Broad City season 4 changed everything. Honestly, if you go back and watch the pilot from 2014 and then jump straight into the 2017 premiere, it feels like a fever dream. The colors are different. The pacing is weirder. The stakes? Suddenly, they actually existed. Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer didn't just give us more of the same "two girls being icons in New York" trope; they leaned into the collective anxiety of a very specific moment in time.
It was bold. Some fans hated it. Others, like me, realized it was the only way the show could have survived.
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The Shift in Broad City Season 4 That Nobody Expected
The fourth season arrived after a massive delay. Fans were waiting for a year and a half. When it finally dropped on Comedy Central, the vibe had shifted from "aimless stoner fun" to something much sharper. You could feel the weight of the 2016 election hanging over every frame. In fact, they famously censored the name of a certain orange-hued politician with a bleep, treating it like a curse word. It was a stylistic choice that grounded the show in a reality that felt, for the first time, a little bit scary.
Abbi and Ilana weren't just running around Astoria anymore. They were dealing with unemployment, winter gloom, and the crushing realization that being in your late 20s isn't just about finding the best bodega sandwich. It’s about the fact that the world might be breaking.
That Animated Episode was a Masterstroke
Remember "Mushrooms"? It’s arguably one of the best episodes of the entire series. Most shows do an animated episode as a gimmick. Here, it served a psychological purpose. Watching Abbi and Ilana traverse a vibrant, shifting cartoon landscape while tripping on shrooms was a visual palate cleanser. It contrasted so sharply with the gray, slushy, depressing New York winter outside their window. Mike Perry’s animation style—the same guy who did the show’s iconic title cards—felt like the show finally exploding into its final form.
It wasn't just "trippy." It was about friendship as a survival mechanism.
Why the "Slushy" Aesthetic Mattered
Previous seasons were all about New York in the summer. It was sweaty and gross, sure, but it was bright. Broad City season 4 leaned into the "Winter in New York" reality. If you've lived there, you know. It’s not a postcard. It’s gray slush, wet socks, and a sun that disappears at 4:00 PM.
This change wasn't just about the weather. It mirrored the characters' growth.
- Abbi starts working at a boutique as a "human mannequin," a job that is soul-crushing even by her standards.
- Ilana loses her "mojo"—literally, she loses her ability to orgasm—because of the political climate.
It’s dark stuff! But it’s handled with that signature absurdity that makes the show work. They didn't lose the comedy; they just found it in darker corners. Like the episode "Witches," which explores the power of aging and the terrifying beauty of being a woman who just doesn't care anymore.
The Guest Stars Were Next Level
We have to talk about the cameos. This season was stacked.
- Fran Drescher playing Ilana’s aunt? Absolute casting perfection. The hair, the voice, the sheer Jewish excellence—it was everything the fans wanted.
- Steve Buscemi showing up as a creepy but somehow endearing mugger/pervert.
- RuPaul as the world’s most intimidating boss at a high-end restaurant.
Watching RuPaul read Ilana for filth while she worked as a waitress was a crossover event that felt earned. It wasn't just "hey, look at this famous person." These characters actually pushed the girls to change. RuPaul’s character, Marcel, forced Ilana to actually... try? Sorta.
"Sliding Doors" and the Origin Story
The season premiere, "Sliding Doors," gave us the origin story we didn't know we needed. It showed two timelines: one where Abbi and Ilana met on a lucky subway encounter, and one where they didn't. It’s a love letter to their friendship. It proves that their bond isn't just a coincidence; it's a cosmic necessity.
Without that meeting, Abbi is a miserable, buttoned-up version of herself. Ilana is even more chaotic but without a tether. They need each other to be the best (and worst) versions of themselves. It’s the heart of the show, and season 4 doubled down on that.
Is Broad City Season 4 Still Relevant?
Honestly? More than ever. We’re living in an era where "comfort TV" usually means something mindless. But Broad City season 4 is comfort TV for people who are actually stressed out. It acknowledges the stress. It says, "Yeah, the world is a dumpster fire, but at least you have your best friend and some questionable weed."
There’s a specific nuance to the way they handle Abbi’s career shift too. She moves away from the gym (RIP Soulstice) and tries to be a serious artist, only to realize that being a "serious artist" in New York often means doing humiliating freelance gigs for pennies. It’s a reality check that many "quarter-life crisis" shows avoid.
The Music and the Vibe
The soundtrack remained top-tier. Jarina De Marco, Lizzo (before she was Lizzo Lizzo), and various underground bounce and hip-hop tracks kept the energy high even when the plot got heavy. The show never felt "preachy," even when it was being overtly political. It felt like a conversation you’d have with a friend at 2:00 AM after three drinks.
Common Misconceptions About the Fourth Season
A lot of people say the show "lost its way" here. I disagree. People confuse "losing its way" with "maturing."
- Misconception: It became too political.
- Reality: The show was always political; it just stopped being subtle about it because the world stopped being subtle.
- Misconception: Abbi and Ilana aren't as fun anymore.
- Reality: They're just older. Watching 30-year-olds act like 19-year-olds is depressing. Watching them struggle to bridge the gap between their chaotic youth and actual adulthood is hilarious.
How to Re-watch (or Watch for the First Time)
If you're diving back in, don't rush it. Broad City season 4 is dense. There are visual gags in the background of every shot—pay attention to the posters in Abbi's room or the bizarre items in the Bed Bath & Beyond scenes (the "beyond" is a recurring nightmare/dreamland).
Practical Steps for Your Rewatch:
- Watch "Sliding Doors" and "Mushrooms" back-to-back. It shows the full range of what the show can do—from heartfelt narrative structure to pure, unhinged visual art.
- Pay attention to Bevers. In this season, his relationship with Abbi takes some weirdly sweet turns. He’s still a human parasite, but he’s her human parasite.
- Look for the "Bleeps." Notice how the show uses silence and censorship as a comedic tool. It’s a masterclass in making a point without saying a word.
The fourth season isn't just a bridge to the series finale. It's the moment the show grew up, realized the world was a mess, and decided to dance in the ruins anyway. It's messy, it's loud, and it's deeply, authentically human.
If you want to understand the late 2010s, don't look at a history book. Watch Abbi try to get a discount on a vibrator while the city crumbles around her. That’s the real history.