How to Make It in America

Two words: Great pilot. Of course, I have to take pilots for what they are (selling points) as should we all... but 'How to Make It' shows a promising amount of potential. I just hope that they don't break that promise... The show focuses on a couple of New Yorkers starting from the bottom (or somewhere near it) trying to "Make it in America". They happen to be surrounded by a cast of entertaining characters which gives it quite the 'Entourage" feel... Add that with a constant onslaught of witty dialogue set in the most modern of all 'modern day New Yorks'... and "Sheeeeiiitt"... Quoting Clay Davis only feels appropriate. You can count me in for the whole season as long as they don't go all 'Hung' on me and put me to sleep like a double shot of codeine in a styrofoam cup. Shout out to Kid Cudi taking a back seat in a supporting roll on a pay-cable show, something that most artists with a future like his wouldn't even consider as a career move. Dude is talented, and Luis Guzman is subtly working his way into being the funniest dude on TV. I swear to God I can't drink anything while he's on the screen because I'll spit it out before he's done talking. The first two episodes get an 'A' from me, and I literally watch everything HBO puts on the screen. As long as it doesn't have anything to do with anybody who's 'Hung' or anybody that's named John from anywhere in Ohio, let alone Cincinnati... God Bless and hope this show is 5 seasons solid.

Love the show. The acting may not seem the best to some people, but after you watch a few episodes. The actors really grow on you. I felt the same way when I started watching Entourage. Love the story and background. Great Music. Love the fact that Cudi is in it. I have visited NYC multiple times and it really cool seeing the show happening in places I have actually been. Hope that they sell merchandise, would fit the show. People from Entourage did a great job with the show, seems to be the next Entourage. Love the free mix tape download and Pilot, very generous of HBO. Disappointed about the first season only being 8 episodes long, but a renewal for a second season would most certain make up for it.

I saw a few adverts about the series and decided 'what the heck!'. After watching the 8 episodes from the 1st season I really have to say I'm impressed. I'd say that the storyline is rather excellent for a comedy-drama series.

Having most of the "Entourage" crew behind it, it might just be a success, and if they try hard enough, I can see a future for this show, no doubt about that! The story is great! Combining street thugs, ex-cons, high-life, 'not-so-high-life', hood-mentality, etc. showing the struggle to get to the top in a country where there's enough possibilities for everyone, but also bringing some comedy into it.

Unfortunately 8 episodes are too few to get a good idea about what's about to happen, but the characters and the action portray real-life close enough just to make it believable. That's a good enough reason to want to watch the first season of the show, but it made me want to see the 2nd season as well.

You're never sure what's going to happen next. I'd say it was worth my time watching it.

This will join the likes of Freaks and Geeks and Arrested Development as shows that should have never been cancelled. I actually went back and watched this show after I heard it was cancelled and had been nominated for some awards.

I agree with others. This show is brilliant! I love the realism of the show and its characters. There are good and bad moments and the interactions are very genuine. Most people, young or old, can relate to the struggle for success. Trying to seek your own path but still pay the bills. This show also makes me miss NYC and Brooklyn desperately. This show lives and breaths NYC. I think that is one of the great things about this show is not only the genuine stories and characters but it really feels like you're in NYC. All and all I love this show. I love the humor, the drama, the people, all of it.

My only criticism is that sometimes there are some overly dramatic plot turns. And sometimes the characters make decisions that are inexplicable or dumber than how their character is presented. I know people make mistakes but this show makes the occasional mistake (most shows make it a lot) of making something happen just for the sake of creating a plot point or drama or what not. I didn't feel like this often but occasionally something was just too unbelievable or stupid. Otherwise the shows ie excellent. Worth going back and checking for those who haven't.

Yes, Mark Wahlberg is executive producer on this show and yes, the show runs on HBO. Yes it's about 30-something guys that happen to like to party and try to make a living. Still this show is not like Entourage. It's as different as NYC and L.A. are. Entourage is about glamour, money and Hollywood. HMIA is about the big city life, it's about the Big Apple, about young people trying to achieve something. It's more "down to earth" than Entourage and not as spectacular at first. The pacing is much slower and you have less sex, models and rock'n roll. But you DO have a great cast, authentic people in the most realistic capture of young adults living in Manhattan. It's a love letter to the city and the people who live there. It's a great show with likable characters, great dialogue, great cinematography and good and witty humor. This is like Sex and the City for guys. But less superficial. I really dig this show. Let's hope HBO does too!