What’s the only thing worse than having an actual job? Looking for one. Good Job!, a new web series created by Fistful of Cake Films, premieres today on YouTube and totally gets what it’s like to be an underemployed 20something. Sure, there’s no shortage of shows to choose from that focus on post-grad, limbo millennials but Good Job! removes all the fluff and sappy backstory. Each week, we’re treated to 2-5 minute “bite-sized” episodes that follow our main characters, roommates Ari and Brennen, who share a studio apartment.
Whether Ari and Brennen are: swimming in the bowels of ridiculous Craigslist job ads, scrounging together a dinner of rainbow sprinkles and pickle juice, or plotting to steal Tide to sell on the black market; the approach to the material is to make each episode stand alone, so you can drop in anytime to see what antics Ari and Brennen are up to.
Though Good Job! was produced and shot in Oakland, it doesn’t have a decidedly Bay Area vibe. That’s in due in part to the partial source of inspiration for its creators, one of the most prominent families in pop culture. “For some of the structure was the earlier seasons of The Simpsons, with Homer often having different jobs from episode to episode. It helped keep the show fresh for much longer while still revolving around the same primary cast.”, co-creator Ari Sigal tells me.
What can you expect from the sure to be breakout web series? I’ll let creators share their favorite episodes from the upcoming season of Good Job!.
Ari: “My favorite episode is probably the fourth episode, “Food Car!”. This is one of the ones outside of the apartment, and I think I mostly like it because it’s so weird. In this episode Ari and Brennen decide to make a Food Truck out of their friend’s station-wagon. The characters have the chance to interact with a lot of other people — it’s fun to take them out of their bubble and see the differences between them and the rest of the world. In this one they kind of transform to fit the roles of Food-Car-Operators which allows for a lot of silliness, which I’m always a fan of.”
Brennen: “As a whole my favorite episode is the fifth episode, “Coffee Shop!” where Ari gets a job at a super-hip coffee shop. I thought the manager character — who is an extremely over-it-all, annoyed-by-everything hipster — was the most fun to write for. The actress, Emily Claeys, did an amazing job with the role, and I thought the dynamic between her and Ari was really funny. Also, so many characters in this episode were dry, bitter, and sarcastic, and I just really enjoy that type of humor. ”
Endlessly relatable with a touch of Portlandia-esque humor, Ari and Brennen’s generally sunny side outlook on life is refreshing. Don’t miss Good Job!, it’s summer – I know you’re spending a majority of your free time on the interwebs.
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