Awkward comedy has been on the rise since shows like The Office or movies like The Other Guys gained popularity and it only continues to attract more attention. The trend is even seeping into web series, with I Hate Being Single being a prime example. I Hate Being Single wasn’t the typical YouTube influencer content however, having been submitted to TV festivals and taking home a few audience choice accolades. The show ran for two seasons before calling it quits, but the original fourteen episodes had an interesting impact on the audience it captured at the time of its release.
I Hate Being Single is a series that is funny enough to enjoy, but relatable enough for those who know what it’s like to come off a break up (and perhaps even whilst living in a big city).
Its first premiere was in 2011 at the NY TV Festival, but now its current home is on YouTube. The show itself is not an overly complex piece to follow, but it is done in a way that leaves room for discussion. Rob is a newly dumped single man who lives in Brooklyn. The show follows him through his daily life as he tries to exist in the world without a companion, which would seem like an easy thing; apart from the fact that many people seem to forget how to do it once they have been in a committed relationship for an extended period of time. He struggles to find his place back amongst others, living on his own and without his other half.
To reiterate, awkward is the word. Rob, who is played by Rob Michael Hugel, took part in the writing and the directing of the show and ‘awkward’ is a tone he seemed very keen to strike with the audience. Their production team’s choice to make the editing lacklustre also feels like a conscious decision, as it’s played off that they meant for it to come off that ‘it’s so bad that it’s actually good’. They succeeded in this department, and the writing was a key component in insuring the situations and dialogue were as strange as possible whilst still making comedic sense. The actors, including Hugel, handle the script with great timing and intuitive instinct. The directing, though not in any way expert, accommodates the writing and unique subject matter the actors are tasked with relaying to the viewers. It’s not exactly the type of show that could’ve gone on forever, but the short run time and episodic format make the presentation of the series more than appropriate. At the very least, it’ll be quick to get through.
I Hate Being Single is a series that is funny enough to enjoy, but relatable enough for those who know what it’s like to come off a break up (and perhaps even whilst living in a big city). The loneliness one may feel isn’t always a laughing matter, but in this case, it’s really not that deep. It’s a web series that pokes fun at single life in way that hasn’t quite been done before, which is a plus, and as the cast consists mainly of comedians, there are more than enough moments to laugh at too.
