The issue comes from the Quibi format, which keeps You Ain't Got These from letting its story breathe. The show makes a convincing case that sneaker culture is Important, but chopping it into chunks makes it feel unnecessarily disjointed.
It moves along gamely enough, but it plays like a discrete episode of something larger, a Frontline episode broken into pieces rather than its own standalone entity.
Lena Waithe takes an engaging dive into the history of sneakers in America and how it has impacted the culture. Waithe, being a "sneakerhead" herself, is an excellent choice to guide newcomers and sneaker aficionados alike.
Lena Waithe makes an ideal guide to this exploration of the history and impact of sneaker culture... young folks who may not remember the rise of kicks can learn a thing or two.
Lena Waithe's look at sneaker culture is one of Quibi's better "Celebrities talk about things that amuse them" offerings, but it's actually interesting enough that each quick bite felt insufficient.
With engaging editing, smart interviews, and fascinating subject matter, Lena Waithe's You Ain't Got These digs into the ins and outs of sneaker culture with unbridled tenacity.
You Ain't Got These is the better-produced, but if you have next to no interest in sneakers, there's really not much here. Neither shows try to make their particular subjects appealing to outsiders.
More information can Waithe breezes through the dense mesh of influences at play in the typical training shoe, while finding space for her own arc from first pair of Air Jordans to winning an Emmy. Thus far we have a winner.
