2008 Woodie Awards
TV Review: 'quarterlife' either ahead of its time or just kind of lame
Caity Cudworth
Issue date: 3/6/08 Section: Entertainment
03/06/08 - So, you've graduated from college. Congratulations. You're about to travel down a new road in life paved with opportunity and personal fulfillment (or whatever). That's awesome.
Though on the other hand, this now means that you're expected to aspire to something more than spending your days on a beer-stained futon trying to beat "Halo."
And also, if the new series "quarterlife" is any indication, you'll become a whiny, self-indulgent neo-hippie with artistically dyed hair. Or thick glasses and a cardigan, if you want people to think you're intellectual (but in a cool way).
"quarterlife" makes a half-hearted attempt at capturing the post-college wasteland by stereotyping every kind of college grad as either a soulful artist or frustrated environmentalist or awkward nerd. And apparently, "the real world" is a place full of witty banter, black-framed glasses, hipster pop culture references, and also, angst…so much angst.
It's a world of casually unbuttoned shirts, amateur bands that practice in lofts, and emotional blog posts. The characters have cool names like "Dylan" (for a girl…edgy!) and they go around saying things like, "it's either acquiescence or rebellion" with a straight face.
"quarterlife" explores the emotional angst suffered by today's twenty-somethings. All this angst is totally like a midlife crisis, except you don't really have the cash to buy a sporty car and you're probably not married so an affair is out. Basically, all you can do is cry and write in your diary. Oops. My bad - this is the 21st century we're talking about - you can blog about it.
But what makes "quarterlife" so devastatingly hip? Well, for one thing, it's spelled in all lower case letters, which is totally progressive. I mean, the Man totally wants us to use capital letters, but "quarterlife" is like, "screw conventional grammar!" Capital letters are totally just a part of The Man's capitalist agenda anyway (think about it).
Though on the other hand, this now means that you're expected to aspire to something more than spending your days on a beer-stained futon trying to beat "Halo."
And also, if the new series "quarterlife" is any indication, you'll become a whiny, self-indulgent neo-hippie with artistically dyed hair. Or thick glasses and a cardigan, if you want people to think you're intellectual (but in a cool way).
"quarterlife" makes a half-hearted attempt at capturing the post-college wasteland by stereotyping every kind of college grad as either a soulful artist or frustrated environmentalist or awkward nerd. And apparently, "the real world" is a place full of witty banter, black-framed glasses, hipster pop culture references, and also, angst…so much angst.
It's a world of casually unbuttoned shirts, amateur bands that practice in lofts, and emotional blog posts. The characters have cool names like "Dylan" (for a girl…edgy!) and they go around saying things like, "it's either acquiescence or rebellion" with a straight face.
"quarterlife" explores the emotional angst suffered by today's twenty-somethings. All this angst is totally like a midlife crisis, except you don't really have the cash to buy a sporty car and you're probably not married so an affair is out. Basically, all you can do is cry and write in your diary. Oops. My bad - this is the 21st century we're talking about - you can blog about it.
But what makes "quarterlife" so devastatingly hip? Well, for one thing, it's spelled in all lower case letters, which is totally progressive. I mean, the Man totally wants us to use capital letters, but "quarterlife" is like, "screw conventional grammar!" Capital letters are totally just a part of The Man's capitalist agenda anyway (think about it).