What I’m Watching: How to Make It in America

How to Make It in America: Season 2, Episode 1 “I’m Good” (C+)

It’s been almost a year and a half since this show was last on the air, and unlike some other HBO fare, I haven’t really missed it. Like some other HBO fare, it took its time to get started, but it never reached such an unbelievable apex of quality. It has a very ephemeral quality which doesn’t make following it on a weekly basis nearly as exciting as it does for other series. Its musical montage start shows that their stuff is really getting out there, but it doesn’t help to add much depth. The specific workings of the fashion world have never been this show’s best assets, and therefore a post-feminist fetish show for Crisp just seems a bit strange. At least we get to end on a decently positive note, with Crisp selling 55 units with a gun going off and without its creators even being there to sell it. Ben’s poor decision to get high resulted in some seriously silly events, including Ben crawling out of the top of a subway car, running out onto the tracks, and then dunking himself in a fountain. Bryan Greenberg’s iffy acting didn’t help that all too much. Rachel meeting Ben’s new girlfriend, who promptly asked her if she wanted to freak Ben out, was an intriguing occurrence, and I’m also pleased to note Michael Zegen from “Rescue Me,” also seen an hour earlier on “Boardwalk Empire,” appearing as potential new sales rep Andy Sussman. Rene’s pursuit of Debbie is actually somewhat sweet, and hopefully both Rasta Monsta and Crisp can both succeed without getting in each other’s way.