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How ‘Dave’ Delivered the Best Television Episode of the Year
‘Hype Man,’ the show’s breakout, destigmatized bipolar disorder in a way few have dared
Update 6/7/22: Level has a new home. You can read this article and other new articles by visiting LEVELMAN.com.
Dave, FXX’s semi-autobiographical comedy about Dave “Lil Dicky” Burd’s pursuit of hip-hop glory, wrapped its first season last night as one of the most-watched new comedies in the network’s history. On the surface, a White rapper landing a prestige-adjacent show — let alone one executive produced by Kevin Hart and Scooter Braun, among others — is a testament to the privilege that many White creators enjoy, even when participating in a culture they did not create. But Dave succeeded creatively by treating its protagonist as just one character in an ensemble, delivering strong moments by bringing others to the foreground.
In fact, Dave’s biggest accomplishment wasn’t the 5 million viewers it averaged each episode, or its ability to snag guest appearances from Young Thug, YG, Charlamagne Tha God, and others. It was delivering an urgent conversation about mental health in the Black community.
The fifth episode, “Hype Man,” appears to focus on Burd’s anxiety about the biggest gig of his young career: opening for Meek Mill. However, the story soon reveals itself to be about GaTa (pronounced like “gator”), Burd’s real-life friend and hype man, and his struggle with bipolar disorder. Through flashbacks, the episode depicts in unflinching detail how the condition has affected GaTa’s life, from its early manifestations to the moment he’s forced to open up about it in the present. It illustrates the highs of GaTa’s mania and the crushing lows of his depression — along with the shame and stigma he carries.
And it’s all rooted in the rookie actor’s real experiences.
“I was bipolar for a while,” says Davionte “GaTa” Ganter, noting that he was officially diagnosed 10 years ago. “But over all the years of traveling, touring, and always being on the go, I didn’t even know it until I had a manic episode.”
On a show that had already treated viewers to cringe-heavy comedy and in-depth descriptions of Dave’s surgically repaired penis, the…
