HBO's new comedy series I Love LA, created by and starring Rachel Sennott, premieres on November 2 at 10:30 p.m. ET, following a group of ambitious young friends navigating life and love in Los Angeles. The show blends satire of the digital age with Gen Z humor, drawing comparisons to earlier hits like Girls and Insecure. Early reviews offer mixed reactions, praising Sennott's appeal while critiquing its lack of depth.
Overview
I Love LA follows Maia, a 27-year-old assistant at a PR firm played by creator Rachel Sennott, who is unsure of her career path despite a stable relationship with her teacher boyfriend Dylan (Josh Hutcherson). Her life changes when her estranged friend and social media influencer Tallulah (Odessa A'zion) moves to Los Angeles and hires Maia as her manager, thrusting her into the city's fast-paced entertainment scene. The series explores themes of ambition, friendship, and Gen Z self-obsession through a mix of bold sexual frankness, social media satire, and L.A. cultural references.
Cast and Production
Supporting roles include Jordan Firstman as Maia's quippy gay best friend Charlie, Leighton Meester as her buzzword-spouting boss, and True Whitaker as her entitled friend Alani, daughter of a movie producer. Josh Brener appears in a cameo as a crisis PR manager. Sennott, known for roles in Shiva Baby and Bottoms, brings her comedic timing to the lead, with the show premiering its first three episodes on HBO and streaming on Max.
Release Details
The series debuts November 2, 2025, at 10:30 p.m. ET on HBO, with new episodes airing every Sunday through December 21 on HBO and Max. It positions itself as a modern take on youth comedies, but critics diverge: Mashable calls it a 'hilarious' and 'biting satire' that could become a 'new comedy obsession,' evoking the frank messiness of Girls for the current decade. In contrast, TVLine describes it as a 'middling portrait of Gen Z malaise,' feeling unpolished and derivative, lacking the emotional depth of predecessors like Insecure while struggling to balance comedy and dramedy elements.
Critical Perspectives
While Sennott's performance is widely appealing, some note the characters feel thinly drawn and the L.A. satire cynical yet stale. Others highlight its potential for generational parody, though it risks veering into annoyance over humor. The show arrives amid a strong slate of youth-oriented comedies, aiming to capture HBO's legacy in the genre.