I think that one of the sharpest things about this show is the fact that when something bad happens its usually the result of the character's bad choices. It is so SO real in that way.
its actually the opposite, id say a very good degree of the bad shit that happens in your life is mostly because of circumstances you cant control and have no power over, but this actually makes for bad storytelling since those usually revolve around thematic arcs of some kind, where personal agency matters a lot. so the show is actually less real and its better for it
For some reason I can't think of any animation where the characters actually live in shitty apartments. This show really gets the vibe of living in a city, and how oppressive that is. I can almost smell the wafts of noseblind dumpstersmell
i feel really sad for the relationship between jen and alex. it seems so obvious that both of them have unresolved feelings, but because of their own underdeveloped personalities and problems, they can’t seem to enter into a relationship. this show really makes it feel like these are real people with real problems. i would’ve loved to see it move forward in the future, with more seasons. hell, this would totally be popular with this new generation since we dress and act like them anyways. i say bring it back.
I think the people behind the show were planning to develop them more in the second season, but sadly MTV cancelled the show before that even happened and we have to rely on fanfiction.
No don't bring it back ..it's like the Godfather It should have stopped after 2 Cheebevis and Asshead Should have stayed dead because it's dead without the music segments ..This was a classic a testament to everyone growing up in NYC 🗽 as A teen and Anyone Who was a Teenager growing up in Any Downtown or World Wide it was a sign of the times..I wouldn't pay shit for Beavis and Butt-Head On a Wack Ass Platform AssFlix( Not the Good one..AssFlix I mean Net Flixx the Ass one🤨) it's Like the movie Clerks and Trainspotting it should have stopped after 1 like Ass and Furious.It should have stopped after Paul Walker's death . This belongs to 1999 The True Death of The 90$ And The Beginning of 2000$ It was Fucking Great Bitches....wasn't it 🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤❤❤🫂🫂🫂🫂💯
I love how each character has their own sense of unfulfillment, it's especially showcased in this episode that no matter what your choices your standards of happiness will be different than others. Jen and Leah have fun and are miserable in their own unique ways, it doesn't mean either one's lifestyles are more correct.
@@bababouibababoui4726they don’t touch on it too much but in the graffiti episode he’s really passionate about his art and is pretty sensitive about it
Jen and Alex are holding each other back. A lot of people assume shes lesbian but I don't think thats the case. She's using Alex as a crutch. "No matter how bad shit gets I can just go out with Alex." Which is why she gets panicky or upset whenever Alex actually tries to pick up chicks. She also doesn't make a move on a single guy throughout the season. Probably because she doesn't want to ruin her "chances" with Alex. Alex is directionless. He's got a dead end job, in a city full of bigshots, in a shitty apartment. He doesn't even know what he wants out of a relationship which is why he doesn't make a move on Jen, fumbles the goth chick, and just spends each day like a daydream. He even has a bunch of childhood stuff like his "whoopie". He reads those pamphlets maybe to get some kind of grip on what he wants but for the most part he's living day to day. I think they both need change. In Season 2 it would've been cool to see them either hook up or see how they react when they hook up with someone else. This show had so much damn potential its insane
So is no one @ at adult swim actually going to pick up this show? I mean it has been almost a decade, longest cliffhanger in history but this really is a cult classic.
It's amazing one of my favs show, but literally both of them just need to get out of their conform zones. And banging each other is an amazing idea, is the easiest thing they could've done, but Jen is clearly the problem here, cause Alex wanted it (she lowkey wanted too) but she was just too afraid to do it and oh my mf God she's always like that. We need a petition to continue this shi on adult swim asap
Jen was way too chill about calling other women who have confidence and dress a certain way “sluts” and “hookers.” It would’ve been interesting to see her develop and realize that thinking that way is holding her back and not making her feel any better, and eventually make friends with one of those confident girls and realize her judgment was based on some sort of jealousy or internalized misogyny. It also could be an interesting way of going in depth on her issues with forming new friendships and her habit of letting cynicism effect her current friendships.
yeah, and the closest thing she has to that would be her roommate. but with how often she brings up Jen's weight, and other factors, no wonder they arent as close
She goes overboard when insulting other women she has no idea about, but Leia is pretty slutty. Also, the fact that she's always demeaning and degrading Jen about her body and lifestyle isn't a helping factor in getting her to want to live a more authentic life that's fulfilling.
When I was younger I wanted Jen and Alex to be together. Now that I'm older, I can see why he wasn't feeling her and didn't see her more than friend throughout the series. She has no chill and being sarcastic all the damn time gets on people's nerves, whether you want to agree or not.
Yeah but I mean, they're the only people from the opposite sex that can tolerate each other, if that's not enough for a reason to be together I don't know what is... and both seem like some low down people so they don't really have much choice, at least like until they're like 25 or 30 and start doing other shit with their lives, at least that's how I see it, no matter how low down you are or whatever you start changing around that time, for better or worse.
