web. This week we’re spotlighting Milk + Honey, a new web series from Insecure creator and star Issa Rae.
A continuation of the web series of the same name she created back in 2011 but was forced to shelve to work on other projects, Milk + Honey is produced by actor Idris Elba and Brown Paper Dolls and follows four black women in Los Angeles as they wade through the tumultuous waters of their careers, spiritual identities, and personal lives. Right now, the pilot, “You Still Have to Work the Soil”, is the only installment of Milk + Honey available to stream, but its 12 minutes are the perfect use of your lunch hour as you look forward to the holiday weekend.
Starring Asha Kamali, Ric Shaffran, Alex Lavelanet, and a slew of wildly talented actors,”You Still Have to Work the Soil” finds Nia (Kamali) struggling with seduction in an acting class, crashing her car, and getting rescued by Will, her unsurprised boyfriend (and refusing to tell him she needs him). Their relationship, while full of chemistry, seems rife with issues, and Nia has a hard time choosing between her relationship and her acting career. On top of everything else, she’s in the process of moving into a new place with two friends, and they’ve got their own issues – dating-related, in particular – that they’re tackling in the process. It’s a perfect beginning to what’s sure to be a series full of ups and downs, and there’s a unique honesty afforded to us by the use of poetic voiceover.
Stocked with a stellar soundtrack, well-composed shots, and all-around great performances, Milk + Honey is a prime example of the potential that exists within the web series medium. The women all have wonderful chemistry and perfect comedic timing, and they effortlessly balance heavier moments with lighter fare. Rae’s spent years honing her short-form content skills, so it’s no surprise that Milk + Honey is great as it is.
It seems like Rae may very well have another hit on her hands with Milk + Honey, and it would certainly be at home alongside Insecure on HBO. Tide yourself over with the original episodes, be sure to subscribe to Rae’s YouTube page for future installments, and follow her on Twitter to stay up to date with her busy career.
