Underemployed

Underemployed is a dynamic, eye-opening drama-comedy television series produced by MTV that aired from 2012-2013, with popular actor Diego Boneta as one of its lead characters. The show is widely relatable and seeks to provide an honest and grounded depiction of the struggles faced by modern-day young adults trying to find their footing in the professional world.

Set in the bustling and diverse city of Chicago, Underemployed provides the backdrop for the lives of five ambitious graduates who are friends. The series delves into their experiences after college as they struggle to achieve their dreams amid economic challenges and precarious job markets. The narrative highlights the harsh realities associated with underemployment, ranging from financial hardship to personal disillusionment and detours from their initial career paths.

Diego Boneta is cast as Miles, an aspiring model who, due to lack of modeling gigs, spends most of his time working at a trendy Chicago restaurant as Downtown Johnny's "manservant". His character wonderfully epitomizes the frustration and compromise that comes with underemployment, painting the paradox of ambition versus reality distinctive in the post-recession era. Miles' struggles are not only career-bound but also extend to aspects of his personal life, making him a multi-dimensional and highly relatable young adult on screen.

Underemployed's cast also consists of Sarah Habel as Daphne, Sofia Black-D'Elia as Sophia, Michelle Ang as Raviva, and Jared Kusnitz as Lou. Each character is unique, grappling the aspects of modern adulthood, with experiences ranging from unplanned pregnancy, office romances, professional disappointments, and the influence of corporate culture in their lives.

Throughout the course of the first season, a distinguishing feature that sets Underemployed apart from other shows in the genre is the stark depiction of the disappointment that the characters encounter. The world is not as they were led to believe throughout their years in the safe haven of university – a realization that strikes close to home for many viewers.

MTV, known for its vibrant, youth-oriented content, successfully sketches the reality of young adults dealing with the burden of their dreams and the disappointment coming from the disconnection between aspirations and achievements. Interestingly, the series manages to maintain a balanced tone, infusing humor and levity into the otherwise solemn themes. It plays with elements of irony, with characters finding themselves in the most unexpected of situations.

Underemployed is not just about one character or one problem; the series presents a delicate tapestry woven with trials of five friends who are navigating through the personal and professional dilemmas that mark post-college life. Its dialogue, although infused with bubbling humor, is sharp and perceptive, taking digs at the normalized aspects of the corporate world that have implications on our personal lives.

One of the highlights of the show is how these five friends stay connected despite different career paths, personal challenges, and changing dynamics. Their friendship ties them together, and it’s this bond which brings out not only moments of consolation but also adds depth to the storyline.

The series earned praise for featuring an incredibly diverse cast and tackling issues apropos to its target demographic cleverly. The creators, Craig Wright and MTV, provide viewers with a thought-provoking perspective of the complex transition period that occurs from university to full-fledged adulthood, shedding light on topics that are both timely and timeless.

Underemployed handsomely contends with the issues faced by its subjects and does so with a certain degree of relatability. However, it also offers a ray of hope, indicating that while the path to realizing one’s dreams may be fraught with unexpected disappointments and challenges, it’s the journey and experience that builds character. It’s about striving, compromising, embracing the unexpected, and, in the process, growing up.

For a generation struggling with the unique roadblocks of the modern job market, MTV's Underemployed serves as both a sanity check and a source of comfort, delivering the important message that they are not alone - and that the journey ultimately holds just as much value as the destination.