here's the thing though.... she uses that shit as a self defense mechanism. jenn want's alex, only she's really scared of the commitment and emotional change sex between them will bring. she's been hurt in the past and really loves alex. however, she also knows that having sex with him will change everything - as alex is still a little boy emotionally. hung up on typical manic pixie dream girl goths, who still values hobbies over things of actual substance, refuses to see WHY chakka, mecca, fruity and matt are as cool as they are..... all in all, he's just not there yet. it's a bit of arrogance on his part. he feels that he's not the one to grow up, but everyone else is. that's where he's wrong (though chakka has A LOT of growing to do herself, as does fruity). getting back to the issue, jenn is just as scared as alex is, but for different reasons. alex on the other hand (as touched upon above) can't read a goddamm signal. a lot of that has to do with his own nerdy arrogance. he thinks he likes her, but is comfortable knowing she's just "one of the guys" (which again, she's only using as a self defense mechanism not to get hurt by a guy she likes). as for "the potential kiss" in this episode, he 1) wants to get laid, and 2) is already relaxed because he knows jenn likes him - again with the arrogance. if he was being honest with himself, he'd see that he DOES love jenn... and it wouldn't be just having sex, he would want to be with her. and if he was a man, he'd tell her this.... even at the risk of their friendship. jenn would more than likely kick him to the curb immediately in fear, but would hopefully see that alex is blooming in emotional maturity, and is FINALLY ready to have a real adult relationship where shit isn't fucking weird after the fact. a relationship that isn't about some fantasy, or some fucking dream girlfriend he had concoted in his head. that's not what grown men do... and jenn is hoping that some day he'll start acting right. which is why she gets so annoyed when he starts drooling over shallow ass women (the goth chick included. you KNOW that shit would've gone south). it's typical "hurt girl v. nerd who has no clue" storyline... and honestly, works really well. i have a feeling that if this show continued, that's exactly what we would've seen as the evolution of both characters. tl;dr - jenn is super guarded, alex is emotionally stunted and refuses to mature. jenn wants alex but is too scared it'll change everything with alex's emotional immaturity, and alex "thinks" he wants something else because of his bullshit fantastical way of thinking - when in reality, he actually wants to be jenn's boyfriend, but is too chickenshit to actually go for it.
Me too. I expected them to get together. She's a Debbie Downer. Sort of enjoys being against anything and everything someone might find fun or interesting.
I don’t understand how some of y’all keep saying that Jen is aesexual or lesbian when she’s literally complaining abt the lack of sex she’s had and her and Alex are literally resisting the urge to hook up
The writers really got us this episode. Jen liking Alex was obvious but Alex liking her back and Jen being the one to sabotage it because of her fear of them sabotaging what they already have!? As someone who has successfully dated friends, watching this gave me (metaphorical) blue balls.
It's interesting because I've been in a somewhat similar situation as this and while we had fun dating we just kinda realized we worked a lot better as friends type crap yk, but that's probably me just applying my own crap into something that it probably doesn't apply to idfk
Honestly I can see why it turned out this way. I made the mistake of having sex with close friends and it frankly made things a lot weirder and more entangled than it was really worth.
Jen gives off a strong vibe that she hates herself. It’s really sad. She probably thinks that she can’t get with Alex because he likes different women. Tbh I think if she allow Alex to be in her like that, it would work because they have so much in common. I’m gonna have to make a fanfic about this 😤
I grew up in the East Village and Alphabet City... this show takes me back to those times... I was 20 in 1999, and believe it or not, NYC was ELECTRIC back then. I could be walking down St. Mark's Place, think of a friend and *BOOM* I'd run into them when turning the next corner.
The creator said that too in a recent interview. I live in a huge city with tons of public transport (Sydney, Australia) and have never bumped into anything interesting and I think I saw an old school friend one time but he lived near my neighbourhood. Could be a 21st century thing or NYC is just kind of different. Would you say its still like that?
I never even heard of this show. I was maybe 8 or 9 when it premiered but this makes me nostalgic for the late 90s early 2000s. The last few years when people actually hung out and lived in the moment before social media ruined everything.
Dude--I was 20 in 1999, living between Queens and Alphabet City... we MADE FUN of people who claimed "they met each other online." All of us Village Kidz socialized at bars, parks and coffee shops, or off 'da hook house parties. Socializing "online" was for lame-os and queers with very specific kinks!
i have stagnant friends like Jen. They're comfortable to be around when you just want to do nothing, but it's hard to see them grow very little as people in 10 years.
recently got into this show and i adore it! i was kinda shocked to see how much people disliked Jen, she’s one of my favorite characters (though i love all the characters in the show haha). she has moments where she acts like a huge ass, sure, but all the characters in this show have their moments of acting like an ass as well. what i love about this show is that it’s just about young adults trying to navigate through life, work through their insecurities, trying to navigate through their feelings of unhappiness and lack of fulfillment in life, and they all have their high and low moments in the show.
Chaka getting involved just because she likes drama lol. Her realising that Fruity isn't worth fighting over always cracks me up. She's been running around all night and getting into fights over a guy like that.
@@genocidecrusade6534 only that Jen criticizes them out of spite, not for their choices. She even tries to mimic a night like those women; but she's so insecure about herself, all she does is tear them down.
@@genocidecrusade6534 The point Destroyadora is trying to make is that in our society, women are slut shamed for sleeping around/dressing in revealing clothing while men are praised for doing the exact same thing. It's a fucked up double standard that women also join in on, because they are either insecure or have internalized misogyny. Which is really fucking hypocritical, considering that a lot of them claim to be feminist's. Also, the word "promiscuous" is an outdated term. In case you didn't already know that.
@@moralorel978 The double standard exists because men and women are not the same. I'll explain it: Men are praised for sleeping with tons of chicks because it takes effort. The average man must have put in work in order to achieve this. Woman are shamed for sleeping around because for them, getting laid is pretty easy. All chicks have to do is open their legs and be enthusiastic. The shame comes from not having standards and giving yourself up to anybody, which historically could have dire consequences.
I don't know why MTV doesn't just bring this show back, there's a shit ton of remakes nowadays. But then again... It might unintentionally piss people off.
17:00 just get it on already. You two obliviously have some chemistry. If it feels weird after the kiss then stay friends. On a sidenote can you imagine the things that limo driver has seen after telling that story?
I wanna hear more from the limo driver. He must jave so much wisdom to pass on from hus experiences driving all kinds of people around and being a silent observer of all kind of stuff.
i would’ve loved to see how this show would’ve developed n how all the characters were gona grow . Like maybe Jen wouldve gotten out of her misogynistic/ hater/ sarcastic mindset n Mecca would grow into her self confidence by getting her heartbroken or something This show had so much potential it’s too bad
Both shows were pretty great but I lean towards more towards Downtown. I just jibed with the cast a lot more in it (Yes even Jen lol) and I loved the art style.
