Dave (TV series)
| Company type | Television sitcom |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | March 4, 2020 |
| Founder | Dave Burd, Jeff Schaffer |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Television series |
| Website | www |
Dave (presented as DAVE) is a U.S. television sitcom that debuted on FXX on March 4, 2020. The show was co-created by rapper and comedian Dave Burd (known professionally as "Lil Dicky"), who also plays the lead role, alongside Jeff Schaffer. Executive production is handled by Kevin Hart and Greg Mottola. Lil Dicky’s actual hype man, GaTa, appears as himself in the series. The show received a renewal for a second season on May 11, 2020, which began airing on June 16, 2021. Subsequently, on February 17, 2022, FXX confirmed a third season that premiered on April 5, 2023. As of February 1, 2024, FX has announced no forthcoming plans to continue the series while Burd focuses on other ventures.
Premise
The storyline centers on a fictionalized portrayal of Lil Dicky, a neurotic Jewish man in his late twenties from the suburbs who firmly believes he is destined to become one of the greatest rappers ever.
Main
- Dave Burd portrays David "Dave" Burd / "Lil Dicky," an aspiring rapper originating from suburban Philadelphia
- Taylor Misiak takes on the role of Ally Wernick, a teacher and Dave’s girlfriend or ex-girlfriend
- GaTa plays Davionte "GaTa" Ganter, Dave’s hype man during performances and fellow rapper who manages bipolar disorder
- Andrew Santino appears as Mike, initially Dave’s roommate and eventually his manager
- Travis "Taco" Bennett acts as Elliot "Elz," Dave’s childhood friend who works as a sound engineer, producer, and DJ
- Christine Ko is Emma Wu, Ally’s roommate, Dave’s graphic designer, and former colleague
Recurring
- Gina Hecht portrays Carol Burd, the mother of Dave
- David Paymer plays Don Burd, Dave’s father
- Carlease Burke features as Catherine Ganter, GaTa’s aunt and adoptive mother
- Benny Blanco appears as himself, serving as Dave’s friend and music producer
- T.K. Carter acts as Cliff (season 3), who drives for Dave during his "Looking for Love" tour
- Chloe Bennet plays Robyn (season 3), a photographer and Dave's romantic interest in Wisconsin
- Inga Cadranel portrays Ava (season 3), Dave's publicist who later becomes Mike’s girlfriend
- Rachel McAdams appears as herself (season 3), a well-known actress who befriends Dave
Guest appearances
Dave includes a wide array of celebrity guest spots.
Season 1
- YG
- Macklemore
- Trippie Redd
- Young Thug
- Gunna
- MadeinTYO
- O.T. Genasis
- Charlamagne tha God
- Tierra Whack
- Angela Yee
- Ninja
- Justin Bieber
- Kourtney Kardashian
- Marshmello
Season 2
- CL
- Hailey Bieber
- Kendall Jenner
- Kyle Kuzma
- Zack Bia
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Doja Cat
- Rae Sremmurd
- J Balvin
- Zach King
- Lil Yachty
- Desiigner
- Dave East
- Denzel Curry
- DJ Drama
- Kevin Hart
- Lil Nas X
Season 3
- Usher
- Rick Ross
- Demi Lovato
- Don Cheadle
- Machine Gun Kelly
- Megan Fox
- Killer Mike
- Travis Barker
- Jack Harlow
- Lil Gotit
- Emma Chamberlain
- David Dobrik
- Finneas O'Connell
- Brad Pitt as Luke Bradley "Brad" Pitt
- Drake
Music
In June 2023, Burd revealed plans for a soundtrack album encompassing music from all three seasons of Dave, scheduled for release by the end of summer. Partnering with Benny Blanco, the project was set to feature approximately 20 fully produced tracks derived from brief musical segments featured throughout the show. Later, in December 2023, the album titled Penith (The Dave Soundtrack) was officially announced with a release date of January 19, 2024. Its lead single, "Mr. McAdams," debuted on December 15, 2023.
Track listing
{{Track listing | headline = Penith (The Dave Soundtrack) | extra_column = Producer(s) | total_length = 66:00
| title1 = Brand New | writer1 = | extra1 = | length1 = 1:18
| title2 = Honestly | writer2 = | extra2 = | length2 = 3:46
| title3 = Mr. McAdams | writer3 = | extra3 = | length3 = 2:36
| title4 = Hahaha | writer4 = | extra4 = | length4 = 4:03
| title5 = Ally's Song | writer5 = | extra5 = | length5 = 3:09
| title6 = Harrison Ave | writer6 = | extra6 = | length6 = 6:01
| title7 = Burst | writer7 = | extra7 = | length7 = 2:23
| title8 = Second Coming | writer8 = | extra8 = | length8 = 3:42
| title9 = I Love Myself | writer9 = | extra9 = | length9 = 2:07
... [remaining tracks omitted for brevity]
Note
- Additional producers are marked with annotations.
