Eastsiders (2012–2019) User Reviews

It's honestly a little hard to care about characters who constantly behave awfully.

[Imme-van-Gorp · 7/10 · 27 September 2022]

Season One: 7/10

Themes: Drama, LGBTQ+, Gay Couple, Cheating, Hurt & Relationships.

Review: These characters were honestly all extremely unlikable. They constantly did things that would frustrate me and generally just annoyed me. Sometimes it was also a little hard to understand their thought-process since the editing and writing of this series is done in a way that leaves out a lot of details. Not only are the episodes short, but the dialogue is also not very revealing. I genuinely felt like I was missing certain information and feelings. Nonetheless, though, I did find the lives of these characters interesting and I was pretty emerged into the story. I honestly think this all had the potential to be a lot better if the writing had encompassed more detail.

Top three characters: 1) Thom, 2) Kathy and 3) Ian.

Uneven but Watchable

[ekeby · 6/10 · 4 July 2016]

I think the younger you are (if you're gay) the more this will resonate with you. The writing is uneven, but the starting premise is interesting. It's infidelity but not just simple infidelity. And the production values and photography are both fine.

Overall, the gay characters are better done than the straight characters. The gay characters are more underwritten, e.g., the actors communicated with their faces/bodies a lot, which is a good thing; it wasn't so dialog driven. The straight characters on the other hand seemed overwritten and, frankly, unconvincing.

As the episodes progress, some of the coincidences are a bit much. And the way people relate to each other doesn't always seem real. A lot of the time it does, but a lot of the time it doesn't.

For those of you with a lot more life experience this will be harder to take. For example, the art gallery/art world shown is like somebody's idea of what that world is like, rather than what it's really like. That's true for a lot of things, including some relationships. However, most of the gay hook ups/relationships were plausible to me because, well, been there done that.

Still, I found this very watchable, even though I knew the quality was just above average. But like I say, the younger you are, the more likely you will be to enjoy it.

Uneven but the highs are high

[KittieC · 8/10 · 6 December 2019]

When Eastsiders hits the sweet spot it's great. Touching, authentic, funny, and sad - all the feels! But in between the splendid highs is a lot of relationship and existential navel gazing. I get it that 20-somethings into the 30-somethings are inclined to wonder out loud a lot about where they've been, where they're going, who they're going with yadayada but this ensemble are way to easily distracted by their own self-importance. Personally, I think the writing and character development improves over the seasons, although I loved the short-format of its early days. It never gets any less unbelievable that everyone in Silverlake knows each other, are hot as anything and have great sex all over the place, but these aren't exactly drawbacks. Traci Lords and Willam Belli playing it for the cheap seats are fabulous. I really like Eastsiders a lot. It's good tv and way overdue in the 21st century.

Eastsiders Obsession

[johnzukoski · 10/10 · 12 July 2016]

I was hooked on Eastsiders from the start! The emotional roller coaster that is Cal and Thom soars from the beginning of Season 1 to the end of Season 2. The Eastsiders characters are authentic, entertaining, and most importantly likable - yet flawed. I find myself pulling for Cal and Thom while also rooting for their shared exploration to find purpose in their relationship and in their lives in general.

The richness of the supporting characters - Cal's Mom and sister, Quince, Ian, the Silver Lake setting - completes the tapestry of the Eastsiders universe. The club scenes feel genuine - hilarious and at the same time meaningful. I loved the cameos from Johnny McGovern, Jai Rodriguez, and the local drag performers. I couldn't stop laughing during the scenes in the free clinic.

The production quality, writing, and cinematography of Eastsiders is impressive not only within the LGBT genre but across the entire drama and comedy spectrum.