I always say put yourself in the universe that you're comparing which one would you fit in more... my only complaint of living in this universe is its kinda dark and grimey mission hill is bright but weird
The take me down six underground was such a hitter and so nostalgic when it played like I miss shows from this time and wish downtown continued for more then 13 episodes
all the comments are always “god jen is so annoying” “certain comment on the episode everyone talks about” “god i miss this show i wish they didn’t cancel it” “song comment”
It seems like there are some misinterpretations on Jen with some of the comments here- I'd like to point out, Alex has been used by the popular and attractive girls at school (In an earlier episode a girl was dared to kiss Alex, I think it's on the episode "Insomnia", the other pretty much just used him just so her boyfriend could dance with her then ditched him to a group of jocks who made him feel awkward), if anything her misanthropy seems to be rooted in how people like Alex are treated, then soon it just becomes rooted anger with how They still do these things, in Night Shift (Spoilers) She stalks Serena because She wants to see what kind of girl Alex is getting himself into. To put it in short, Jen's just looking out for her man, it isn't internalized Misogyny, lesbianism (which I don't mind headcanons of, seems plausible out from canon).
I love how much depth the characters have. They have flaws and their stories are realistic unlike the typical perfect and usual lives we see in the media.
This show is just way too much for me, like I actually had to click off it, Not cause it was bad quite the opposite, its just my heart hurts knowing life like this will never be like 1997-2001 ever again. the nostalgic overload is just too too much😭 this hits even harder when your actually a new yorker and can place yourself and remember what you were doing around this time. I was still in grade school but the wonderful timeless memories i had in school and at home makes me so depressed. Like its actually over. Like this show aired i think Fall of 1999, the year before Y2K? I can remember the boy band Britney spears craze, nu metal, hip hop, Rnb,. I remember being so scared of the blair witch project, ahh man. I remember going to the WWF store in time square thinking i was going to see the rock or stone cold. I remember in 1999 being in front of the tv playing playstation and n64 all day. Tomb raider spyro crash bandicoot tony hawk mario 64 twisted metal then when i would go outside id bring my Gameboy color and pokemon cards. I mean they start the show off with a Freaking World trade center reference😨@1:31 , Rest in peace to the victims but thats proof life can change in the blink of an eye, who would of thought a harmless joke like that would mean so much more decades later. the fact its so casual to talk about the towers as if it will always be there. wow. and what takes the cake is in the end @18:42 they have Sneaker Pimps 6 underground Playing😱 If that doesnt song itself doesnt encapsulate life in the LATE 90S and our childhoods then i dont know what else will.
It’s funny how pretty privilege makes everyone automatically see leia as a cool character that tries to help jen get out of her “shell” Jen is seen as a massive hater. One she is authentically herself the good the bad and the ugly. Leia is an inconsiderate roommate , she brings home strange and random men like every night this is very alarming and dangerous. She walks around naked like she is the only one living there, she is rude af and shames Jen for not being a hot like her. God people suck…. I hate hypocrisy.
Jen has actual interests and hobbies other than trying to be a sugar baby. Leia is only costing in life with her looks. I just don’t understand why people see her as benevolent. She is a horror show.
@@toshiamiyumi2604 meh... Leia's getting her kicks according to what she was given. Maybe she gets lonely but she's not the type to complain, and that makes her a good companion, which is presumably what makes her feel of value. That's cool. Jen also gets her kicks but she's eating pizza and watching obscure movies. She doesn't need to be likeable because she's got a friend who accepts her as she is, hateration and all. That's cool too. Now, maybe I'd rather be Leia because her kicks are more socially celebrated, or maybe it's because I'm pretty similar to Jen. I mean, who wouldn't rather be a person who embraces their shit instead of talking about how much it stinks all the time? Well, I haven't seen the rest of the season but I'd like to see Jen come to some kind of place of acceptance within herself. Maybe I'm a lame optimist but girl deserves more 🤷♂️
your forgetting the part where jen hates on random women for no reason, like she calls a women, a hooker bc she’s pretty and hot and hating on serena for no reason u have a point but executed it poorly
while the series is interesting, seeing how jen and alex were " for each other" and denying it for some weird superficial reasoning. Alex likes girls he cant have , and Jen isnt so real as she is Edgy. She is constantly sarcastic and off the cuff just to be the center of attention and to downplay anyone getting any. Alex is obsessed with things he cannot have or things he thinks he wants. They are for each other but deny the truth. Pains me to see this is that only in the movies or on tv trope.
The thing with Alex's infatuated crush on Serena is that there were times where they could've dated. If he just got over his shyness and actually treated Serena like a person, she probably would've said yes to a date with him. Like in the episode "Insomnia" when Alex is talking (... Kinda) to her about her poster and almost had a conversation until he chickened out. Or if he actually showed up to the hang out at the Malaysian restaurant. Just saying, there were times where he could've at least interacted with her and maybe learn that they had nothing in common.
Nah i dont think they are for each other, Alex CAN get serene ita just his shyness gets in the way, i mean even converations with serene sound like more enjoyable for alex
Half the comment section every episode: "Internalized misogyny" just because Jen disses her roommate who is literally a shitty person who keeps her up and uses dudes for money-- not liberation. She's literally the same dynamic as Matt is to Fruity but without the childhood friendship. Everyone loves Matt though, because he's a soft artist. No one talks shit when he calls out Fruity though, only when Jen does it to Leah
Tru but u gotta admit Jen can be a bitch. She has her funny sarcastic side then sometimes she says mean things due to insecurity. Matt calls out Fruity because he does or say dumb shit sometimes, he’s just looking out for him and holding him accountable. With Jen she makes it seems like being skinny, goth, partying etc is bad because people don’t see her that sexually desirable.
