26 Thoughts I Had Watching ‘The Come Up’, Freeform’s New Dimes Square Reality Show

Ah, Dimes Square. How to capture it? Basically, picture a confluence of skaters, models and inexplicably trad-Cath wannabe It Girls, all communing in downtown New York amid a mix of businesses owned by longtime Chinatown residents and tinned-fish-and-martini joints where you’d be lucky to snag an olive at for less than $40. Sound like heaven? If so, the new Freeform show The Come Up, which streams on Hulu and follows six Gen Z adults as they try to make it below 14th Street, might be perfect for you. Let’s dive in and see what this series is all about, shall we?

1. Episode 1 is called “Bring It, Whatever ‘It’ Is.” Sure.
2. “If you move downtown, that does not make you a downtown kid. That just means you live downtown.” So true, king.
3. These kids are roughly forty years younger than me spiritually, and I want to die.
4. Seriously, last time I went to Dimes Square I got a heat rash from my thighs chafing because I forgot to wear bike shorts #brag #influencer #coolkid
5. We meet Claude, Sophia, Ben, Ebon, Taofeek, and Fernando, all of whom are hot, none more so than Fernando, who comes from a modeling dynasty.
6. Aw, Fernando is talking about growing up gay and clockable! Am I going to end up relating to these kids?
7. Ooh, Fernando’s ex is a big model! Whomst? I need to know.
8. New Yorker shoutout moment, because Sophia proudly displays a copy with a photograph she took in it, which is genuinely cool. Am I seriously going to have to envy 21-year-olds for their professional prowess?
9. Okay, I love this lil’ photo prodigy who has shot for a million different publications and still seems excited and non-jaded about her career!
10. Not to be a doink, but is COVID a thing in this vision of New York?
11. Okay, Taofeek is already a creative director, and I’m frantically Googling “how to become as successful as a Dimes Square kid before age 30.”
12. When I was promised a Dimes Square show, I figured the stars would just vape and drink watermelon slush! Why am I being presented with hard-working, motivated youths?
13. Okay, here we go; aspiring actress Claude’s life involves a lot of Maryam Nassir Zadeh shoes and posing in sunglasses on a fire escape. This is what I wanted!
14. Aw, I like Claude. She admitted she wants a boyfriend! That’s very hard to do in your twenties. Respect.
15. No offense to these nice kids, but if I wanted to watch people act, I would…watch a scripted show?
16. Ooh, flirtation between Claude and Ben at acting class!
17. Finally, a shot of someone running in the big city! I swear, when I lived in New York, most of my time was spent running; not in a Frances Ha cool-girl way, more in a “I’m going to miss the C train and have a breakdown in front of strangers” way.
18. OMG, yes, Claude is going to do a My Fair Lady on Ben to get him street-style ready, because his current style is extremely hometown-glory.
19. Aw, Ben does Italian-guy voice while eating a New York City hot dog. I love him.
20. “You either have to develop a coke problem, or start drinking yerba mate.” LOL.
21. I am definitely going to go down a Reddit rabbit hole to figure out who Fernando’s famous-model ex is.
22. Aw, we see background shots of some of the cast, and baby Taofeek was so cute.
23. Honestly, he’s still very cute. Cute cast all around!
24. Hey, Taofeek’s girlfriend’s name is Emma! That’s my name!
25. Ugh, I knew I liked Taofeek, and lo: he’s literally the only person wearing a mask I see throughout this entire episode, LOL.
26. And just like that, we leave things right before Taofeek’s Fashion Week debut. Do I want to watch Episode 2? Not really, TBH. I’ll just go down to the real Dimes Square next time I’m in New York and feel intimidated and old IRL.