Gritty, nuanced and engaging

[michaelmouse1 · 10/10 · 16 January 2017]

Finally a series that speaks to a Gay (and general) audience that pretty much ticks all the boxes. It has nuance, humour, heart and soul wrapped in an intelligent script and delivered with expert acting and high production values, to deliver an engaging and touching story that will make most viewers want to watch it all in one sitting. This is everything that its predecessors isn't. It's the series that hits the sparsity of good Gay television choices right out of the ballpark. Eastsiders sets the bar at the level a LGBT audience deserves. Highly recommended! Thank goodness for subscription television! Eastsiders is a stunning example of what channels like Netflix can deliver. I loved this!

a funny, dark, quirky gem filled with flawed and endearing characters

[trishbyrne-70878 · 10/10 · 4 January 2020]

EVERYONE should check out this show!!! It's about relationships....and love.....and life....and acceptance. It's funny... and sad ... and beautiful... and poignant.... and smart. When you love someone can you truly love them for the flawed imperfect person they are? Can you forgive? And what can that look like? Certainly it will be flawed and imperfect.... and beautiful. If you are looking for a well written show with great dialogue, fantastic acting and a killer soundtrack head over to Netflix and binge this show (and you WILL binge it)! EastSiders was funded with Kickstarter. Their two episode project on YouTube in 2012 created enough interest and donations to develop a web series. Now with four seasons streaming on Netflix and translated into more than two dozen languages - this is the little series that could. I have fallen in love with these characters as I laughed and cried with them and watched them develop over the years. Did I mention the soundtrack?!?! Song choices and placement are just fantastic. I had made myself a YouTube playlist of my favorite songs from the show (the closing credit songs from the first two episodes still being my all time favorites). Recently I found out the soundtrack is on Spotify and I am over the moon.

This show is a funny, dark, quirky gem filled with flawed and endearing characters. It has angst and laughs and love. I have enjoyed watching it grow and I will miss it. A two episode update every few years, in honor of their two episode beginning, would complete me.... just a check-in to see how they are all doing. Having just watched the final season, I think it's time to rewind to the beginning to see where it all started. Feel free to join me.

Ouch!

[josephblowhardthefirst · 2/10 · 31 December 2019]

The production quality is standard and I like the short episode format. That's about the best thing I can say about this mostly unrealistic "day in the life of" 21st century gay America. The juvenile dialogue is often disjointed and shows no relation to the age of the actors/characters. Having come of age in gay Toronto and Miami Beach in the 80's and 90's, I find this portrayal of gay men in their 20's and 30's heartbreaking and irresponsible. There seems to be a disconnect between the inferred college level education the characters portray and the poorly developed ideas that come out of their mouths. The characters are way overly contrived. For a more reasonable and realistic portrayal of gay life in California try the 2019 version of Tales of the City. The characters here struggle with all of the same things as do the characters in Eastsiders, but the characters in Tales of the City are much more believable and relatable, even if the story line is somewhat implausible.

Dramatic, Heart grabbing, Romatic but also a feel-good series.

[ollyjsr · 10/10 · 26 January 2020]

Very good series to watch on a chill "guys" night in. Lots of different characters with unique insight into their own relationships, which also at times helps weave their lives together in a 'small world' kind of way. Glad to see its had a strong run of 4 seasons on netflix

The story in general is about group of young adults finding out who they want to be and the relationships they want to experience.

Loved wen all characters - Fun gay supercute flamboyant

[pmasson-07449 · 10/10 · 22 April 2021]

Eastsiders is an Addictive series Love fun drama exploring feelings & partners.

No explicit full view sex scenes plenty affection Real life drama ups and downs like in life My Straight view- Cal & Thom cute cute cute. cute lovable couple. Great series especially for teenagers to learn from. Ending was more amazing than could hope for (( Fabulous)) Well done to all involved.

Life encouraging feeling

[nhs-27962 · 10/10 · 6 March 2018]

This TV series, is not just a gay love cheeting story like it may show in the beginning. It shows all aspects of everything of all gay or straight relatonships. What they go through. That if you truly love someone. You go through the worlds toughest battles of the relationship. Sometimes you even have to loose the person to realise what they really ment to you. Its hard to go that rough part but if the love is real it can come back around. Maybe a week a month a year or 2, but if its ment to be it can happen. All cuples go through alot when they love each other. But the more you go through and come back the stronger your love will be with your partner unless if you dont see worth fighting to save it, thsts up to you both in the end. So anyway the end result of what I am saying it made me feel watching this series. Thst if you love someone and all is worth it., It will show. Everything to feel whole doesnt happen over night.