I wish I had a friend the way Alex does, an actual female that you can just hang out with like one of the bros, no romantic feelings attached... Damn quarantine got an introvert like me feeling lonely
love the will they, won't they and alex and jen paired w chaka and fruity subterfuge. chaka'll play pretend to look out for a friend, but she'd never screw fruity lol
I barely remember the end of 90's, mostly because i was 5 years old back then. I'm polish, democracy and western culture strucked us hard in the middle of 1994, and i remember that we still were under its influence 5 years later, tough too colourful- fashion made people look like mafia goons in rainbow-coloured tracksuits, or quirky jean jakcets. But this show...my god, this show really presents the way the end of century was- grey, dark, and gloomy. I remember, that i used to watch it on polish MTV together with Daria, Beavis&butthead and old episodes of AeonFlux, which made my little brain boil from strange atmosphere, style and plot. Now, i'm 21, i dropped out of college year ago(which i regret terribly), i'm trying to make ends meet with various jobs, i have a crush on a girl, and i try to make a subtle movement to go out with her, i'm considering getting back to college and i'm really scared about my future in this country. I can 100% relate to character of Alex. Prynoski did a really fuckin' good job with that show, and i hope he'll try to revive it. Also, recently i've found out that the voice actor of Goat dubbed the same character in another Prynoski animated show- MEGAS XLR.
i think Jen's internalized misogyny is actually rooted in her lesbianism she's just not ready to come out yet. she's not jealous of the hot girls she wants to BE WITH the hot girls.
I think that one of the sharpest things about this show is the fact that when something bad happens its usually the result of the character's bad choices. It is so SO real in that way.
Very good point
You just described every single conflict in a show…
fr
@@shellshock10 they mean like power rangers have a main conflict being appearing out of nowhere monster/ aliens
its actually the opposite, id say a very good degree of the bad shit that happens in your life is mostly because of circumstances you cant control and have no power over, but this actually makes for bad storytelling since those usually revolve around thematic arcs of some kind, where personal agency matters a lot. so the show is actually less real and its better for it
For some reason I can't think of any animation where the characters actually live in shitty apartments. This show really gets the vibe of living in a city, and how oppressive that is. I can almost smell the wafts of noseblind dumpstersmell
fr!!! that's what i love ab this
Noseblind Dumpstersmell sounds like a band name lol
Lmao oppressive huh
@TheZombiedame it's also an adjective for a grim situation. I'd call those apartments oppressive, a genuine health violation.
@@lesbiangoddess290 Yea white girl I bet you would say that ;)
i feel really sad for the relationship between jen and alex. it seems so obvious that both of them have unresolved feelings, but because of their own underdeveloped personalities and problems, they can’t seem to enter into a relationship. this show really makes it feel like these are real people with real problems. i would’ve loved to see it move forward in the future, with more seasons. hell, this would totally be popular with this new generation since we dress and act like them anyways. i say bring it back.
@hhh asexual doesnt mean that they dont have romantic feelings
@hhh if shes talking the whole episode abt how she wants to have sex then how is she asexual
@hhh yea that last part makes sense to me i dont think shes aromantic or asexual
I think the people behind the show were planning to develop them more in the second season, but sadly MTV cancelled the show before that even happened and we have to rely on fanfiction.
No don't bring it back ..it's like the Godfather It should have stopped after 2 Cheebevis and Asshead Should have stayed dead because it's dead without the music segments ..This was a classic a testament to everyone growing up in NYC 🗽 as A teen and Anyone Who was a Teenager growing up in Any Downtown or World Wide it was a sign of the times..I wouldn't pay shit for Beavis and Butt-Head On a Wack Ass Platform AssFlix( Not the Good one..AssFlix I mean Net Flixx the Ass one🤨) it's Like the movie Clerks and Trainspotting it should have stopped after 1 like Ass and Furious.It should have stopped after Paul Walker's death . This belongs to 1999 The True Death of The 90$ And The Beginning of 2000$ It was Fucking Great Bitches....wasn't it 🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤❤❤🫂🫂🫂🫂💯
I love how each character has their own sense of unfulfillment, it's especially showcased in this episode that no matter what your choices your standards of happiness will be different than others. Jen and Leah have fun and are miserable in their own unique ways, it doesn't mean either one's lifestyles are more correct.
I’m curious, how would Matt be unfulfilled or are we not counting him?
@@bababouibababoui4726they don’t touch on it too much but in the graffiti episode he’s really passionate about his art and is pretty sensitive about it
Would have been crazy if this show ran for eight seasons 🤯
Yeah imagine what they would do
I always wish
if only
@@supercodhater1985 maybe someone at MTV will bring back their animation department.
uuuhhh my thoughts every time I finish it & restart it ):
Ok but I often find Chaka, Mecca, Matt and Fruity's adventures more fun than Alex and Jen's
Right? It’s far more interesting
I always found theirs more interesting. Alex and Jen aren't as outgoing as the others.
i hate jen
I think that reflects their characters :)
They completely more interesting so I fully agree
Im so in love w matt 😭
That’s so real
fr
realest
So true he's so cool😭
Idk if I wanna be him or be with him
Jen and Alex are holding each other back. A lot of people assume shes lesbian but I don't think thats the case. She's using Alex as a crutch. "No matter how bad shit gets I can just go out with Alex." Which is why she gets panicky or upset whenever Alex actually tries to pick up chicks. She also doesn't make a move on a single guy throughout the season. Probably because she doesn't want to ruin her "chances" with Alex.
Alex is directionless. He's got a dead end job, in a city full of bigshots, in a shitty apartment. He doesn't even know what he wants out of a relationship which is why he doesn't make a move on Jen, fumbles the goth chick, and just spends each day like a daydream. He even has a bunch of childhood stuff like his "whoopie". He reads those pamphlets maybe to get some kind of grip on what he wants but for the most part he's living day to day.
I think they both need change. In Season 2 it would've been cool to see them either hook up or see how they react when they hook up with someone else. This show had so much damn potential its insane
So is no one @ at adult swim actually going to pick up this show? I mean it has been almost a decade, longest cliffhanger in history but this really is a cult classic.
