Bria Mack Gets a Life

Last updated
Bria Mack Gets a Life
Genre Sitcom
Created by Sasha Leigh Henry
Written bySasha Leigh Henry
Kelly Fyffe-Marshall
Keavy Lynch
Jessica Meya
Directed bySasha Leigh Henry
Kelly Fyffe-Marshall
StarringMalaika Hennie-Hamadi
Hannan Younis
Leslie Adlam
Country of originCanada
No. of seasons1
Production
Production locations Toronto, Ontario
Running time21–22 minutes
Production companyNew Metric Media
Original release
Network Crave
ReleaseOctober 13, 2023 (2023-10-13)

Bria Mack Gets a Life is a Canadian television comedy series that premiered on Crave on October 13, 2023. [1] The series stars Malaika Hennie-Hamadi as Bria "Mack" McFarlane, a young Black Canadian woman who has recently graduated from university, and is navigating the challenges of establishing her adult life with the help of Black Attack (Hannan Younis), her invisible hype girl. [2]

Contents

Premise

After completing university, Bria Mack plans to move back into her mother Marie's home in Brampton while she figures out her next steps in life, but must quickly adjust when Marie (Leslie Adlam) announces plans to sell the home and move to Florida with her partner Rodrigo (Manuel Rodriguez-Saenz). Forced into an entry-level job with a company that is trying to present a new image of diversity by hiring people of colour after coming under fire for racially-insensitive advertising campaigns, she must navigate the challenges of her new reality. [3]

Production

The cast also includes Amalia Williamson, Marlee Sansom, Preeti Torul, Robert Bazzocchi, Femi Lawson, Nia Cummins, Robert Clarke, Shannon Jardine, Dave Merheje, Jamaal Ellis, Ivan Lopez, James Hartnett, Juan Carlos Velis and Catherine De Seve.

The series was created by Sasha Leigh Henry, and directed by Henry and Kelly Fyffe-Marshall. [4] It entered production in Toronto in fall 2022. [4] Henry has described the inspiration behind the series as a sort of cross between Luther, Obama's Anger Translator from Key & Peele and Connie the Hormone Monstress from Big Mouth , with Black Attack representing Bria's inner voice expressing all the things she wishes she were confident enough to say out loud. [5]

Distribution

In advance of its television premiere, it received a preview screening in the Primetime program at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. [6]

Crave did not renew the series for a second season, although it did order up another series, the crime drama Bad Trips, from Leigh-Henry. [7]

Critical response

Courtney Small of That Shelf praised the series, writing that "While the endless social media references will delight the millennial audiences, Bria Mack Gets A Life will also speak to all those who have been at a crossroads at some point in their life. People of colour, especially Black women, will nod knowingly observing the numerous micro-aggressions Bria experiences working in a predominantly white office space. Using the office environment as an example of the harm that often lurks underneath Canadian politeness, Henry manages to weave plenty of social commentary into each of the shows many laughs." He concluded that "though there will no doubt be comparisons to the works of Issa Rae, make no mistake that Henry’s distinct voice in undeniably heard in every facet of this show. A sharp and bold comedy for the ages, Bria Mack Gets A Life firmly asserts itself as Canada’s next great series that should not be missed." [3]

Exclaim! listed Bria Mack Gets a Life at number ten on its list of ten best television shows of 2023. [8]

Awards

The series won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Series at the 12th Canadian Screen Awards in 2024. [9]

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References

  1. ↑ Greg David, "Fantastical new Crave original comedy series, Bria Mack Gets a Life premieres October 13". TV, eh?, September 18, 2023.
  2. ↑ Etan Vlessing, "Malaika Hennie-Hamadi, Hannan Younis to Star in ‘Bria Mack Gets A Life’". The Hollywood Reporter , October 11, 2022.
  3. 1 2 Courtney Small, "TIFF 2023: Bria Mack Gets A Life Review". That Shelf, September 17, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Kelly Townsend, "Sasha Leigh Henry, Kelly Fyffe-Marshall to direct Bria Mack Gets a Life". Playback , October 12, 2022.
  5. ↑ Sabina Wex, "Bria Mack Gets a Life turns the awkwardness of young adulthood into comedy gold". CBC Arts, September 15, 2023.
  6. ↑ Jeremy Kay, "Lulu Wang’s series ‘Expats’ starring Nicole Kidman among TIFF Primetime world premieres". Screen Daily , August 14, 2023.
  7. ↑ Alex Nino Gheciu, "Bell's fall/winter lineup adds Arnett comedy, drops Screen Award-winning 'Bria Mack'". Pique Newsmagazine , June 6, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Exclaim!'s 10 Best TV Series of 2023". Exclaim!. 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  9. ↑ Etan Vlessing, "‘BlackBerry,’ ‘Little Bird’ Dominate Canadian Screen Awards". The Hollywood Reporter , May 31, 2024.
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