How to Make It in America

A HBO "comedy-drama" television show set in New York City, which follows the lives of several people with interconnected social lives trying to "Make it in America". The main two characters are talented but unsuccessful Ben Epstein (played by Bryan Greenberg) and smooth-talking Cam Calderon (Victor Rasuk), who in season one attempt to start a jeans (and later clothing) line called Crisp. Also around are their friends Domingo and Dave, Ben's ex-girlfriend Rachel and Cam's ex-con cousin Rene.

The show lasted two seasons of eight episodes each before being canceled on Dec. 20, 2011.

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Tropes used in How to Make It in America include:

• Always Second Best: Crisp, to New York Neanderthals. The Neanderthal line takes off quicker, gets more exposure, gets into Barney's while Crisp is only having modest success.
• Big Applesauce: Set in NYC. Ben is a proud native.
• Brother Chuck: Shannyn Sossamon's character seems to have become this... or has she?
• The Casanova: Cam, at least in the first season.
• Fan Service: Far more prevalent in the second season.
• Germans Love David Hasselhoff: In-universe, Crisp first makes it big in Japan.
• Heterosexual Life Partners: Cam and Ben.
• Hey, It's That Guy!: Hey, it's Jocelyn! And Finch! And Jacapo! And Nick!
• Insurance Fraud: Rene with the Rasta Monsta truck.
• Making Love in All the Wrong Places: Ben and Nancy hook up on a yacht during her husband Yosi's birthday. They also do it in her office which has no door, only a curtain.
• The Missus and the Ex: When Rachel returns from her trip, she meets Ben's new girlfriend Julia.
• Real Song Theme Tune: Aloe Blacc's "I Need A Dollar".
• Sex with the Ex: Rachel and Ben at the end of season 1.
• White Collar Crime: Dave engages in a spot of insider-trading.
• Your Cheating Heart: Nancy cheats on her husband Yosi with Ben.