It's amazing one of my favs show, but literally both of them just need to get out of their conform zones. And banging each other is an amazing idea, is the easiest thing they could've done, but Jen is clearly the problem here, cause Alex wanted it (she lowkey wanted too) but she was just too afraid to do it and oh my mf God she's always like that. We need a petition to continue this shi on adult swim asap
@@iiloveacidhow can we make this happen
Dam
@@zackdenis1637has it not been like twenty years 😭
Jen was way too chill about calling other women who have confidence and dress a certain way “sluts” and “hookers.” It would’ve been interesting to see her develop and realize that thinking that way is holding her back and not making her feel any better, and eventually make friends with one of those confident girls and realize her judgment was based on some sort of jealousy or internalized misogyny. It also could be an interesting way of going in depth on her issues with forming new friendships and her habit of letting cynicism effect her current friendships.
yeah, and the closest thing she has to that would be her roommate. but with how often she brings up Jen's weight, and other factors, no wonder they arent as close
UGH I WAS LOOKING FOR A COMMENT LIKE THIS I LOVE YOU
She goes overboard when insulting other women she has no idea about, but Leia is pretty slutty. Also, the fact that she's always demeaning and degrading Jen about her body and lifestyle isn't a helping factor in getting her to want to live a more authentic life that's fulfilling.
As annoying jen can be. Making her genuine unlikeable character makes her such a good character lmao
Spoken like a true promiscuous little sl*g 😂
When I was younger I wanted Jen and Alex to be together. Now that I'm older, I can see why he wasn't feeling her and didn't see her more than friend throughout the series. She has no chill and being sarcastic all the damn time gets on people's nerves, whether you want to agree or not.
Yeah but I mean, they're the only people from the opposite sex that can tolerate each other, if that's not enough for a reason to be together I don't know what is... and both seem like some low down people so they don't really have much choice, at least like until they're like 25 or 30 and start doing other shit with their lives, at least that's how I see it, no matter how low down you are or whatever you start changing around that time, for better or worse.
A. Soldier I'll say 30s
here's the thing though.... she uses that shit as a self defense mechanism. jenn want's alex, only she's really scared of the commitment and emotional change sex between them will bring. she's been hurt in the past and really loves alex. however, she also knows that having sex with him will change everything - as alex is still a little boy emotionally. hung up on typical manic pixie dream girl goths, who still values hobbies over things of actual substance, refuses to see WHY chakka, mecca, fruity and matt are as cool as they are..... all in all, he's just not there yet. it's a bit of arrogance on his part. he feels that he's not the one to grow up, but everyone else is. that's where he's wrong (though chakka has A LOT of growing to do herself, as does fruity). getting back to the issue, jenn is just as scared as alex is, but for different reasons.
alex on the other hand (as touched upon above) can't read a goddamm signal. a lot of that has to do with his own nerdy arrogance. he thinks he likes her, but is comfortable knowing she's just "one of the guys" (which again, she's only using as a self defense mechanism not to get hurt by a guy she likes). as for "the potential kiss" in this episode, he 1) wants to get laid, and 2) is already relaxed because he knows jenn likes him - again with the arrogance. if he was being honest with himself, he'd see that he DOES love jenn... and it wouldn't be just having sex, he would want to be with her. and if he was a man, he'd tell her this.... even at the risk of their friendship. jenn would more than likely kick him to the curb immediately in fear, but would hopefully see that alex is blooming in emotional maturity, and is FINALLY ready to have a real adult relationship where shit isn't fucking weird after the fact. a relationship that isn't about some fantasy, or some fucking dream girlfriend he had concoted in his head. that's not what grown men do... and jenn is hoping that some day he'll start acting right. which is why she gets so annoyed when he starts drooling over shallow ass women (the goth chick included. you KNOW that shit would've gone south).
it's typical "hurt girl v. nerd who has no clue" storyline... and honestly, works really well. i have a feeling that if this show continued, that's exactly what we would've seen as the evolution of both characters.
tl;dr - jenn is super guarded, alex is emotionally stunted and refuses to mature. jenn wants alex but is too scared it'll change everything with alex's emotional immaturity, and alex "thinks" he wants something else because of his bullshit fantastical way of thinking - when in reality, he actually wants to be jenn's boyfriend, but is too chickenshit to actually go for it.
Nah, Jens funny as fuck. She seems like the type of girl that would make me piss my pants from all the laughter
Me too. I expected them to get together. She's a Debbie Downer. Sort of enjoys being against anything and everything someone might find fun or interesting.
I don’t understand how some of y’all keep saying that Jen is aesexual or lesbian when she’s literally complaining abt the lack of sex she’s had and her and Alex are literally resisting the urge to hook up
Haha I wondered about that
@Rafael Dejesus no she didn’t 💀
@@deadaccount6865 She did episode 3 i think
@Rafael Dejesus you mean when she said it in the perspective of Alex
Alphabet people love to project their mental illnesses.
that cigarette transition went crazy
*When my card declines at therapy so they make me re-watch this episode:*
lmao
fruity be having me dead 😭
fr bro is the funniest character lowkey
The writers really got us this episode. Jen liking Alex was obvious but Alex liking her back and Jen being the one to sabotage it because of her fear of them sabotaging what they already have!?
As someone who has successfully dated friends, watching this gave me (metaphorical) blue balls.
It's interesting because I've been in a somewhat similar situation as this and while we had fun dating we just kinda realized we worked a lot better as friends type crap yk, but that's probably me just applying my own crap into something that it probably doesn't apply to idfk
I completely ruined so many relationships because of my fear of intimacy, it hits hard. I relate to jen in that way I feel like.
@@bourne8636 when you give into fear you reject the possibility for love
Honestly I can see why it turned out this way. I made the mistake of having sex with close friends and it frankly made things a lot weirder and more entangled than it was really worth.
Jen gives off a strong vibe that she hates herself. It’s really sad. She probably thinks that she can’t get with Alex because he likes different women. Tbh I think if she allow Alex to be in her like that, it would work because they have so much in common. I’m gonna have to make a fanfic about this 😤
If you make the fanfic public, can I get a link? 👀
Me too
@@solthestinky4795 Yes! It's slowly in the works ^^
@@JillianVSJill will do ^^
@@true_emmyrose Omg thank you
I grew up in the East Village and Alphabet City... this show takes me back to those times... I was 20 in 1999, and believe it or not, NYC was ELECTRIC back then. I could be walking down St. Mark's Place, think of a friend and *BOOM* I'd run into them when turning the next corner.
what a time to be alive fr
Now nobody lives there except college students from out of state with daddy's money renting the apartment lol. Gentrification is a bitch.
