If “Sex and the City” defines grown women in the big city, here’s a realistic take for 20-somethings.
Comedy Central’s “Broad City,” which was recently renewed for its second season, follows the lives of friends Abbi and Ilana as they navigate through New York City post-college, based on events from creators and stars, Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer’s real lives.
Jacobson and Glazer were on an improvisation team for two years and part of the famed improve theater the Upright Citizens Brigade before starting their popular web series, which the show is adapted from. After both girls couldn’t get a spot on comedy teams for theater companies, they decided to produce material together.
“We just noticed that our friendship was really funny to us; we have this dynamic that’s really similar to the dynamic on the show,” Jacobson said. “we were like, why don’t we make something about this dynamic?”
Transitioning from a two- to four-minute web series to a half-hour sitcom meant the girls had more room for material.
“We devised this idea of each episode being a ‘day in the life,’ so there’s one adventure that they go on every day and it was a really fun problem to have to try to figure out the challenge of making it longer and more dynamic and building up the world,” said Jacobson.
One episode featured a party similar to one Jacobson and Glazer went to that they felt uncomfortable at.
“We try and base the scenes of every episode on something that’s either happened to us or friends of ours or the writers that write the show with us or their friends,” said Jacobson. “Somewhere within the episode or scenes in general, it’s an inkling of something that’s happened in real life.”
Glazer said the show, which premiered Jan. 22, is relatable to college and post-college young adults today.
“Our generation has a little bit of a prolonged adolescence. College tends to lead into the early 20s maybe more than previous generations,” said Glazer.
And the comedians don’t mind getting compared to shows like “Girls” that center on young adults trying to find themselves.
“We are straight-up honored to be compared to the successful established shows that have their own clear voices,” said Glazer.
Jacobson and Glazer said they surprisingly get through a scene together without laughing.
Jacobson said, “Ilana and I are pretty good at not breaking when we’re in scenes together, because we’re in the mode of like —”
“Time is money,” said Glazer.
“Sometimes it’s okay because our characters in the show find each other amusing, so there’s lightness to the conversations we’re often having; we’re actually laughing as the character” Jacobson said.
Glazer said executive producer of “Broad City,” Amy Poehler, who directed the first season’s finale episode “The Last Supper,” has been very involved with the creative process of the show.
“Amy has been involved all the way. She’s so experienced in television and so brilliant and funny. Who wouldn’t want her opinion in each part?” said Glazer.
Jacobson said a lot of the people working on the show are their friends.
“Ilana and I both will have been taking [comedy] classes and we were involved in the comedy scene in New York for eight years, so a majority of our friends, coworkers, and collaborators have been people we met in this community” said Jacobson.
Glazer said, “We are definitely sincere versus snarky or sarcastic, which has been the ‘thing’ for a while we sincerely want people to like this.”
Jacobson and Glazer will be touring for “Broad City Live” beginning in November. Catch episodes of “Broad City” Wednesdays at 10:30 p.m. on Comedy Central.
