| Genre | Reality |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Steven Wright |
| Starring | |
| Music | E*vax |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Num seasons | 1 |
| Num episodes | 6 |
| Runtime | 25 minutes |
| Company | |
| Network | HBO |
| First aired | December 17, 2021 |
| Last aired | January 28, 2022 |
Chillin Island is an unscripted slow reality television miniseries presented by Steven Wright. Based on the radio show of the same name, it is hosted by Alec "Despot" Reinstein, Ashok "Dapwell" Kondabalu and Aleksey "Lakutis" Weintraub.[1] It originally aired on HBO and ran for six episodes between December 17, 2021 and January 28, 2022.
Chillin Island follows Despot, Dapwell and Lakutis, alongside celebrity guest stars, as they travel to wild nature sites. The series is produced by DreamCrew and Elara Pictures, with Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie and Drake as its executive producers.[2] The series was inspired by the 1991 Bravo reality miniseries Fishing with John.[2]
Format
In each episode, Despot, Dapwell and Lakutis embark on a trip to wild nature sites with a celebrity guest star, typically from hip hop culture. Each episode is narrated by Wright and concludes with a commemorative end credit to John Lurie.[3]
Critical reception
In a positive review, Israel Daramola of The Ringer praised Chillin Island for its themes and humor, saying, the series is "full of [an] adventurous, play-by-ear-and-joke-along-the-way spontaneity". Daramola also commended Wright's narration, the series' "goofy and, as advertised, chill" tone and pace, and the hosts' chemistry, concluding that, "Chillin Island has created a fun hang of a show that portrays the great outdoors as bizarre [and] enlightening".[4]
In a positive review for The New Yorker, Naomi Fry labelled Chillin Island "a woozy, exploratory stoner’s delight",[5] while Ariel LeBeau of Nylon called the series "a vacation for your mind", writing: "Eccentric, awkward, surprisingly intimate, and sometimes surreal, Chillin Island is an inviting departure from the traditional media landscape for host, guest, and audience alike; a journey into the unexpected that, in its informality, feels thrillingly human".[6] Jeff Ihaza of Rolling Stone also commended the series for building on the "raw and unpredictable magic" of the radio show, concluding, "Chillin Island restores something unexpected and jagged that [viewers] used to [watch television] for. Back when network television was still interested in surprising people".[7]
Writing for Variety, Daniel D'Addario wrote the series contains "faux-profundity that rankles and irritates more than it could possibly enlighten". D'Addario criticized its production for being "heavy-handed and semi-staged" and Lil Yachty's opinions on modern medicine and overpopulation, concluding that "Chillin Island may satisfy hardcore fans of its central personalities [but others] will likely be badly disappointed".[8]
See also
References
- ^ Ihaza, Jeff (2021-12-14). "Internet Rap Mavericks 'Chillin Island' Are Too Raw for TV, but They're Doing it Anyway". Rolling Stone. Archived 2022-11-30 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
- ^ Daramola, Israel (2022-01-28). "The Glacially Paced Greatness of 'Chillin Island'". The Ringer. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
- ^ "New Chillin Island HBO Show to Feature Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig, Young Thug, Rosalía, and More". Pitchfork. 2021-12-10. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
- ^ "The Glacially Paced Greatness of 'Chillin Island'". 28 January 2022.
- ^ Fry, Naomi (22 December 2021). "The Best Feel-Good and Feel-Bad TV of 2021". The New Yorker
- ^ LeBeau, Ariel (28 December 2021). "‘Chillin Island’ Is A Vacation For Your Mind". Nylon
- ^ Ihaza, Jeff (14 December 2021). "Internet Rap Mavericks ‘Chillin Island’ Are Too Raw for TV, but They’re Doing it Anyway". Rolling Stone
- ^ D'Addario, Daniel (17 December 2021). "HBO’s ‘Chillin Island’ Features Beautiful Settings and Boring Conversations: TV Review". Variety