Web Series Wednesday – Youth, etc.

By: Spring Marie Cullen

WHAT? Youth, etc.

BY: Youth, etc.

WHY SHOULD I WATCH?

Youth, etc. follows the lives of B and Jaden, best friends from D.C., as they go through the trials and tribulations of life in their twenties; they stand by one another through love, career, family issues and every adventure in between. Co-created by real life best friends Banna Desta and Jalen Parker, who of course play Youth, etc.’s main characters, the series aims to reveal the array of different experiences of young black people in America today. Director Bridget Gales also assisted in co-writing the series.

As a first generation black woman and a queer black man, B and Jaden share a unique outlook on the world, which played a big part in bringing them together. Their shared blackness, appreciation of black excellence and desire to find their respective identities shape both their friendship and how they’re perceived by the community around them.

The short five episode web series is worth a watch for anyone who’s a fan of realistic friendships or hungry for genuine black representation in comedy. It’s rare for a show to depict the random and ridiculous conversations between friends, but Youth, etc. truly nails it. B mocking Jaden relentlessly over his mancala date and calling back to his love for board game dates in the finale is exactly the kind of playful teasing I expect from shows, but never see enough.  It’s even rarer to find a show with two leads like B and Jaden at the forefront; well rounded people of color offering their day to day experiences and not just included for diversity’s sake. It’s the perfect mix of accurate and representative, while telling relatable stories.

The series as a whole is hilarious, with an insane amount of quotable phrases in each episode, and it’s so good it’s hard to pick a single one that stands out above the rest. At only about fifty minutes for the entirety of the first season, it’s definitely worth sitting down and binging it all in one sitting.

WHERE CAN I WATCH? Episodes can be found on YouTube.

Follow Youth, etc on Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/youthetcetera

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youthetcetera/