TV

Online Series We are with the Band Attempts to Make the Most of LA Living

From all-liquid diets to comedic levels of alcohol intake, Heleya de Barros and Vivian Kerr attempt to fit in with the LA crowd in this online series focusing on the struggles of young, single women

Credit: wearewiththeband

The stars of We are with the Band, Heleya de Barros and Vivian Kerr

Like Absolutely Fabulous set in L.A., this web comedy follows the exploits of two 20-somethings trying to live it up in La La Land

With the big-screen blockbuster Bridesmaids being followed by Lena Dunham’s HBO series, Girls, which critics couldn’t stop praising, it’s fair to say there could be no better time for a web series about the bond of friendship between two single women — Elle Franklin (Heleya de Barros) and Marci Kline (Vivian Kerr) — as they attempt to live life to the fullest in L.A.

Surrounded by some of the most notorious hipsters America has to offer, Elle and Marci try their best to party as hardy as possible, battle to stay thin via methods ranging from intense yoga to a barely palatable, all-liquid cleansing diet, and, of course, they’re always keeping their eyes open for available men.

We Are With the Band is the brainchild of Kerr, who writes the show and serves as co-producer with her co-star, de Barros. Given that the latter actress studied at the British American Drama Academy in London, it’s perhaps not coincidental that elements of U.K. comedy staple Absolutely Fabulous can be spotted in the heroic alcohol intake often seen in the series.

Indeed, Kerr admitted in an interview with PopCultureMonster.com, “We wanted to do a show that was a little bit outside of the mainstream, inspired more by British comedy.”

Watching Elle and Marci stumble through their 20s and suffer any number of indignities in an effort to find some semblance of acceptance amongst the “cool kids,” as it were, can sometimes be as depressing as it is funny, but the series remains consistently watchable no matter what your emotional reaction to their various plights.

“I think there are elements of Elle and Marci in a lot of 20-somethings,” de Barros told PopCultureMonster.com. “They are trying to find themselves, find balance in their lives, find direction. I think most people can relate to that.

Originally published in TVW. For daily programming updates and on-screen Entertainment news, subscribe to the free TVW e-newsletters, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.