There are plenty of HBO shows that got the world talking, and another title that's joined those ranks is Rachel Sennott's I Love LA. The new comedy just wrapped its first season on the network (and streaming with a HBO Max subscription), and while some folks figure out how to watch I Love LA, I really need to talk about that Season 1 finale.
I Love LA is a raunchy series focused on being in the entertainment industry in the titular city, and continues the trend of A+ HBO comedies like Girls and Entourage. The short episodes were super binge-able, so much so that I tore through the entire season in one weekend. Overall I loved it, but the finale left something to be desired for me personally.
I Love LA Is Great, But I Hate The Finale Cliffhangers
I Love LA got attention as soon as it premiered, thanks to its hilarious blow job scenes and actor Jordan Firstman's (squashed) beef with Heated Rivalry. The show is full of non-stop laughs, many of which come from the cringeworthy social climbing of its cast. And the show's drama, specifically about Maia's career and personal life, reached a boiling point in the eighth and final episode of Season 1.
In the finale, Maia, Tallulah, and Alani travel from LA to New York in order to make a splash at Antoine's party. Rachel Sennott's protagonist goes on the trip as her relationship with Josh Hutcherson's Dylan is on a break, and she once again fails to make him feel valued... especially by nearly cheating on him with her ex-boss, Ben, in her hotel room.
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While they fail to actually have sex, she's offered an insanely lucrative job that would be a game changer... especially since she was recently fired by her boss, Alyssa (Leighton Meester). It's actually Dylan that ends up cheating on her, finally getting the attention and affection he'd been craving. But the repercussions of this infidelity are never seen; Maia doesn't even learn about it before the Season 1 finale wraps.
Additionally, we don't find out whether or not Maia ends up taking Ben's job offer... despite his insistence that they would work (and eventually have sex) together well. The Season 1 finale ends with Maia and Tallulah on the subway en route to Antoine's party, we never see them at the event, or learn how they were received.
This triple cliffhanger is the reason why I was ultimately left bummed out by the I Love LA finale. While our answers will come whenever it returns for its sophomore season on HBO, I wish that we got a bit more closure about these plot lines that captured my attention and got me binge-watching the entire season in one sitting over the holidays. All that being said, I really loved the show overall, and will actively be watching Season 2 whenever it premieres.
I Love LA is currently streaming in its entirety over on HBO Max. It's unclear when Season 2 will arrive, but there are plenty of fans hoping production starts soon and it manages to come back with the 2026 TV schedule. Fingers crossed.