Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Being a TV fan during the summer can be surprisingly frustrating hobby. Now that the sun is out and the afternoons are longer, you want to watch something that matches how relaxed you want to be. That doesn’t really align with the intensity of modern television. But if you’re looking for a show as chill as this season, look no further than HBO’s Betty.
Whereas other shows are defined by huge, dramatic arcs, Betty glides through day-in-the-life storylines as effortlessly as the skaters it follows. Created by Crystal Moselle, the comedy follows a group of skateboarding girls who want to be taken just as seriously as the guys around them. The desire for an all-girls skate may have been the driving force behind the first episode, but by Season 1’s last episode it’s a secondary accomplishment. Over the course of one season, these five women have created their own tribe from next to nothing, as quirky and full of misfits as their friend group may be.
There is something about Betty that feels distinctly like an HBO show. Traditional “jokes” never really happen. The humor comes from stray plot details like Camille (Rachelle Vinberg) stopping her search for her own stolen cell phone to try on sunglasses or Kirt (Nina Moran) yelling at a conservative dad for not letting his daughter skate. Betty will never be a show that will have you rolling on the floor with laughter. Instead, it’s one that will remind you of your own friends. It captures the drifting, silly, relaxed energy of what it’s like to hang out and do nothing with your besties.
That focus is especially impressive and necessary while the world is recovering from a global pandemic. Season 2 will be set in the midst of COVID-19, so you can expect a lot of masks and six feet jokes. Based on the trailer, is everyone getting way too close for the CDC’s comfort? Absolutely. But during a time when we’re finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, that’s a relatively forgivable sin. More than anything else the last year has taught us all how important our communities truly are. Betty wonderfully captures that remarkable experience, whether you can watch it with your friends or not.
