A new year means a new season of network shows looking to break out and find an audience. And the competition is stiff, considering the myriad options on cable and streaming services. But so many of these streaming comedies are comedic in name only. The dramedy is more popular than ever, giving audiences heartfelt and entertaining stories that lack the rhythm and consistent humor of a sitcom.
Thank goodness then for NBC’s Grand Crew, a whip-smart hangout comedy that has immediately distinguished itself as one of the best new shows of 2022. The series, created by Phil Augusta Jackson (Insecure, Brooklyn Nine-Nine), follows group of young Black friends who regularly hang out at their favorite wine bar in Los Angeles.
The friend group is comprised of hopeless romantic Noah (Echo Kellum); his real estate maven sister and serial dater Nicky (Nailed It!‘s Nicole Byer); vegan accountant Anthony (Aaron Jennings); perennially unemployed Sherm (Carl Tart); married voice of reason Wyatt (Justin Cunningham); and newly single and mysterious Fay (Grasie Mercedes).
It’s a familiar set-up we’ve seen before in classic sitcoms like Friends, Living Single, and New Girl: a group of friends who discuss life and love at their favorite watering hole. But Grand Crew sets itself apart with terrific cast chemistry and lived-in performances. Grand Crew moves briskly, and much like ABC’s dearly departed Happy Endings, is densely packed with jokes.
From Nicky’s brief affair with a Black republican to Noah’s constant search for his soulmate, Grand Crew incisively tackles the perils of dating in LA, with enough city-specific jokes to alienate any non-Angeleno (as an LA resident, these jokes made me cackle).
Grand Crew premiered at the same time as another breakout comedy from a Black creator, ABC’s Abbott Elementary. Created by and starring Quinta Brunson (A Black Lady Sketch Show), Abbott Elementary takes a page from feel-good workplace comedies The Office and Parks and Recreation. But while Abbott Elementary is pairing its laughs with a message about underfunded public schools, Grand Crew is free to be a zany joke machine whose message remains “dating sucks, but friends are the best.”
And honestly, what a relief. These are stressful times, and there’s a low stakes ease to Grand Crew. Shows like these take time to click and find their rhythm, but Grand Crew operates with the ease of a comedy in its third or fourth season. There’s an innate confidence to the show, which trusts its talented performers to take the ball and run with it.
During the pandemic, many viewers have been returning to their favorite comfort shows like The Office and Friends. Grand Crew is a welcome new entry into the genre, and is hopefully on its way to becoming a new classic. So sit back, grab a glass of wine, and meet your new friends.
Grand Crew is currently airing on NBC and Hulu.
(image: NBC)
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