Every HBO Comedy Ranked From Worst To Best

While HBO’s raison d’etre, simplistically, is to make the kind of programming that couldn’t be seen on the more cautious networks, one of their best comedy efforts of the past few years is this gentle, heartwarming series about female friendship in the New York skateboarding community.

Based on Crystal Moselle's 2018 film Skate Kitchen, the 2020 series assembles much of the same cast, whose freewheeling, easy chemistry is key to the show’s success. It’s a coming of age story as well as a search for acceptance, as this ragtag group of girls from all different backgrounds attempts to penetrate the male dominated world of skateboarding.

Naturalism is key to Betty’s success - the whole show is shot on the streets of New York, and the decision to choose skateboarders to act rather than attempting to teach actors to skate pays dividends. The stakes can be low or high, but even when the episodes deal with something simple as crushes or fear of the future, it’s dealt with honestly and in a manner anyone can relate to.