Touching and beautfully written

[tilokaudaman · 10/10 · 23 April 2019]

I love this show. The character development is intense and beautfully executed. It is a combination if high relationship drama with comedic elements making the story line even more ponient and realistic. It is touching, funny and truthful.

Dull script

[coolibaz · 2/10 · 23 September 2019]

Found the script to portray a very one dimensional side to the characters portrayed. After a few episodes I turned off the self-centredness of each character which was beyond ad nauseam. It's as if nothing else mattered out in the big wide world other than themselves as one of the characters stated: "It's ok to be selfish if it makes you happy." At which point I went dead cold and so a big thumbs down for me with this series.

Great Story

[dw-61458 · 10/10 · 25 December 2019]

This series is amazing, you can tell the production value goes up as the show gained a following, but the ability to tell a story by the writers was always a 10/10. I also don't understand some of the reviews on here that say it's not a representation of gay life. It may not be yours or mine but it is to some people and regardless if it is or not it's still a great story that gave me all the feels.

A watchable season 1, but a boring season 2

[ca-98533 · 3/10 · 25 April 2017]

The first season was fast-paced and kinda had a story. Even though I didn't like the ending of season 1, I liked the season overall because it was quick to watch. Season 2 was really boring and nothing really happened in that season. The episodes were 25 minutes too so it was not fun to watch.

I also didn't like they focused too much on the alcohol. It's only about the alcohol in this series. They also shied away from the ugly of alcohol.

Season 1 was watchable and kinda fun, season 2 not so much. I would only recommend season 1.

ICONIC

[bawonobudiwaskito · 10/10 · 25 December 2019]

I love how this series explored the darker side of LGBT life in general, yet it is able to represent it in the best way possible. Also towards the end of Eastsiders, I like the exploration of Bi-visibility, which I think is awesome. Oh, this series introduced me to Daniel Zaitchik's music and I couldn't be more grateful.

Real

[njbusman · 10/10 · 27 December 2019]

Inspiring, real people, real life sensitively portrayed by the series 4 cast. There are so many relatable scenarios, the viewer has to watch again & again as these are brought to life in so many different ways.

Genius!

What a Hope this would have given me

[tr-83495 · 10/10 · 1 August 2019]

When I was a teenager, if I saw this, it would have improved my life tremendously. Very well done. Just knowing there are people like this would have been a positive revelation. The acting is well above average from the principals and the chemistry between leads is felt. The dialog is realistic, scripts are well written, and the movement onto other characters seems to carry out a theme of talking things through; better communication improves every relationship.

I would not have been influenced by all the booze and drugs, as I can't handle alcohol and have no desire to do pot. I think most people have their minds made up by this time in their life and no one could have or has dissuaded me from my predilections. This would almost always be a good show for a teenager to watch.

It is a classic - a masterpiece. Some will dislike it because of its content, but it is brutally honest. Well conceived and well executed. I wish I had the relationships the actors have.

Triffling, Whiny Banality

[Coralknight · 4/10 · 11 November 2017]

Set in what appears to be Silverlake in LA, Eastsiders describes itself as a "dark comedy"...but the writing had nothing worth laughing at. The ACTING on the other hand was in fact laughable in a face-palm kind of way-- an example being one of the leads, John Halbach, obliviously miscast as a straight character...because his boyfriend, the writer and other lead (surprise!) didn't have the courage to say, "oh, honey...no...you don't "do" straight very well". This is one of those projects where all the parts were written as vehicles for these aspiring writer-director-actors to showcase their particular abilities (or lack thereof) to potentially catch someone's eye for future projects (an example being a scene where one particularly bland actor, Matthew McKelligon gets to speak Schweizerdeutsch..to show he can). Luckily, however, this forum did appear to help a certain brilliant and amazing star, Constance Wu (who was the ONLY reason I watched this mess). Although the writing for her is pretty much as predictable and stale as the rest of the characters (all of whom seem to be written in the tone of an ultra-liberal male feminist), she is the only actor who actually carried the scenes and personalized the character to any depth (she is the only one who really stands out as having formal training). In fact, these 4 VERY generous stars are only because of Constance, who I'm hoping will not have this mess come back to haunt her, in what I hope is a very long and successful career.

