Television series
EastSiders
EastSiders is a caustic comedy-drama about a gay couple in Silver Lake navigating infidelity and the messy aftermath of betrayal. Written by and starring Kit Williamson, it's scrappy, intimate, and frequently hilarious—a portrait of how people who love each other can still hurt each other badly. Sharp-tongued and unapologetic about desire, failure, and the stubborn hope that keeps us trying.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you like comedy that stays with a bad breakup long enough to find the awkward, drunken humor in it, and you don't need your characters to be likable every minute.
Skip it if you want a tidy, fast plot; the episodes wander, the mood swings hard, and four seasons of short scenes can feel like hanging out with people you don't always like.
What it asks of you: Each episode runs nineteen minutes, so twenty-seven of them is a long, patient commitment, and it wants you to sit with cringe and sadness rather than skip past them.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Looking2014
Another deeply felt HBO comedy about gay men in a major city, balancing humour with genuine emotional stakes. Smart, tender, and unafraid to sit with discomfort and longing.
But Some find the pacing glacial; it's more interested in small conversations than plot momentum. Takes patience.
Please Like Me2013
Australian comedy about a young man processing depression, sexuality, and family chaos with his chosen family. Hilarious and devastating in equal measure, with an extraordinary emotional range.
But Seasons shift in tone considerably—some viewers find the later episodes heavier than they signed up for.
Fleabag2016
Phoebe Waller-Bridge's masterpiece about a woman sabotaging her own life, told in snappy bursts. Same DNA of cringe-comedy mixed with real heartbreak and people who disappoint each other constantly.
But The fourth-wall breaks can feel like a gimmick if you're not on board with the style. Fast-paced; some want slower character work.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from EastSiders
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Weekend2011
Both are about queer relationships and infidelity, but Weekend approaches it from the angle of two people deciding whether to risk vulnerability at all. It's EastSiders' emotional prequel—what happens before the mess.
Andrew Haigh's quiet masterpiece about two men meeting in a gay bar on a Saturday night and the 48 hours that follow. It's about connection, class, ambition, and how people protect themselves from hope. Gorgeously observed.
But Structurally, almost nothing happens—it's intimate and contemplative rather than dramatic. Some will find it too slow or too sad.
More like this (6)
Girls2012
Lena Dunham's messy ensemble about Brooklyn twenty-somethings negotiating ambition, sex, and friendship. Uncomfortable, funny, and committed to showing people at their worst and their most human.
But Divisive and sometimes self-indulgent; heavy on cringe humour that can feel exhausting over four seasons.
Transparent2014
Jill Soloway's profound drama about a trans parent's coming-out and its ripple through a Jewish family. Shifts registers brilliantly between comedy and genuine sorrow. Treats all its characters with fierce, complicated love.
But Long, slow, and very heavy—this is not comfort viewing. Some episodes feel more like tone poems than narratives.
The Mick2017
Kacy Selmon brings anarchic energy to this dark comedy about a woman raising her wealthy sister's neglected kids. Surprisingly warm underneath the chaos and bad decisions—reminds you that love often looks like showing up.
But Relies heavily on physical comedy and cringe humour; the plot is thin and largely a framework for laughs rather than character arcs.
Schitt's Creek2015
A wealthy family loses everything and rebuilds in a small town. Starts as broad comedy but becomes genuinely moving—especially about chosen family and reinvention. Warm without being saccharine.
But Early seasons play it safer than you might want. Takes time to find its confidence and emotional depth.
Togetherness2015
Jay and Mark Duplass create a refreshingly honest show about two couples in their thirties, tangling with desire, resentment, and the gap between the lives you wanted and the ones you have. Cringe and tenderness balanced perfectly.
But HBO cancelled it after two seasons. Ends on a cliffhanger that won't resolve, which some find infuriating rather than artful.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend2015
Rachel Bloom's musical comedy about a woman whose life choices keep blowing up in her face. Genuinely explores why smart people hurt themselves and others. Funny, inventive, and willing to be deeply sad.
But The musical-comedy format isn't for everyone. Some episodes lean too hard into their own meta-commentary.
People
Writing
- Kit WilliamsonCreator