The creator said that too in a recent interview. I live in a huge city with tons of public transport (Sydney, Australia) and have never bumped into anything interesting and I think I saw an old school friend one time but he lived near my neighbourhood. Could be a 21st century thing or NYC is just kind of different. Would you say its still like that?
The writing is so good!! For Jen and Alex to have naturally come to the conclusion they like each other even as friends is so good!!
i love when they do these kind of transitions 13:13
Me too,very titmouse style lol you kinda get the same in venture bros
I never even heard of this show. I was maybe 8 or 9 when it premiered but this makes me nostalgic for the late 90s early 2000s. The last few years when people actually hung out and lived in the moment before social media ruined everything.
i was 8 or 9 but obsessed with daria had very little tv supervision, don't know how I missed this show lol.
Yep. Im grateful that I have friends that still hang out like we used to back in the day
Yes I remember this show on muchmuch tv late night I was 7 and half at show when I stay up late
Dude--I was 20 in 1999, living between Queens and Alphabet City... we MADE FUN of people who claimed "they met each other online." All of us Village Kidz socialized at bars, parks and coffee shops, or off 'da hook house parties. Socializing "online" was for lame-os and queers with very specific kinks!
Thank god for the internet, saving amazing shows like this and Undergrads.
i have stagnant friends like Jen. They're comfortable to be around when you just want to do nothing, but it's hard to see them grow very little as people in 10 years.
laughed at the world trade center joke, then saw the world trade center. I feel sad now.
right it’s always crazy seeing both of them in older shows and movies
@@alien_from_andromedaMan this one reply made me rewatch the whole episode.
@@dougformerlysekkohegane9303 We never recovered from that have we?
@@TheMastermind729 not really no.
@@dougformerlysekkohegane9303get another watch in 😁
Jen and Alex have that flirty friendship that you aren’t supposed to have 😂
To me, this is the show's best episode so far.
Yeah me too
This show is like opening up a time capsule for the first time. Lots of nostalgia and characters I've seen irl or can relate to.
Lmfao , Not Fruity hyping Chaka up during the fight 😂😂😂😂😂😂
recently got into this show and i adore it! i was kinda shocked to see how much people disliked Jen, she’s one of my favorite characters (though i love all the characters in the show haha). she has moments where she acts like a huge ass, sure, but all the characters in this show have their moments of acting like an ass as well. what i love about this show is that it’s just about young adults trying to navigate through life, work through their insecurities, trying to navigate through their feelings of unhappiness and lack of fulfillment in life, and they all have their high and low moments in the show.
The cinematic animation shots in this show are so dope!
totally tubular my dude!
boy yeah right yeah right yeah right
Chaka getting involved just because she likes drama lol. Her realising that Fruity isn't worth fighting over always cracks me up. She's been running around all night and getting into fights over a guy like that.
This was so chill the soundtrack the conversationS the latest 90s New York
Jen was always so funny but you could see she was in love with Alex
Jen has so much internalized misogyny
Lmao. Criticizing promiscuous woman is misogyny?
@@genocidecrusade6534 only that Jen criticizes them out of spite, not for their choices. She even tries to mimic a night like those women; but she's so insecure about herself, all she does is tear them down.
@@genocidecrusade6534 The point Destroyadora is trying to make is that in our society, women are slut shamed for sleeping around/dressing in revealing clothing while men are praised for doing the exact same thing. It's a fucked up double standard that women also join in on, because they are either insecure or have internalized misogyny. Which is really fucking hypocritical, considering that a lot of them claim to be feminist's. Also, the word "promiscuous" is an outdated term. In case you didn't already know that.
@@moralorel978 The double standard exists because men and women are not the same. I'll explain it:
Men are praised for sleeping with tons of chicks because it takes effort. The average man must have put in work in order to achieve this.
Woman are shamed for sleeping around because for them, getting laid is pretty easy. All chicks have to do is open their legs and be enthusiastic. The shame comes from not having standards and giving yourself up to anybody, which historically could have dire consequences.
i think its moreso jen has the perspective of a fat woman of color and is understandably bitter
Relatable to all of us as young people, relationships, egos, doubts, jobs, soul sucking jobs, the crazy things we do and think.
I don't know why MTV doesn't just bring this show back, there's a shit ton of remakes nowadays. But then again... It might unintentionally piss people off.
they would ruin it with their woke shit
genius writing. wish i found this show sooner.
Most accurate depiction of teen/young adult yearning and relationship issues
this show is such a vibe
I thought Jen said she was asexual, or was that a joke...and I hate how she disses goth girls. Jealous much..
Joke, she wasn't asexual, she was a realist.
Jen has internalized misogyny. She's lowkey a pick me girl.
@@ohheyy8755 EXACTLY! She's so damn annoying.
soooo tru
She wasn’t dissing goth girls stupid
17:00 just get it on already. You two obliviously have some chemistry. If it feels weird after the kiss then stay friends. On a sidenote can you imagine the things that limo driver has seen after telling that story?
I wanna hear more from the limo driver. He must jave so much wisdom to pass on from hus experiences driving all kinds of people around and being a silent observer of all kind of stuff.
I recognized the driver's voice - I think it's Wendell Pierce (The Wire, Suits, and Jack Ryan), credited as Edward Pierce for some reason
Jen's character stabs thru every fibre of my being oh my god AHHH stop looking into my soul
as in you relate to bc same it’s like looking in a mirror and i hate it😭
Sneaker Pimps, awwww yeah.
