HBO's New 'Coastal Elites' Is The Perfect Quarantine Satire

Dan Levy, Bette Midler, Issa Rae, and more hilariously grapple with the ‘new normal’ in HBO’s new quarantine satire

The pandemic giveth, and the pandemic taketh away. Well, basically just the latter so far — but that’s all about to change. HBO has created a “socially distanced” satire called Coastal Elites, and the just-released trailer already has us hooked. The LOL-inducing montage introduces the film’s five main characters, all of who are grappling with “the 2020 pandemic and living in a world of deeply divided politics.”

Um, also, the actors playing those five characters are as follows: Dan Levy (Schitt’s Creek), Bette Midler (Hocus Pocus, obvs), Issa Rae (Insecure), Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story), and Kaitlyn Dever (Unbelievable). That brilliant casting, in and of itself, is enough to get us to watch.

Here’s why you should, too: You’re probably tired of hearing about COVID-19 and quarantine and politics, but this film doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a totally tongue-in-cheek look at the way liberals are perceived in our current socio-political climate. If you don’t relate to one of these characters, you’re going to know someone who does.

So, let’s take a quick look at these lovable/laughable left-wingers. Levy stars as Mark Hesterman, a West Hollywood actor on a video-call with his therapist.

Midler, social activist queen that she is, slips into the role of long-time NYC public school teacher Miriam Nessler. She loves “her students, the New York Times, and the theater.” In the trailer, she’s in police custody — and we’re about to find out why.

Paulson plays Clarissa Montgomery, a YouTube personality filming a segment of her “Mindful Meditations” series. She’s trying to soothe and inspire her followers but, spoiler alert, she’s got a few issues of her own.

Next up is Dever, who brings to the screen Sharynn Tarrows, a young nurse from Wyoming who flies to NYC at the height of the COVID-19 crisis to volunteer at a hospital in the hot zone.

And last but certainly not least, Rae plays Callie Josephson, a “well-connected philanthropist whose prep school network leads her to the highest levels of government.”

With a lineup like that, Coastal Elites is bound to be funny as hell. The fact that Stepford Wives screenwriter Paul Rudnick penned it only furthers the movie’s comedic (not to mention satirical) pedigree. So, yeah, we’re ready. And come September 12, we’ll all be able to enjoy a few laughs thanks to this wildly relevant treat.