Whenthe trailer for the highly anticipated teen comedyBottomsdropped, everyone couldn’t wait to see rising starsAyo EdebiriandRachel Sennotttogether forEmma Seligman’s second feature film. Seligman previously directed Sennott inShiva Babyand the two co-wroteBottomstogether. Though you may recognize them separately, Edebiri and Sennott have collaborated before, starring in the short-lived Comedy Central seriesAyo and Rachel are Singlein 2020. A satirical take on modern dating in New York City, this short-form sketch series is a testament to their chemistry and comedic talents, making their reunion inBottomsall the more exciting.
Who Are Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennott?
Edebiri and Sennott are actors, writers, and standup comedians who have steadily risen to fame since their Comedy Central series. Edebiri has written forWhat We Do In the Shadows,Dickinson,andBig Mouth, where she later took over as the voice of Missy in 2020. She has a recurring role as Janine’s (Quinta Brunson) younger sister onAbbott Elementaryand also stars as ambitious sous chef Sydney in FX’s hit seriesThe Bear, earning her an Emmy nomination. Sennott had her breakout role in Seligman’s feature directorial debutShiva Baby, earned greater recognition for her scene-stealing performance inBodies, Bodies, Bodies, and wasone of the better aspectsof the reviled HBO series,The Idol, in which she starred as pop star Jocelyn’s (Lily Rose-Depp) best friend and assistant.
What Is ‘Ayo and Rachel Are Single’ About?
Co-created by Edebiri and Sennott,Ayo and Rachel Are Singlefollows fictionalized versions of Edebiri and Sennott as they grapple with millennial dating life in New York City, particularly the unique and often confounding experiences that come with online dating. In Episode 1, Ayo and Rachel find themselves on a disastrous double date when their partners realize they have more in common with each other than with either of them. Before the date goes wrong, Ayo excitedly envisions their futures together as couple friends who eventually marry and have kids, but as soon their dates ditch them, she and Rachel immediately deem them bad people, refusing to see any faults in themselves.
RELATED:Emma Seligman (Thankfully) Lets Her Lead Characters Be Self-Absorbed Disasters
When Rachel is dumped after accusing someone of ghosting her in Episode 2, we’re introduced to a number of little-known online dating phenomena. You’ve heard of getting ghosted, but what about getting “ticked” (when a guy latches on immediately and steals a little bit of your blood for his Silicon Valley startup)? Or “Pied Piper-ed” (when a guy in a woodwind ensemble takes you back to his lair full of rats)? Ayo soon discovers she’s being “timetabled” by the guy she’s seeing, who schedules all their dates on Tuesdays at 3 p.m., putting her on a timetable so he can meet more girls all over the city.
Episode 3 takes its biggest creative leap when Rachel hosts a party and invites all the men she’s matched with on dating apps in the past month in order to avoid going on so many individual dates. After setting up a spread of various types of raw meat, a horde of men shows up wearing different versions of the same striped shirt and jacket combo. Rachel gets ignored, Ayo is propositioned for a threesome, and two of the invitees start a podcast in the middle of the party.
‘Ayo and Rachel Are Single’ Is a Precursor to ‘Bottoms’
Though the series was sadly and almost comically short-lived with just three episodes posted to Comedy Central’s website and YouTube channel, it’s proof that both Edebiri and Sennott were destined for success. The episodes are limited to just five minutes, so the jokes move a mile a minute and benefit from more than one watch in order to pick up on all of them. It satirizes millennial dating culture with some NYC-specific references, ironically airing in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic made dating astronomically more complicated.
Edebiri and Sennott have made names for themselves individually, but if their work onAyo and Rachel Are Singleis any indication, a feature-length comedy starring both of them is something to look forward to. Co-written by Sennott,Bottomsis a queer sex comedy about two high schoolers who start a fight club for girls to get close to their crushes. It’s been described as"Fight ClubmeetsHeathers", and the film’s poster harkens back toteen comedies of years pastlikeNot Another Teen MovieandShe’s the Man. Fans of Edebiri and Sennott would do well to tune in to not only their individual projects but also their hilarious collaboration inAyo and Rachel Are Single.
You can watch all episodes ofAyo and Rachel Are Singleon Comedy Central’s YouTube page.Bottomsis now available on VOD platforms.