Ikrrr so happy when i heard them
yess totally caught me by surprise but in the best way:))
It fit the tone so well.
i would’ve loved to see how this show would’ve developed n how all the characters were gona grow . Like maybe Jen wouldve gotten out of her misogynistic/ hater/ sarcastic mindset n Mecca would grow into her self confidence by getting her heartbroken or something
This show had so much potential it’s too bad
"The more you want something, the less likely it is you're gonna get it." 11:38
i love jen and alex, they’re both so similar but refuse to admit it
I can’t decide which show I like more. Downtown. Or Mission Hill. I wish both of them had more seasons.
Downtown all the way
Both shows were pretty great but I lean towards more towards Downtown. I just jibed with the cast a lot more in it (Yes even Jen lol) and I loved the art style.
When I started the show it made me think of Misson Hill they have simular vibes
I always say put yourself in the universe that you're comparing which one would you fit in more... my only complaint of living in this universe is its kinda dark and grimey mission hill is bright but weird
I love both but gotta go with Downtown because of the more relatable realistic vibes of the characters.
The take me down six underground was such a hitter and so nostalgic when it played like I miss shows from this time and wish downtown continued for more then 13 episodes
How the fuck does this show not have more seasons.
it sickens me that there’s only 13 episodes. dear god.
18:09 this animation was great omg
same exact thought
all the comments are always “god jen is so annoying” “certain comment on the episode everyone talks about” “god i miss this show i wish they didn’t cancel it” “song comment”
Lol
this
They make me sad cause I really like Jen and wanna see her get betterrrrr
19:13 kills me, the way Fruity just walks out like nonchalant lmfaooo
LMAOO that killed me
"Butched out nun" is creative 😂😂
Leah is cool but her fatophbia and bullying could be the source of Jen's crabass outlook. Jen is def trapped with Leah and it is stunting her
This show is GOLDEN! And was that sneaker pimps playing in the background?
Yeahh
NO WAY WHERE?
@@SillyLilDawg 18:50 6 underground ❤
yes! and they also played a bit of a perfect day elise by pj harvey. this show had serious taste
9 years later and this is still top tier
Show is the most accurate depiction of nyc I’ve ever seen
I love the plot they did with Jen and Alex this episode
what y'all know about sneaker pimps at 18:42 :') one of my fav bands bro. totally caught me off guard in the best way
SP4Evr
6 underground is the best
this show is too real
It seems like there are some misinterpretations on Jen with some of the comments here- I'd like to point out, Alex has been used by the popular and attractive girls at school (In an earlier episode a girl was dared to kiss Alex, I think it's on the episode "Insomnia", the other pretty much just used him just so her boyfriend could dance with her then ditched him to a group of jocks who made him feel awkward), if anything her misanthropy seems to be rooted in how people like Alex are treated, then soon it just becomes rooted anger with how They still do these things, in Night Shift (Spoilers) She stalks Serena because She wants to see what kind of girl Alex is getting himself into. To put it in short, Jen's just looking out for her man, it isn't internalized Misogyny, lesbianism (which I don't mind headcanons of, seems plausible out from canon).
“Till you’re at least 25”
Me over 25 😵💫
They're like 17 so 25 feels Middle aged to them dw lol 😆
It hurts
I love how much depth the characters have. They have flaws and their stories are realistic unlike the typical perfect and usual lives we see in the media.
14:14 Massive Attack - Teardrop. I love this show
This show is just way too much for me, like I actually had to click off it, Not cause it was bad quite the opposite,
its just my heart hurts knowing life like this will never be like 1997-2001 ever again.
the nostalgic overload is just too too much😭 this hits even harder when your actually a new yorker and can place yourself and
remember what you were doing around this time. I was still in grade school but the wonderful timeless memories i had in school and at home makes
me so depressed. Like its actually over. Like this show aired i think Fall of 1999, the year before Y2K? I can remember the boy band Britney spears craze, nu metal,
hip hop, Rnb,. I remember being so scared of the blair witch project, ahh man. I remember going to the WWF store in time square thinking i was going to see the rock or stone cold. I remember in 1999 being in front of the tv playing playstation and n64 all day. Tomb raider spyro crash bandicoot tony hawk mario 64 twisted metal then when i would go outside id bring my Gameboy color and pokemon cards.
I mean they start the show off with a Freaking World trade center reference😨@1:31 , Rest in peace to the victims but thats proof
life can change in the blink of an eye, who would of thought a harmless joke like that would mean so much more decades later. the fact its
so casual to talk about the towers as if it will always be there. wow. and what takes the cake is in the end @18:42 they have Sneaker Pimps 6 underground
Playing😱 If that doesnt song itself doesnt encapsulate life in the LATE 90S and our childhoods then i dont know what else will.
I like how real it is not everyday a great day for each character 👍🏾
matt is my favorite character i love how laid back he is
i like the voice acting in this
This might be my favorite episode what a trip lol
the twin tower scene is surreal
I’ll admit I was a little disappointed when it turns out Alex and Jen were faking it but it was still pretty hilarious 😆 😅😅😂
I’m obsessed with Matt😍😍😍
I so wished that Daria would appear in this cartoon, at least as a cameo or something. But she'd probably hate the big city.
didn't daria end up studying in nyc? Jane too actually
I love people like Jenn. Relationships are so good with someone like Jenn. When you gain their trust they love so much and care a lot for you.
It’s funny how pretty privilege makes everyone automatically see leia as a cool character that tries to help jen get out of her “shell”
Jen is seen as a massive hater. One she is authentically herself the good the bad and the ugly.
Leia is an inconsiderate roommate , she brings home strange and random men like every night this is very alarming and dangerous. She walks around naked like she is the only one living there, she is rude af and shames Jen for not being a hot like her.
God people suck…. I hate hypocrisy.
Jen has actual interests and hobbies other than trying to be a sugar baby. Leia is only costing in life with her looks. I just don’t understand why people see her as benevolent. She is a horror show.
