Ep 8. Hashtag Cats

Difficult People is a beloved American comedy series that aired for three seasons from 2015 to 2017 on Hulu. The show follows the lives of two struggling comedians, Julie and Billy, as they navigate their way through the tough and often unfair entertainment industry in New York City. Season 2 episode 8 of Difficult People is titled "Hashtag Cats," and it's full of the sharp humor, satirical commentary, and hilarious shenanigans that fans of the show have come to love.

The episode kicks off with Julie and Billy hanging out at their favorite diner, where they're commiserating about their lack of success and how frustrated they are with the world around them. Julie is particularly peeved about a new trend on social media: posting pictures of cats with hashtags like #Blessed and #Grateful. She thinks it's ridiculous and insincere, and she wants to do something about it. Billy, meanwhile, is more concerned with trying to make a viral video that will finally get him noticed.

Their plans take a turn when they run into an old acquaintance named Marvin, who used to be a waiter but is now an aspiring fashion designer. Marvin gushes about his latest creation: a line of t-shirts with pictures of cats and hashtags on them. Julie is horrified, but Billy sees an opportunity to capitalize on the trend and make some money. He convinces Marvin to let them help him promote his shirts, promising to get them in front of all the right people.

Julie and Billy set to work on a marketing campaign, which involves taking pictures of themselves wearing Marvin's shirts and using hashtags. They even hire an Instagram consultant to help them come up with the perfect strategy. At first, it seems like they're making progress - people are liking and commenting on their posts, and they're getting some media attention. But things quickly spiral out of control when they get caught up in a feud with another Instagram personality who is also promoting cat shirts.

The feud escalates as Julie and Billy become increasingly obsessed with trying to one-up their rival. They start coming up with elaborate stunts and pranks to get more attention, and soon they're spending all their time and money on the cat shirt campaign. Meanwhile, their personal lives are falling apart - Julie's relationship with her boyfriend is strained, and Billy is struggling with his identity and his career.

The climax of the episode comes at a party that Julie and Billy throw to promote the cat shirts. It's a disaster - the shirts don't sell, their rival shows up and starts a fight, and Julie and Billy find themselves alone and disillusioned. But in the end, they come to a realization about what's important in life, and they decide to channel their energy into a new project: a sketch comedy show that they hope will finally get them the recognition they deserve.

Overall, "Hashtag Cats" is a hilarious and poignant episode that showcases the best of Difficult People's witty writing, strong performances, and biting satire. It's a great example of how the show takes on timely and relevant topics - in this case, social media and the obsession with likes and followers - and turns them into hilarious and thought-provoking comedy. Whether you're a long-time fan of the show or just discovering it for the first time, this episode is a must-see.