Season 2 of HBO's How to Make it in America - Finally Makin' It

To give them some credit, the cast and crew of How to Make it in America had some serious hype to live up to from the beginning. A show about a group of guys hustling to 'make it' big, backed by Mark Wahlberg - everyone kind of assumed it'd be like the next Entourage. Of course it wasn't like Entourage at all, and it wasn't very good either. Last season, How to Make it in America suffered from that, 'trying too hard to be hip', problem that's spread across North America like a virus. It was all about being underground, ultra-exclusive and going to the 'coolest' parties, but pretending like it was no big deal.

I've got to hand it to them though, because, this season was a vast improvement. The Rene storyline wasn't as isolated as last year, and they managed to get some pretty alluring guest stars, like Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano (Ralphie from The Sopranos!) and even Pharrell. They got rid of characters that no one gave a shit about, like Gingy (sorry Shannyn Sossamon), Rachel's hotelier boyfriend and ex-boss (Martha Plimpton has a better gig anyway, on Raising Hope). Plus, those Neanderthal hipsters are hilarious! Like, hey, I grow my own self-sustaining garden, let's bicycle around Bushwick at night for no reason and do shrooms cuz, well, why the hell not?! Oh, hipsters.

The improvements may be too little, too late though, because the way-too-short season 2's over and there's been no word from HBO on giving the boys (+ Lake Bell) a round 3. Finger's crossed. It's not the greatest show on earth, but I'd hate to see Bryan Greenberg and Victor Rasuk go out without actually 'makin it'.