FX’s cheekiest sitcom provides an accurate depiction of the Gen Z experience
FX’s emergent ensemble sitcom “Adults” is the best attempt at capturing “the Gen-Z spirit” executed in recent years. The second season aired on Aug. 27 with eight episodes and one special episode set prior to the start of season one.
The fact that the show was renewed for a second season at all is an accomplishment, considering the frequency with which similar shows were canceled (such as Hulu’s “Not Suitable For Work”). “Adults” shines brightest in its endearing character dynamics and absurd plot lines, both of which provide the ironic and outrageous humor indicative of Gen Z.
The show’s first season introduced us to our five main characters, all of whom live under the same roof: Samir (Malik Elassal), Billie (Lucy Freyer), Issa (Amita Rao), Anton (Owen Thiele) and Issa’s boyfriend, Paul Baker (Jack Innanen). The characters never refer to Paul Baker as anything but his full name, which I find amusing. Everyone knows a guy who can only be called by his government name. While the first season was largely focused on the group finding their footing in both the adult world and within the show, the second season was all about love. Every character finds love and faces heartbreak this season, in varying order, with outlandish stories propelling them forward.
I was surprised to find, when I began my rewatch of season one, that they released a new episode one, titled “Marathon Day.” The new additional storyline chronicles how the group met Paul Baker and does a good job of establishing the relationships between the core group, though Paul Baker himself was only in the episode briefly. Paul Baker is the “Rachel” of the group, a newcomer coming into an established friend group and changing the dynamics around. (I could match every member of the “Adults” group to their “Friends” counterpart if I wanted — except Phoebe).
Season two is chaotic from the outset and I enjoyed the story in every episode, a tribute to the writing. I will say, more effort could have been exerted on weaving jokes into multiple episodes, such as Issa freezing her eggs in Episode 4: “Talia,” which is never mentioned again. The best sitcoms write jokes that build across seasons.
Episode 7: “C Alert” was by far my favorite of the season, due in no small part to Thiele’s ridiculously funny performance as Anton. In the episode, Anton accidentally lets his at-home vocabulary slip into the workplace and desperately tries to do damage control throughout the week. Thiele portrays Anton’s anguish insanely well, earning an actual out loud laugh from me. Not just a “LOL!” The episode also succeeds in demonstrating “Gen-Z humor,” with Anton’s generational gap with his coworkers limiting him in expression (if he wants to keep his job). Gen Z has a knack for redefining once-taboo vocabulary as common speech; in Anton’s case, this was the “c-word.”
Along with Thiele, Freyer as Billie was another standout performance. Freyer commands attention every time she is onscreen. She is awkward, messy and ultimately relatable. Billie and Anton have their own moments of reckoning and pensiveness (Billie’s dissatisfaction with the job market and Anton’s unprocessed feelings for Paul Baker), while Issa is either playing the supportive friend or the wild card. Every member of the cast, however, brings their own style and humor. I praise the chemistry between all of them.
The season builds to a finale I can only describe as a classic in-case-we-get-canceled ending, with every character paired into a couple happily ever after. These are common with shows still in their infancy. The threat of cancellation looms over the early seasons, so the creators write a season finale that could feasibly tie up the series and leave viewers satisfied. For a season finale, I enjoyed how side characters from the beginning of the season made a return, and appreciated the long-awaited resolution to Anton and Paul Baker’s relationship. Their sweet and simple moments during the season made the ending all the more heartwarming.
Many modern TV shows try to portray Gen Z as an entity, winking at the audience as if to say, “the youth don’t know a thing but their phones!” This makes sense; millennials and Gen X individuals are the primary producers of such media and are disconnected from the rising young adults in society. They fail to understand that the random and ironic nature of Gen Z humor comes from a crude self-awareness of the chaotic world around them. “Adults” offers a human lens on the difficulty and absurdity that comes with growing into a well-adjusted adult.
