HBO premiered Stephen Merchant's new comedy series Hello Ladies last night, and for those who don't have HBO, the network has been kind enough to make the series premiere available online for your viewing pleasure. Watch the full episode and prepare yourself to see Stephen Merchant bumbling his way through single life ahead!
Click the image below to view the pilot. Viewer discretion advised (it contains some adult language) and availability may be restricted to certain regions.
Spoilers if you haven't watched the above episode!
"You can fuck off" may be my favorite line of the episode, not so much when he said it to Kives, but when he started to say it to the girl who requested the expensive tequila.
Hello Ladies comes from Stephen Merchant -- known for his comedic associations with Ricky Gervais, including co-creating The Office -- along with Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupinsky. The series premiere introduces us to Merchant's Stuart, a hard-working man who's in desperate -- at some points embarrassingly desperate -- search for romance. His recently divorced friend Wade - like Roe v. Wade! -- isn't doing him any favors as a wingman, but it seems like Stuart's worst enemy when it comes to being smooth with the ladies is himself. The pilot episode has Stu pursuing a beautiful woman named Courtney, who apparently thinks it's ok to let this sweet but awkward guy buy all of her friends a round of drinks at a trendy (expensive) nightclub but isn't willing to at least have a conversation with him in return. Anyone else find that annoying? Of course, it's all in the name of humor and to demonstrate the lengths Stuart will go to win her attention, if not her affection.
Is it too obvious to suggest a romantic future for Stuart and his friend/tenant Jessica (Christine Woods)? Or are they destined to have a Jerry/Elaine-like relationship that's (almost) completely platonic? As for Wade, he's clearly hung up on his ex-wife, which makes him of little use to Stuart in the wingman department. Now Kives -- played by the excellent Kevin Weisman -- would be the perfect wingman, but it seems evident that Stuart can't stand him. His irritation at the wheelchair bound ladies man may stem from jealousy, as Kives doesn't let his ailment hold him back. He's the kind of guy that can make a line like "Dating, mating or masturbating" come off as charming instead of sleazy. It helps that Kives doesn't follow that line up by falling onto a table afterward as Stuart did, but in the end, that's what it all comes down to. Confidence. Stuart has just enough of that to approach a woman, but not enough to follow through, which makes for some amusing moments in the pilot. Merchant's the sad-clown shuffling his way through the supermarket while the rest of Los Angeles is dating, mating or masturbating.
Check out a trailer for the first season below!
And here's the preview for Episode 2:
Hello Ladies airs Sundays at 10:30 p.m. ET on HBO.
