'Betty' Preview: HBO's coming-of-age story on female skateboarders could be a slightly tamer 'Euphoria'
As fans continue with their year-long wait for Second 2 of HBO's drug, sex and abuse-infested 'Euphoria', the network presents to them another coming of age story with a unique twist of its own. Think skateboarders, but all-female.
Coming from Crystal Moselle as a spin-off of her critically acclaimed feature venture 'Skate Kitchen', the six-part miniseries is co-written by Lesley Arfin and set in New York City. The plot follows a diverse group of young women out on their quest to topple yet another predominantly male-oriented world of recreational sports while also navigating through love, loss, sex and the quintessential young adult angst.
Actors Dede Lovelace, Ajani Russell, Moonbear, Rachelle Vinberg and Nina Moran — all part of the original movie's cast — are set to reprise their roles as series regular. Lovelace plays the smart and uninhibited Janay, whose heart is as big as her opinions are loud. Russell's Indigo is all things fun, flirty, and all things associated with parties and raves. Always up for a grand time, she is sexy, calm and street-savvy, her shadiness is a stark contrast to Moonbear's Honetbear, who is the dark and brooding type, bringing signature doses of dry humor, wisdom, and a much needed headstrong vibe to the status quo.
Vinberg's Camille is probably the most seasoned one of the lost. She has paid her fair share to earn a revered spot amidst her male peers and when it comes to the rest of the women, she is the subtle, layered one with perception and poetic charm. In all of this, a storm of humor arrives in the form of Moran's Kirt who makes up for her lack of care in the world with a booming sense of humor that is sure to send viewers in splits. She loves her women, her fights, and above all flaunting her childlike aura when things get too serious.
So far, our only hints at the plot are from the trailer released by the network and by the looks of it, things are going to soar a little too high and a whole lot risque before the eventual crumbling down into pieces as most young adult dramas are plagued with. But for all its worth, at least the trailer doesn't promise the intense grit of 'Euphoria' drawing that salient line that separates reality from fiction, and will most likely not fall prey to people unabashedly calling the show out for its glorification of all things amoral.
'Betty' is set to premiere with its first episode on Friday, May 1, at 11 pm ET/PT on HBO.
