HBO's hip, smart series How to Make It in America is a snapshot of the beating heart of young ambition and energy in New York City. Youth may flail--and even fail--but good ideas and smarts and an "angle" just might pay off in the City That Never Sleeps. The ensemble cast is terrific, including Bryan Greenberg, Victor Rasuk, Lake Bell, Shannyn Sossamon, Kid Cudi, and the always-hilarious Luis Guzmán. Some are layabouts, some are craven with ambition, some are artistes, some are thugs--and some are all of the above. Much like Entourage does, How to Make It in America follows a group of friends and acquaintances through their daily lives, and sometimes feels as aimless as real life really is. But the writing and direction and acting are all first-rate, and anyone who's ever visited New York, or lived there, or dreamed of living there, will be captivated by the realism. The reality of New York is both romanticized and taken at harsh face value--such a vivid portrait, in fact, that the city feels like another character in the ensemble. And it's true that as a metaphor where dreams are created--or dashed--New York is unparalleled. How to Make It in America works as a comedy, a drama, and a character study that completely draws in the viewer--even if the characters aren't always likable. TV doesn't really get any better than this. And remember--if you can "Make It" here, you can make it anywhere. --A.T. Hurley