‘A gritty look at life on the Spectrum with the real struggles of friendship and dating thrown in the mix…’
In this, the year of our lord 2023, we are all floating down the endless stream of great TV. In what is a crowded field, here comes Buds. A show about two stoner best friends with a shared passion for rock music and fart jokes. Devon (Kai Johnson) is a 23-year-old pretty boy rock vocalist while Corey (Nick Shugg) is a 22-year-old genius guitar player recluse who wears his diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder on his sleeve.
As previously alluded to, Buds sets its stall out early. Weed. Fart jokes. Rock music. An early diatribe about Justin Bieber could easily have come from the mouth of one of Kevin Smith’s early characters (namely Randall Graves from Clerks or Brodie Bruce from Mallrats). Here, it is delivered by Corey. With gusto. The idea of someone being so utterly defined by their taste in music seems a little quaint now, narrow-minded even, but Shugg sells this monomaniacal obsession with enthusiasm imbuing the character with an underdog quality that is difficult to resist.
In the pilot episode, Devon and Corey attend a party. A party that has a DJ (much to the chagrin of Corey). Upon arrival, Corey quasi-reluctantly hangs with Judy (Angel Paulos), a nurse and friend of the two protagonists. This sets up a will-they-won’t-they dynamic that would no doubt be explored further in future episodes. Meanwhile, Devon tries to hook up with two ‘lesbians’ with instant success finding time to trash the Arctic Monkeys and reference Joe Satriani in the process. This nod to Sheffield’s finest plus the inclusion of dating apps is the only thing that really suggests a modern setting here. There is a nagging feeling that Devon and Corey would feel more authentic in a period piece set in the ‘90s. They feel like characters out of time. While this can be ripe territory for comedy, these two feel like they are plucked from a different era entirely. It’s hard to believe a pair of 20-somethings in a band in 2023 would still be so in thrall to the Seattle sound of the early ‘90s (as evidenced by the Pearl Jam aping track that the duo perform at the party). The episode closes out with some classic scatological humour which nods again to Smith or Judd Apatow.
The big question here is, does this type of humour have a place in 2023? I think it does. Because this is still how many young men communicate with each other. Writer Simon Eyvbowho captures the parlance of stunted adolescence in a way that feels lived in. Indeed, juvenile doesn’t always equal bad, nor does it equate to a lack of intelligence. While Buds feels rough around the edges in places, there is enough authentic camaraderie between Devon and Corey to justify a full run. Witness the mid-point highlight of the episode in which Corey is threatened by a hostile party guest and Devon immediately jumps to his defence. There is a sweetness and a warmth in their relationship that deserves more exploration, as does Corey’s struggle with autism.
Obviously, it’s very difficult to judge the potential of a TV show based on a pilot, but there is no denying Buds does have potential. Devon and Corey are compelling enough and authentic enough to justify a continuation of their story. This feels like a show that has something real to say.