‘Dave’ Season 2 Remains Wonderfully WTF in Every Way

Most reviews of Dave start out the same: skepticism, hesitation, unsure of what they’d be in for. The last element remains, and likely always will with this FXX show, but the first two are absolutely no longer applicable. Dave, with each and every episode, is firmly one of the funniest shows on TV. In fact, I can’t think of any other show that makes me laugh as hard as this one.

Dave follows the adventures — oh, and there are adventures — of comedic rapper Lil Dicky, aka Dave Burd, as he navigates personal relationships, the music industry, and the biggest hurdle of them all, everyday life. Part of what makes this show so damn funny is the unexpected nature — viewers never, ever know what is coming next. It can be raunchy and ridiculous and sometimes, scarily enough, peppered with relatable moments in every episode. And somehow, those so-crazy-it’s-brilliant vibes only get stronger throughout.

Season 2 finds Dave in the process of writing his highly-anticipated album, but that’s going just about as well as you would expect. The great news for him and for us as viewers is that this means producer Benny Blanco is around to help highlight all the things that this half-hour comedy does best. It is endlessly weird and wacky but also balances the vulgar and vulnerable in ways few other shows would never dare, yet this one succeeds in nearly every WTF moment (and again, there are many).

At its core, Dave captures reactions and genuine human moments so, so wonderfully; the sensitivity of body issues and race issues, the absurdity and skewering of the celebrity world, and the pressure to succeed for yourself and for those you love. This show knows how to expertly drop in a gross-out moment just as well as it can deliver a flash of clear-headed self-awareness for Dave, and while both are used sparingly, they always make a big impact. This season also allows Dave to mix and mingle with K-pop stars, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber, who all give him the chance to check himself, but in so many different ways.

Dave is nothing if not a show for a very specific taste. It’s too smart to be labeled sophomoric, and while it’s packed with really great acting and a lot of heart, it’s also entirely common and accurate to use the word “weird” to describe it. But, like Dave himself, that’s part of its charm. It was one of the shows that benefitted from the pandemic, as a large audience started to watch and spread the word on this show last spring. The Curb Your Enthusiasm comparisons are valid, as the way this show is able to comment on culture, often in that so-obvious-it’s-hilarious way, guarantees to keep viewers on their toes. This show makes me laugh in that involuntary way, almost like my body realizes how funny it is before my mind does, and similar to the way anyone that initially tried to resist liking and laughing at this show soon found themselves under its spell. It’s the perfect summer show, as it feels made to be discussed around a pool with a White Claw in hand with friends, dates, or siblings, as you will very quickly learn who does, or very much does not, share your sense of humor.

Two episodes of Dave premiere Wednesday, June 16 at 10 pm ET/PT on FXX and are available to stream the next day on Hulu.

Stream Dave on Hulu