I'm a Millennial and Yet I Can't Stop Talking About the Gen Z Hit Show 'Adults'
I'm terrible at keeping up with shows (I'm still half way done with White Lotus season three), but when it comes to comedies, I can binge-watch an entire season in one sitting. That's how I found myself on a Saturday night watching all of Adults. After being obsessed with Overcompensating—a coming-of-age comedy about an unlikely friendship (and navigating one's sexuality and identity along the way)—the internet deemed the FX show as the 'cousin' to the Amazon Prime hit. Naturally, I was curious to see how these two were similar—or at least, started a new wave of enjoyable Gen Z content. So here's why, I, a 31-year-old millennial can't stop talking about this new show.
As a show about twenty-somethings living together, Adults offers a specific type of comedy with an iykyk sort of relatability. While many outlets compared it to shows like Friends and Girls, I found the show to be 100 percent less infuriating. I'm not afraid to admit that I am not a big fan of the 'classic' friendship comedies. Friends was OK, and I couldn't even finish Girls without ripping my hair out.The FX original comedy series reminds me more of Broad City with a touch of New Girl, two shows that weren't afraid to test the boundaries. Not to mention every character was dramatic (in the best way). Similar to BC, it follows a bunch of twenty-somethings who live together in Queens and spend every episode just trying to survive—and honestly, same.
The first episode is the ultimate test for viewers and determines if you're down to watch the next episode or not. The pilot opens with the cast heading back home and is unfortunately met with a man masturbating on the train. The disgusting scene flips into a comedy bit when Issa (played by Amita Rao) challenges the man by having a masturbation-off as her friends try to stop her. The amount of times I gasped and laughed out loud was a testament that I had to continue watching to see what craziness happens next.
That's the thing about this show: It's not afraid to have viewers clutch their pearls. There are jokes that dabble in sexuality, abortion and consent, to name a few, while still leaving room for vulnerable moments.
Since the show is marketed as written for Gen-Z by Gen-Z, some critiques say the writing is cringe, while others (usually millennials or older) are confused with some of the jargon. I personally didn't have an issue, nor was confused about any of the dialogue.
Honestly, I related to some of the show and I found myself taking a trip down memory lane at my 20s (which wasn't a long time ago, FYI). The show navigates adulthood—whether it's trying to climb the corporate ladder, struggling to find love in NYC, strengthening friendships or learning how to fix a boiler so you can have hot water again (a struggle I recently just tackled myself).
I watched the show not in a state of an identity crisis or a new outlook on life. It was just a silly series that was simply fun to watch. I mean, they've mentioned Glee, so you can't get any more millennial than that.
Phillip Faraone/Stringer/Getty Images
There are characters you love to hate, and then there are characters you despise and make it really difficult to continue a show (i.e, me with Girls). However, it was the complete opposite with Adults.
I'm still warming up to Billie (played by Lucy Freyer) and Samir (played by Malik Elassal), but I genuinely enjoy the whole cast. My favorites have to be Issa, who reminds me of Ilana Wexler from Broad City. The extroverted character is charming, witty and just loves her friends dearly. Then there's Anton (played by Owen Thiele), which I first discovered on Overcompensating and fell in love with his character. I have my fingers crossed that he gets a bigger role next season because on Adults, he's amazing. Whether he's befriending the whole neighborhood or fighting with a teen over his very vintage Target sweater, Thiele is a shining star.
And then there's Paul Baker (played by Jack Innanen). I recognized the actor from TikTok and was surprised by his acting chops. The fluid Canadian has some of the best lines of the series—and there's no paywall to erase that.
Even the celebrity guest stars make the episodes even better. If there's one episode that sticks out and encompasses the whole show, it's the sixth episode, which stars Daredevil star Charlie Cox and the icon Julia Fox. I don't want to give anything away, but I'll never look at chicken the same again.
The season is too short! Eight episodes just aren't enough for me. Let's bring back comedies with 20-22 episodes per season—especially when they left me with a promising (and probably very slow burn) relationship a-brewing.
Other than that, I'm genuinely impressed with the show. Some first seasons often have a very slow start (I'm looking at you, Parks & Rec), but I can see long, chaotic seasons ahead for Adults. Just please stop comparing it to Friends already.
I Just Binged 'Overcompensating' and Now I See Why Everyone's Obsessed (Even If I'm Still Confused)
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