What the Cars of ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ Say About Its Rich and Regretful Characters
The show is good. The cars are good. And both get better with each episode.
If our cars help to define us, set the stage for our lives and project to the world who we are, the cars in Your Friends & Neighbors, my current Apple TV obsession, is a great way to understand the characters and the unfolding of the show’s narrative.
The cars don’t just provide background and scene transition; they are characters on their own, helping us to understand the people in this series about a fictional wealthy enclave just outside New York City.
I lived in and around the towns that this fictional village is based on, and these characters feel quite real to me; I can sense what drives them, what underpins their vulnerabilities. So, apparently, do the actors and show runner Jonathan Tropper and his team. If you’ve been there, you know too.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
Luxury Trappings Are Used to Show Contrasts in Morality
I won’t give too much away, but to illustrate how ostentatious wealth impacts the characters in Your Friends & Neighbors, the show uses rare, expensive watches as a focal point, as well as exclusive handbags, wine and art. These objects, as well as the cars, are often used in movies and TV shows to quickly pinpoint a character’s station in life. Here, though, they are used to divide characters into two camps: Those who care about having exclusive luxury and those who don’t—of course, there are fewer of the second group.
The cars hold a special place, though. From the exploding car in the opening sequence to luxury cars lining the driveways of homes and clubs, cars are the wallpaper of suburban life and here, the gilding on the woodwork, too. And they tell an interesting story. Only about half of the first season’s episodes have aired, so there is more to go, but the cars deliver a telling assessment of the characters and their place in the fictional town of Westmont Village, NY.
Read: White Lotus Confidential: What Cars Would the Characters from Season 3 Drive?
Jon Hamm’s Character Drives the Most Revealing Cars
Jon Hamm, who you may also know as the voice of Mercedes-Benz for last 13+ years, is a character in transition and questioning the values of his friends and neighbors and their attachment to luxury goods, even though he participates, too. But what sets him apart is his willingness to hop into any car to complete the task at hand.
Hamm’s character, Andrew Cooper, or Coop as he’s called, drives a Maserati Gran Turismo, a powerful V6 that delivers 542 HP and is priced from $158,000. The Maserati is a perfect fit for both Hamm and his character, but the two-door coupe isn’t always a fit what Coop needs to accomplish.
He trades it for the day with a kid at the music store, taking the guy’s 2010 Honda CR-V to deliver a drum kit to his son.
Later he hops into his ex-wife’s boyfriend’s logo-plastered Lincoln Navigator promoting “Nick’s Strong Ass Gym.”
These swaps are the source of a few jokes but also illustrate Coop’s focus on what needs to be done, ego aside. Not many of us would drive our ex’s obnoxiously appointed SUV.
Read: Sydney Sweeney star of Euphoria, White Lotus, and…Ford?
The Maserati Is a Character In Its Own Right
Early in the show Coop’s Maserati is hit by a BMW 430i zooming into the driveway, driven by his daughter Tori’s boyfriend Jake. Jake takes responsibility, apologizes and offers to pay for the damage, and as an annoyed Coop drives away, the trunk lid pops open. Coop hops out and closes it, as he will do several times in future episodes, and I might add, he does it deftly for a tall guy in a small car.
I won’t share why I think this happens so as not to reveal any spoilers, but I’ll just leave it at this: the Maserati plays a pivotal role in this show.
Read: The Perks of Luxury Car Ownership Go Beyond Posh Surrounds and Pampering Details
Mel is Complicated, and So Is Her Relationship with Cars
Mel, played by Amanda Peet, at first appears to be as shallow as many other characters on the show but soon her deeper, more vulnerable character is revealed.
She drives a 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV, a smallish and lovely but not over the top (by comparison) SUV. And it’s perfect; she’s a working therapist with a hot boyfriend, a robust social life and she co-parents two teenagers with Coop.
And then something dark happens (again, no spoilers): As she listens to a patient talk about how he finds relief for his anxiety, she mimics the behavior in a parking lot. I’ll just leave it there, though I feel sorry for the SUV that got the rude treatment.
Nick, Oh Nick: Are You Really That Strong?
Nick is a bit of a misfit among the wealthy neighborhood bros, but that is part of what makes his character relatable—and his car completes him. Played by Mark Tallman, Nick is a former NBA star and friend of Coop who has an affair with Mel and now occupies her romantic life while running “Nick’s Strong Ass Gym.” To drive brand the business he wrapped his Lincoln Navigator with the logo, and the show uses its image to establish many scenes in the show.
Of course, the image is perfect: An notable athlete whose business is built on building strength should drive a Lincoln Navigator. And in contrast to the image of strength Nick projects, he comes off as a sensitive nice guy, always smiling and kind (even though he did break up his best friend’s marriage). So I have to wonder, will the ‘strong ass’ image of Nick’s Navigator be contradicted in a plot twist?
Sam is a Girl On Her Own and With the Car to Support Her
Sam Leavitt, played by Olivia Munn, is divorced and navigating the world as a single woman in this wealthy suburb. It’s where her friends are, of course, but also, her ex-husband and his current squeeze.
Again, I won’t give away too much, but I appreciate Sam’s car choice: A Range Rover Sport. It’s stylish, capable and there for her when she decides she’s had enough and is ready to leave, which happens more than a few times. And, it is a great aesthetic choice for Sam; the Range Rover Sport just looks great on her.
Of Course, There Are Rolls-Royces—Two, So Far
At some point we have to talk about money, right? That’s the job of Barney Choi, played by Hoon Lee, who is Coop’s agent and advisor. Even though he’s stressed by the cost of his family’s lifestyle, he still needs to illustrate his success, so he drives an all electric Rolls-Royce Spectre, which he also lets Coop drive. Coop seems to enjoy it.
As nice as the Spectre is, and remember, this is a $420,000+ car, Barney’s father-in-law dwarfs him in a Rolls-Royce Phantom, a $515,000+ car replete with a chauffeur. Standing along side the Phantom, Barney is presented with a bottle of vintage scotch by his father-in-law. The blank look on Barney’s face conveys the feeling that, despite the mansion-under-renovation in the background and all of Barney’s successes, it’s somehow not enough.
More Cars, More Clues
There are more cars, including a Volvo with a Grateful Dead sticker that Ali Cooper spots in the parking lot of Nick’s Strong Ass Gym signaling that her illicit crush is there; the Audi A3 that Coop’s daughter Tori drives to school; the Cadillac Escalade that whisks a family away as they head off for vacation.
And the Mazda 5 driven by Lu Varga, the pawn store owner who quickly catches on to Coop’s escapades. Coop’s spotting of the Mazda 5 in his driveway is a tipoff that there’s a change in his life and to us that there’s a shift in the story line.
Cars are a rich thread in the fabric of Your Friends & Neighbors, and with four more episodes to go, there are more cars and more clues to watch for. And that’s where you’ll find me the next four Friday nights.
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