I love this show!!

[weber-479-668756 · 10/10 · 25 December 2019]

I love everything about this show - the writing is superb and all the actors are fantastic. It made me feel every possible emotion...so glad for a gay themed show to not have a tragic ending.

Alcoholic Lifestyles

[paulcreeden · 2/10 · 26 July 2016]

Is this really 2016 in LA? Wow. I thought I tripped into a time warp when I watched this. I thought the increasing mainstreaming of gay men in society with job protection, marriage and military would yield the occasional neurosurgeon with a personality or IT innovator with nerdy sexuality. Apparently not.

I do see that ADHD and alcoholism are in vogue in gay media. How neat is that? What better way to stay a self-loathing, underachieving minority? And, let's market it to young LGBTQ people as role modeling. Cool.

I guess the producers of this narcissistic tripe do not have the attention span to watch some of the intelligent gay cinema coming out of Europe, especially France. Gosh. Have another drink, boys. After all, now you're on Netflix.

Queer representation like it should be done

[chinney-1 · 10/10 · 25 December 2019]

As a gay man, I seek out queer media so I've seen all levels of quality. I have to say, Eastsiders surpassed all my expectations. The story crafted by Kit Williamson is so well crafted and relatable to today's queer community. It explored modern relationships with all the grey they have and presented the stories in a funny, heartwarming, sometimes sad, always real way. So whether you are gay, straight, trans, or somewhere in between, you'll find this series relatable and enjoyable.

Eastsiders is beautiful, real, authentic and honestly devastating but I loved it!

[stephaniliffe · 10/10 · 25 December 2019]

This show is so heartbreakingly true to the devastation of reality but also the beauty that defines the irony of life.

Eastsiders has taught me that there is no one way to be queer in this world, that there is no perfect way to love in this life and that there is no exact path to perfect happiness that works for everyone.

All I know is that I will always be grateful to Kit Williamson and the rest of the cast for the beautiful stories, the emotional rollercoaster, the lessons of life, the lessons of love and for breaking my heart into a million beautiful pieces over and over again.

Likable characters

[mail-91364 · 8/10 · 25 December 2019]

I started watching the series online a few years ago. Very cool that Netflix picked it up.

The series is a look into the young gay scene in LA. The primary couple has a complicated relationship--open (as is somewhat common in the gay community). The plot stays pretty honest about that--it's not easy to maneuver through the strong emotions involved when bringing other sexual partners into a relationship.

There's a great subplot as well--a drag queen falls in love and plans her wedding. She's got a hard shell, but evolves into a lovable character you hope will live happily ever after.

As a gay man in LA, it was particularly fun looking for familiar settings.

I wish Kit Williamson and John Halbach continued success in their endeavors!

Not Gay:

[LHFugal-64-77849 · 2/10 · 30 March 2018]

Why does Kit Williamson, and other people trying to create "gay" content, even try? I'm gay, looking on Netflix for something new, saw this, wanted to give it a shot. I'm sad that I keep watching episodes, hoping that it somehow becomes "gay." Funny, even as a gay man, I'm more interested in the relationships with the straight people. Nothing about Cal and Thom says "gay" to me. I'm not looking for porn, guys, but the interaction between Cal and Thom and Jeremy is ridiculous. Please. Totally gay-offensive. Stop.

Love from Brazil

[castrogabriel-70077 · 10/10 · 25 December 2019]

The best show I've ever loved so fast, the characters are so wonderful, the message that the show gives you is beautiful. Thanks so much for creating this.