“Live from the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York….” comes the return of 2 Dope Queens to HBO, with four new comedy specials. Based on the hit comedy and storytelling podcast of the same name, creators and hosts Jessica Williams (The Daily Show, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald) and Phoebe Robinson (I Love Dick, writer for Portlandia) bring to viewers a bevy of new special guests and comedian friends, all while serving up even fresher looks and revelations.
The podcast, started in 2016, features BFFs Robinson and Williams hosting a live comedy show in Brooklyn in which they share their stories about romance, race, style, and life in New York. With a rotating guest list of favorite comedians and friends, they find a great balance of talk show and stand up comedy. In 2018, HBO debuted the first four specials, which took the podcast format to show filmed with a live audience, and featured such celebratory guests as Sarah Jessica Parker, Jon Stewart, Uzo Aduba, and Tituss Burgess, and conversation topics from hair journeys to honest openness about sex and dating.
Friday, February 8, HBO returns with the first of four more hour-long specials, filled with the same honest talk, funny stories, and then some. The set is splashier and the already stylish duo has amped it up with looks that don’t just match the first episode’s “Fashion” theme, but also rolls into episode two with some great modern nods to ’90s style with some retro threads for “Nostalgia.”
There are many elements that make 2 Dope Queens a great watch. Yes, it’s funny, that’s no question. But listening to Williams and Robinson riff feels honest and welcoming, with a sense that they are just enjoying themselves. They are simultaneously doing stand up and letting us eavesdrop on a private chat. Whether it is reminiscing about teenage escapades like ear piercings at the mall and training bras, modern dating challenges, or exploring black nerdom, you want to hang with these comics all evening.
Each episode starts with the pair swapping stories on the episode theme, then showcasing a new comic doing stand up. After that, they roll into the talk show format with a special guest, and it’s clear the guests are having a good time, too.
In episode 1 of the new specials, Lupita Nyong’o (Black Panther, 12 Years a Slave) is challenged to a hair braiding competition with the hosts. And the pure nerd joy that Jessica Williams exudes—and tries to contain—when Daniel Radcliffe arrives on the stage in episode 2 cannot be described in words. It is matched only by his awkward desire to do well on their compatibility quiz. Other guests for the new specials include Janet Mock (Surpassing Certainty), Lizzo (Coconut Oil, Big Grrrl Small World), and Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele).
Trailer for season 2:
Catch the return of 2 Dope Queens on Friday, February 8, at 11 pm/midnight ET/PT, the first of four weekly specials.
How to watch 2 Dope Queens without Cable
The new specials of 2 Dope Queens are available through HBO streaming through HBO NOW, HBO GO, On Demand, and affiliated streaming platforms.
While HBO GO is the mobile access point for streaming HBO with a cable login, HBO NOW allows fans to subscribe to HBO without
However, if you don’t want to add another streaming login or app, it is easy to get HBO NOW as an add-on to many major streaming services.
Both Amazon Prime and Hulu offer an HBO NOW add-on channel through their sites, at the same rate as the standalone service, including the 7-day free trial. It is also available as an add on with PlayStation Vue ($15/month) and DIRECTV NOW (starting at $17.99/month). Check out our article on All the ways to watch HBO Online for all the details.
Non-subscription options
For viewers interested in catching up with 2 Dope Queens through other means, the 2018 specials are available for purchase on other services, like Amazon and iTunes.Episodes start at $1.99 for SD, $2.99 for HD, and 4-episdoe seasons are $6.99 (SD) and $10.99 (HD).
Heather C. Jackson
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