I Love LA has been called the new Girls, but it's so much more than that.

I Love LA is likely a show you've either never heard of or you've been counting the days until its HBO Max premiere.

I'm firmly in column B. I've been impatiently waiting to hear anything (like, anything?) about the series about a tight-knit friend group living in Los Angeles by Shiva Baby and Bottoms breakout star Rachel Sennott.

After it was announced, the series was simply called 'Untitled Rachel Sennott Project' for months before it was eventually confirmed as I Love LA.

The name of the show took obvious inspiration from one of Sennott's most viral moments: a skit video where she repeatedly says "Come on… it's LA!" as she lists the toxic traits of the city's famous citizens.

The eight-episode series was created, written by, and stars Sennott in the lead role. The plot revolves around a codependent friend group of ambitious 20-somethings, who must navigate life, love and their careers while trying to survive in the cutthroat world of trying to 'make it' in Hollywood.

Watch the trailer. Post continues after video.

The comparisons to other HBO Max shows Girls and Insecure came hard and fast — both were written and created by their stars, Lena Dunham and Issa Rae, and centred around a friendship group of young women living in a big city.

And it does have plenty in common with both of these groundbreaking shows, but it packs a lot more laughs. This show is so damn funny, I had so many laugh-out-loud moments.

The script is plugged right into the zeitgeist, especially for Gen Z, in the vein of Insecure, but it's just as gritty and sexually explicit as Girls — but tonally, it's much lighter.

Sennott as corporate-climber Maia is perfection: she walks a fine line between ambition and greed, as she manages her codependent bestie and rising influencer, Tallulah, played by Grand Army's Odessa A'zion, who brings a sweet naivety to the role.

Their intense on-screen dynamic will take you straight back to the obsessive sort of friendships we had in our early 20s — at times, they burn bright together but just as quickly burn each other out.

The other two in this bestie group got significantly less screen time, which is something I hope the plot remedies if I Love LA comes back for a second season. Maia is a fun character, but she's… a lot.

Image: HBO.

I'd love more time spent on fleshing out the other members of this core four.

Especially because both of the actors are absolutely enthralling every second they're on screen. In the role of nepo baby and the group's purest soul, Alani, is True Whitaker. And yep, that is Oscar-winning Forest Whitaker's daughter… playing a nepo baby. Perfect, no notes. And she's incredible.

This is the first role I've seen Jordan Firstman in and I'm already a convert. In the role of celebrity stylist Charlie, he brings a lot of heart as he stumbles through dating and networking as a gay Jewish man living in LA.

The entire cast works in skilful synergy. Miles Robbins was replaced by Hunger Games internet boyfriend, Josh Hutcherson, at the eleventh hour. He plays Maia's stable teacher boyfriend, Dylan, and he's every bit the hearthrob you want him to be.

Image: HBO.

But it's the guest stars of this series that truly steal the show. Leighton Meester as the ultimate girlboss is an absolute dream and I won't spoil what's to come for Elijah Wood, but he single-handedly created one of the funniest episodes in the series.

The writing is so strong: it's hilarious, sharp, irreverent and feels like you're listening in on your friend group… well, maybe between some of your more problematic pals.

Ultimately, the first season of I Love LA has laid the foundations for a promising show and one of realest depictions of a Gen Z I've seen in a long time. It doesn't have the emotional punch of Insecure or the cutting social commentary of Girls, but it will make you laugh, cringe and probably block the toxic person in your life.

I Love LA debuts on Monday, November 3, only on HBO Max in Australia. New episodes of the eight-episode season will debut weekly.

Feature image: HBO.