Sample credits
- "Harrison Ave" incorporates a sample from "Wrapped up Tight" by Charles Jones and Delilah Moore.
- "We Good" contains elements sampled from Darondo's "Didn't I" and The Manhattans' "The Picture Became Quite Clear."
Personnel
- Lil Dicky – vocals, engineering
- Nick Audino – instrumentation, programming, keyboards, engineering
- Ryan Baharloo – background vocals
- Ashlyn Banner – production coordination
- Benny Blanco – executive producer, instrumentation, programming, keyboards, engineering
- Dylan Brady – instrumentation, programming, keyboards, engineering
- Cashmere Cat – instrumentation, programming, keyboards, engineering
- Chatz – instrumentation, programming, keyboards
- Chill Pill – instrumentation, programming, keyboards
- Jahnei Clarke – instrumentation, programming, keyboards
- Casey Cuayo – mixing engineer
- D.A. Doman – instrumentation, programming, keyboards, engineering
- Lia Elizabeth Farrelly-Hodge – instrumentation, programming, keyboards
- GaTa – vocals
- Alex Goldblatt – instrumentation, programming, keyboards
- Michael John Gove – mix engineer
- Jasper Harris – instrumentation, programming, keyboards
- Eli Heisler – mixing engineer
- Lewis Hughes – instrumentation, programming, keyboards, engineering
- Jeff Huskins – Dolby Atmos mixing and mastering
- Jack Karaszewski – instrumentation, programming, keyboards; guitars; engineering
- Rob Kinelski – mixing; mix engineer; engineering
- Dave Kutch – mastering engineer
- Henry Kwapis – instrumentation, programming, keyboards; guitars; engineering
- Stan Lane – instrumentation, programming, keyboards
- Carter Lang – instrumentation, programming, keyboards
- Tom Levesque – instrumentation, programming, keyboards
- Lex – instrumentation, programming, keyboards
- Migui Maloles – mixing engineer
- Tommy Parker – instrumentation, programming, keyboards
- Marko Penn – background vocals
- Kevin Peterson – assistant mastering engineer
- Sarcastic Sounds – instrumentation, programming, keyboards, engineering
- Samuel Jimenez – instrumentation, programming, keyboards, engineering
- Eugene Tsai – instrumentation, programming, keyboards
- YG – spoken intro
Critical response
The first season holds a Metacritic rating of 64 out of 100, derived from 10 critiques. On Rotten Tomatoes, it boasts a 77% approval with an average score of 6.7/10 across 22 reviews. The general consensus acknowledges that although DAVE features the explicit humor and self-promotion characteristic of Lil Dicky's style, it surprisingly presents a self-reflective narrative with an endearing essence.
Initial reviews were mixed, but as the season progressed, outlets such as The Guardian, IndieWire, Financial Times, and Rolling Stone offered more favorable assessments. They commended the broadened comedic elements and enhanced character depth. Averaging 5.32 million viewers per episode, the first season became FX's highest-rated comedy series to date. While the majority of cast members and their portrayals were well received, the protagonist "Lil Dicky" was critiqued for his unkindness toward friends and lack of relatability. The emphasis on celebrity status over genuine artistic exploration was also a point of contention. Daniel D'Addario from Variety unfavorably contrasted the show with FX's Atlanta, describing it as more straightforward and less inventive in its storytelling.
The second season saw an uptick in critical acclaim, achieving an 84/100 score on Metacritic from 11 reviews and a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 13 critiques. Reviewers noted its evolution into a more somber comedy that delves into the isolating consequences of fame. GaTa’s self-portrayal stood out as a highlight throughout both seasons.
Maintaining its critical success, the third season earned an 84/100 Metacritic rating from six reviews and achieved a flawless 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from ten reviewers.
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Satellite Awards | Best Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical | Dave Burd | Template:Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | New Series | Dave Burd, Vanessa McGee, Saladin Patterson, Luvh Rakhe, Alex Russell, Jeff Schaffer, Max Searle, Yamara Taylor | Template:Nom | |
| 2022 | Writers Guild of America Awards | Episodic Comedy | Luvh Rakhe & Lee Sung Jin for "Enlightened Dave" | Template:Nom |
| 2023 | Black Reel Awards for Television | Outstanding Guest Performance in a Comedy Series | Don Cheadle | Template:Nominated |
External links
- Dave – official website
- BBC Programmes
- IMDb title