@@toshiamiyumi2604 meh... Leia's getting her kicks according to what she was given. Maybe she gets lonely but she's not the type to complain, and that makes her a good companion, which is presumably what makes her feel of value. That's cool. Jen also gets her kicks but she's eating pizza and watching obscure movies. She doesn't need to be likeable because she's got a friend who accepts her as she is, hateration and all. That's cool too. Now, maybe I'd rather be Leia because her kicks are more socially celebrated, or maybe it's because I'm pretty similar to Jen. I mean, who wouldn't rather be a person who embraces their shit instead of talking about how much it stinks all the time?
Well, I haven't seen the rest of the season but I'd like to see Jen come to some kind of place of acceptance within herself. Maybe I'm a lame optimist but girl deserves more 🤷♂️
Personally- I think they're both pretty bad, Jenn is kinda a professional hater and Leia is inconsiderate.
your forgetting the part where jen hates on random women for no reason, like she calls a women,
a hooker bc she’s pretty and hot and hating on serena for no reason u have a point but executed it poorly
@@hailysass4137EXACTLY all jen does is hate on other women because of her insecurities
while the series is interesting, seeing how jen and alex were " for each other" and denying it for some weird superficial reasoning. Alex likes girls he cant have , and Jen isnt so real as she is Edgy. She is constantly sarcastic and off the cuff just to be the center of attention and to downplay anyone getting any. Alex is obsessed with things he cannot have or things he thinks he wants. They are for each other but deny the truth. Pains me to see this is that only in the movies or on tv trope.
The thing with Alex's infatuated crush on Serena is that there were times where they could've dated. If he just got over his shyness and actually treated Serena like a person, she probably would've said yes to a date with him. Like in the episode "Insomnia" when Alex is talking (... Kinda) to her about her poster and almost had a conversation until he chickened out. Or if he actually showed up to the hang out at the Malaysian restaurant. Just saying, there were times where he could've at least interacted with her and maybe learn that they had nothing in common.
Yes
You’ve explained each of them so well…but yet, I don’t think that they’re made for each other.
Nah i dont think they are for each other, Alex CAN get serene ita just his shyness gets in the way, i mean even converations with serene sound like more enjoyable for alex
God I love the comedy in this show 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
me and my "little boyfriend" LOVE this series MTV's 'Downtown'
what do you mean by “little boyfriend”
@@Silagix don’t worry about it lil bozo
That’s a lil weird
Amazing how Prynoski created/directed all these cool shows
Bro they really started playing that sneakerpimps instrumental uhhhhhhhh this show is so good
Half the comment section every episode: "Internalized misogyny" just because Jen disses her roommate who is literally a shitty person who keeps her up and uses dudes for money-- not liberation. She's literally the same dynamic as Matt is to Fruity but without the childhood friendship. Everyone loves Matt though, because he's a soft artist. No one talks shit when he calls out Fruity though, only when Jen does it to Leah
Thank you and god bless 🙏
Tru but u gotta admit Jen can be a bitch. She has her funny sarcastic side then sometimes she says mean things due to insecurity. Matt calls out Fruity because he does or say dumb shit sometimes, he’s just looking out for him and holding him accountable. With Jen she makes it seems like being skinny, goth, partying etc is bad because people don’t see her that sexually desirable.
You're 100% right
people hate on Jen because speaks on things exactly like they are, even if it is out of jealousy lol
Factual
I wish I had a friend the way Alex does, an actual female that you can just hang out with like one of the bros, no romantic feelings attached... Damn quarantine got an introvert like me feeling lonely
Fr
@Keyrin Diaz i second this, we are great no feelings attached and we can both talk about girls together
It is nice that Three's Company was referenced, and that everything worked out in the end 🌃
5:15 A perfect day elise - pj harvey
A too good to be true show
Chaka is icon
love the will they, won't they and alex and jen paired w chaka and fruity subterfuge. chaka'll play pretend to look out for a friend, but she'd never screw fruity lol
this is definitely my favorite episode
I watched aeon flux, daria and downtown, any other old cool shows like these I dont know about?
Mission Hill
10:40 the condom said March 1994 💀
they need to bring this show back
I barely remember the end of 90's, mostly because i was 5 years old back then. I'm polish, democracy and western culture strucked us hard in the middle of 1994, and i remember that we still were under its influence 5 years later, tough too colourful- fashion made people look like mafia goons in rainbow-coloured tracksuits, or quirky jean jakcets. But this show...my god, this show really presents the way the end of century was- grey, dark, and gloomy. I remember, that i used to watch it on polish MTV together with Daria, Beavis&butthead and old episodes of AeonFlux, which made my little brain boil from strange atmosphere, style and plot. Now, i'm 21, i dropped out of college year ago(which i regret terribly), i'm trying to make ends meet with various jobs, i have a crush on a girl, and i try to make a subtle movement to go out with her, i'm considering getting back to college and i'm really scared about my future in this country. I can 100% relate to character of Alex. Prynoski did a really fuckin' good job with that show, and i hope he'll try to revive it.
Also, recently i've found out that the voice actor of Goat dubbed the same character in another Prynoski animated show- MEGAS XLR.
Goat basically plays the same role which is awesome. Goat even makes a cameo in metalopocalypse.
@@dasdasdus wow really
Hope things are going better for you now.
How’d college go haha I hope your doing all good
Hang in there bro!
That intro to six underground is swesome…
this show is incredible
i think Jen's internalized misogyny is actually rooted in her lesbianism she's just not ready to come out yet. she's not jealous of the hot girls she wants to BE WITH the hot girls.
A G R E E D
YES OMG!!
Lmao what?
@@mario167100 yeah same?
@@mario167100 u just dont understand
Remembered this aired in 1999 1min 30s into this episode
It was so worth it. They should’ve done it. 💔
18:41 Such a lovely song omg
17:03 Alex you should have gone for it instead of talking yourself out of it!
3:37 transition is 🔥
imagine if chaka,mecha,fruity and matt had their own spinoff series istg it would have been so good 😔
World Trade Center ref
eerie shit
Makes you wonder how Jen's roommate would react to you know what in a few years.
🅱️ased af
This show is funny