New Season of ‘East WillyB’ Celebrates Vibrant Latino Community

East WillyB, the independent web series about the Latino community of East Williamsburg (aka Bushwick), has launched a new season of six episodes.

East WillyB is, put as simply as possible, a Latino Cheers, chronicling the lives of the various patrons of a local bar, the Sports Lounge, which is run by the charismatic Willy B. In the new season, Willy B must deal with a variety of pressures: his attempts to get back with his ex-girlfriend have failed, hipsters are slowly gentrifying his home neighborhood, and a reggaeton-blasting joint down the street has provides a rival to his simple watering hole.

The show first popped up on our radar back in 2011, when its six episode pilot season turned some heads thanks to a talented cast and a strong, well-realized setting in the heart of Brooklyn. About a year after the final episode of season one hit the Internet, creators Julia Grob

and Yamin Segal launched a Kickstarter page, hoping to raise the $50,000 they needed to make six longer episodes a reality. Thanks to an  innovative campaign that directly engaged the Latino community of East Williamsburg, Grob and Segal reached their goal, and the first two longer episodes (the debut is around nine minutes in length) have now been released.

Just like its titular character, East WillyB succeeds by staying true to its roots. The series feels remarkably authentic, but not stiflingly so; as with the Sports Lounge, viewers of all races and creeds are welcome, but my guess is that Latino viewers will feel right at home.