I hadn’t heard much about How To Make It In America when I received the screener. However, I am a big fan of almost everything HBO, so I was excited to watch. HBO classifies this show as a comedy, from the producers of Entourage. I’m not sure I would group it in the comedy category — it is a half hour — but it was an interesting show nonetheless.

Here is what HBO has to say about the show:

“How to Make It in America follows two enterprising Brooklyn twenty somethings as they hustle their way through New York City, determined to achieve the American Dream. Trying to make a name for themselves in New York’s competitive fashion scene, Ben Epstein (Bryan Greenberg) and his friend and business partner Cam Calderon (Victor Rasuk) use their street knowledge and connections to bring their ambitions to fruition. With the help of Cam’s cousin Rene (Luis Guzman), who is trying to market his own high-energy drink, and their well-connected friend Domingo (Kid Cudi), the entrepreneurs set out to make it big, encountering obstacles along the way that will require all their ingenuity to overcome.”

Lake Bell also rounds out the cast, playing Rachel, Ben’s ex-girlfriend. The first episode centers around Cam’s cousin Rene getting out of jail. Cam borrowed money from him (although he lied to Ben about it), and has to pay him back. Cam decides to buy some bootleg leather jackets and sell them on the street to make back the money, and enlists Ben to help him. When they go to buy the jackets, Ben’s eye catches a spool of very expensive denim. (This fact comes into play in the 2nd episode, so it’s worth mentioning). Meanwhile, their friend Gingy (Shannyn Sossamon) is having a gallery opening. Ben and Cam show up, and Rachel is there, with a new boyfriend, which is quite awkward.

I think this show has a lot of potential. The actors are all great, and I thought Victor Rasuk stood out amongst the ensemble cast. He played naive, shady and excited all at the same time, and that’s a hard task. I enjoy Lake Bell and Bryan Greenberg as well. However, it certainly didn’t have a lot of hilarious or laugh out loud moments. In the second episode, there were a few funny/awkward moments, but nothing that would classify it as a comedy. Entourage (from the same producers) was also in the comedy category, but for me all the Ari/Lloyd moments really made that show fit into a comedy category. I hope that this show builds momentum, and finds its voice in a gamut of shows trying to find the balance between drama and comedy. But one thing I really, really loved was the soundtrack. Whoever is in charge of picking the music for this show is brilliant. They used music in an incredibly innovative way, and everything down to the soundtrack was fitting and fantastic. (How’s that for alliteration?) Honestly, if you are a music buff, that is one good reason to tune into this show. You can even download the mixtape on the show’s website. Another thing I liked about How To Make It, is that it uses the backdrop of New York City really well. It is definitely a unique show with a premise I haven’t really seen before. However, as we saw with The Beautiful Life, a show about the behind-the-scenes fashion world (even if it was from a different perspective) doesn’t always work.  While I can’t say it’s my new favorite show, it is certainly worth checking out. And I liked the second episode more than the first, so I think it will continue to improve.

How to Make It In America premieres Sunday night at 10 pm on HBO, but you can watch the premiere online for free at HBO’s site.

Check out a trailer for the show: