The FX original television show “Adults” aired its second season Aug. 27, following five roommates as they navigate young adulthood, friendships and relationships in Queens, N.Y. Although the premise is often used, the show delivers comedy and representation in a way that feels authentic to young people.
In the second season’s first episode, titled “The Scrub,” the group revisits its digital footprint on social media. Billie, one of the roommates, finds out that one of her Facebook posts from high school, which is not corporate friendly, is still in circulation. She worries that this might derail her attempts to find a new job. The segment is funny, but also relatable to young adults who grew up in a time when social media was new and many people posted content freely without worrying about future consequences.
Though humorous, “Adults” knows when a moment should be serious, which is one of the show’s greatest strengths. In other television sitcoms, like “Two and a Half Men,” queer characters and relationships are treated as a running gag and not represented genuinely. In “Adults,” however, two of the openly queer characters, Paul Baker and Anton Evans, have a “will-they-won’t-they” relationship throughout the second season.
The show doesn’t treat their relationship like a joke. Instead, it does the opposite by weaving serious tension between the two throughout humorous and chaotic scenes. The quieter moments when everything is serious are what make Paul Baker and Anton’s chemistry believable and clue the viewer into how strong their feelings are for one another.
Indeed, despite how different each roommate is in terms of personality, their bonds and friendships make them all lovable.
Members of Generation Z might associate shows with feelings, seasons or time periods, such as “Gilmore Girls” with fall, “Outer Banks” with summer and “Spongebob” with childhood. “Adults” can be associated with a feeling of friendship. Viewers can see themselves in each of the characters, fully immersing the audience into the show.
Despite the positive reviews, “Adults” has had unpopular moments. In the first season, the pilot episode’s cold open is a raunchy subway scene; although it was meant to be comedic, many viewers found the segment too shocking and uncomfortable. However, the biggest success of “Adults” comes from the fact that the writers know their audience.
While filming the second season, the team shot a completely new pilot episode to precede the former pilot. This new episode aired nearly a month before the premiere of the second season.
The new pilot focused on one of the show’s most beloved characters, Paul Baker, entering the core friend group. The minds behind the show — which includes comedian Nick Kroll as an executive producer— listened to audience feedback and seized the opportunity to make fans happy by expanding the lore and history among the characters.
Sitcoms need room to breathe in order to find what works. Amid the hype of the new season of “Adults,” Mindy Kaling’s “Not Suitable For Work” was canceled due to lower viewership. In 2009, the now-popular sitcom “Community” faced similar circumstances; it had low viewership and was competing with other popular sitcoms on television.
Not every Gen Z series gets the same chance as “Adults.” Plots, characters and relationships are often left unfinished, and canceled shows are never allowed to reach their full potential. “Adults” season two is a masterclass in writing, acting and knowing what the audience wants. The show finds its footing and expands on what season one set up. It shows the importance of allowing TV series to find their identity.
