HBO’sSearch Party(after two seasons on TBS) is an interesting show that’s not only funny but thought-provoking and even suspenseful as well. What makes this show hilarious is not just the comedy incorporated within the story or the jokes and ‘funny scenes,’ but rather the way it portrays a generation that seems to be oblivious to the outside world as they attempt to navigate their lives in a desperate attempt to make them more interesting. Whilst many considerSearch Partyto be a satiricportrayal of millennial adulthood, it is also possible to argue that this particular series is very much applicable to Generation Z, or those after millennials born post-1995.
The series starts off with a huge mystery which is used by the protagonist, Dory (played perfectly by Alia Shawkat), to make her life interesting. Whilst Dory attempts to put on Nancy Drew’s cloak and find some meaning beyond the bored vapidity she views in her friends, what we see is how, in reality, Dory is just as narcissistic and bored with her life as them.
Dory, The Protagonist Who Blows Everything Out Of Proportion
Search Partyfocuses on the protagonist’s very mundane life that takes a massive turn due to her narcissistic attempt at making her life interesting, or finding a purpose for her life. What makes Dory’s character a hilarious portrayal of Gen Z is the way in which she turns a not-so-mystery case into one and then leads it into a criminal case that involves herself; she takes something, blows it out of proportion, and then inserts herself into the drama.
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The viewer might start off the series siding with Dory (to a certain extent). She seems like the most down-to-earth person in a cast of distracted, self-obsessed hypocrites. Yet again, as the first season ends, the viewer is also made to realize that Dory is no different; she’s perhaps even more hypocritical, because she considers herself better than others. Dory is acharacter in an existential crisis, who is not happy with her life, an assistant to a rich lady with very little else going for her. Thus, she uses this “mystery” case to make her life interesting.
A Withdrawn Boyfriend And Narcissist Best Friends
Dory is surrounded by not-so-different people. Her boyfriend, Drew Gardner, played by John Paul Reynolds, is a very withdrawn person who is also leading a very boring life. The first season shows him defining himself by Dory and being concerned about whether she is still keeping in touch with her ex-boyfriend. Drew, though he may not be an inherently funny character, is a hilarious take on the monotonous lives many younger people fear that they live, very unhappily, and shows the withdrawn nature of generations who’ve grown up on social mediums, texting and on the internet, rather than having interpersonal communication.
Of course, Dory’s two best friends, Elliott Goss (played by John Early) and Portia Davenport (played by Meredith Hagner), are very interesting characters as well, and are arguably the funniest aspects of the series. Elliott uses a made-up story of him having cancer just to gain attention from people. He also uses this to fuel his water bottle business, which is apparently supposed to help people from third-world countries. Ironically, this can bee seen as a jab at certain people and companies that wants to get famous and use their charity projects just to do that. Elliott also takes over the trope of the “gay BFF” but brilliantly subverts it through self-obsession. With no shame but much attention-seeking, Elliott is definitely a hilarious take on Gen Z’s need for attention (and online ‘followers’) and being tone-deaf about their privilege at certain points.
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Portia might seem like a cheery, caring andmemorable best friend, however she is also a bit similar to Elliott. Whilst she has her own good-natured and kind-hearted moments, she also seems to use her tiny role on TV to seek attention. What makes her character quite funny is that she is portraying a Latin character on the TV even though she is very obviously white. This is definitely a mock at certain celebrities and stars being tone-deaf and appropriating certain cultures offensively. Portia’s desperate need for approval and attention are shown to be sad results of her bad relationships with her mother, whom she still yearns for attention. This is perhaps a nod towards the parental issues that many gen-zs tend to have.
The Awkward But Extremely Funny Plot-Driven Stories
Season one focuses on a supposedmodern murder mysteryof a woman Dory went to school with. The rest of the show deals with trials, murders, disappearances, and kidnappings as hilarious plot-driving tools, using these heightened suspenseful tropes but inserting lackadaisical, narcissistic characters within them, as ifLaw and Orderwere being made by lazy 20-somethings. Moreover, the way each and every single character handles these situations and attempt to grab the spotlight is extrapolated intelligently and humorously. It shows how, perhaps, Gen-Zs might be focusing too much on themselves (sometimes).
Search Partyis definitely a hilarious take on the world of Gen Z and the transition from Millennials to their generation. It makes viewers look at themselves introspectively whilst giving them a good time. It’s one ofthe best HBO Max shows, and a brilliant deconstruction of Gen Z in a world where fame, selfishness, and tech seems to be overpowering many important issues.
