HBO’s new series Crashing has been renewed for Season 2 according to Entertainment Weekly. Crashing is inspired by the life of creator Pete Holmes, who also helped write the pilot episode. It is the story of a comedian who ventures out into the world of New York comedy after discovering the infidelity of his wife and high school sweetheart Jessica (Lauren Lapkus), who then leaves him. Pete, playing a younger version of himself, is forced to “crash” with his fellow stand-up comedians: Artie Lange, T.J. Miller, and Sarah Silverman.
T.J. Miller dressed somewhat like “a maître d’ who was fired earlier on in the day” to make his audience laugh.
The first episodes of Crashing give the feeling of “performers against the world” reminiscent of the friendships of artists in rock-opera Rent. The comedians are a fairly supportive group of friends, though no one seems shy about being better at what they do than Pete. Upcoming episodes may reveal greater challenges and competitive struggles between the comedians who, after all, are up for the same gigs and may even use similar material.
Crashing is fairly unique because these performers are mostly playing themselves, avoiding false characterization or overblown self-deprecating jokes. Only Pete plays a regressed, innocent form of himself that represents how he once felt and acted in the past. Also appearing on the show are George Basil as art teacher Leif, and several guest stars that vary in each episode. Pete Holmes and other executive producers Judah Miller and Judd Apatow are recreating a section of Pete’s life in a semi-autobiographical series, to which Miller, Silverman, and Lange add a lot of realism.
According to The Hollywood Reporter Crashing does not have a very large viewership, but does enjoy a very positive critical reception. Currently Crashing is in the middle of its first season of eight half-hour episodes. It premiered on February 19th, 2017, and new shows currently debut on Sunday nights, 10:30-11:00 p.m. ET/PT.