HBO's Zoom-inspired special aired on Sept. 12 and brought together some of the buzziest names in Hollywood for a digital show about five people (the "coastal elites" of the title) having their lives turned upside down in quarantine. It's structured more like a play than anything, with five monologues for the five characters: Issa Rae as a wealthy "elite" who runs in the same circles as Ivanka Trump, Dan Levy as a gay actor, Sarah Paulson as a YouTuber stuck in quarantine with her conservative family, Kaitlyn Dever as a nurse who travels from Wyoming to help in New York City, and Bette Midler as an outspoken Jewish New Yorker.
The show's satirical approach and rehashing of familiar feelings didn't really land for many critics, although some praised its depiction of unfiltered frustrations and monologue-heavy, theatrical approach. It has a 56 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.