Adults Needs More Room to Grow

by

In the seventh episode of the FX sitcom, “Adults,” which follows a group of roommates dealing with early-20s adulthood in Queens, there’s a cutting remark directed at one of the main characters that also serves as a subtle critique of the show itself. Annabelle, a critical teenager visiting New York for an out-of-state abortion, finds the company of two roommates unimpressive due to a complicated set of circumstances that lead them to assist her during the procedure. Annabelle expresses her disappointment by shouting at the duo, Paul Baker (Jack Innanen) and Anton (Owen Thiele), “You are the least interesting gay people I have ever met!” She then directs her criticism specifically towards Paul: “You think ‘nice’ is a personality, but it’s actually the lack of one.” The joke resonates for the same reason the character falls flat. Paul Baker truly is a nice person; he’s well-liked by everyone, sexually fluid, and known only by his full name. However, at this stage in the series, that’s essentially all we know about him. Given that there are five main characters to develop within a sitcom, it’s understandable that this is not completely excusable. The issue arises because the entire first season consists of only eight episodes in total.

Similar to shows like “New Girl” or “Friends” before it, “Adults” falls under the category of laid-back hangout sitcoms where characters are unusually entangled in each other’s lives. When they strike the right chord, these series become beloved reruns that are cherished by generations who watch them casually during meals and quote them in dating profiles. “Adults”, created by ex-“Tonight Show” writers Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw, has several strengths in this area. It features memorable performances from actors such as Malik Elassal (Samir) and Amita Rao (Issa), has a witty and offbeat humor that often hits the mark, and introduces quirky concepts like “house rules” that seem destined to be adopted by real-life housemates. However, unlike its genre predecessors that had the advantage of 20 or more episodes in their first season to refine their characters’ idiosyncrasies, establish a consistent comedic style, and engage viewers with the storyline, “Adults” doesn’t have this luxury. Shows like “New Girl”, which might serve as “Adults'” closest comparison, took nearly an entire network season to soften Jess’s youthful charm and two seasons to develop Winston into a beloved oddball character. Yet, “Adults” must try to achieve this right from the start.

The main group consists of well-drawn characters primarily serving as sources for humor and storyline advancement, without eliciting the emotional bonding needed for a series to have lasting cultural impact. For instance, there’s Samir, the somewhat overbearing straight man whose parents own the house they live in; Anton, the cool and gay character; Issa, the bold and sex-positive individual; Billie, a once high-achieving person struggling with her life; and Paul Baker, who is simply nice. Instead of gradually revealing these traits throughout a season, the show introduces us to these characters as already established (or underdeveloped) individuals, as it doesn’t have the luxury of time to spare.

Let’s explore the evolution of Billie, a determined and goal-oriented individual who, at the start of the series, is let go from her job due to an unsuccessful attempt to manipulate her boss using vague allegations wrapped in social justice rhetoric. In episode four, she attempts to find solace in a casual relationship with an old teacher who seems compassionate. By episode five, they are officially a couple, and despite Billie’s public mishaps among friends, he remains understanding and supportive. However, in episode six, without any prior warning or build-up, the teacher arrives at a dinner party hosted by Billie’s roommates under the influence of ketamine, experiences a crisis of conscience about their relationship, and ends things with her. The narrative aims to portray Billie’s significant decline following her job loss, but due to its hasty progression, it fails to create the intended emotional impact. The key point isn’t that Billie resorted to dating her high-school teacher – it’s that the particular high-school teacher Billie was with was a fantastic partner until he abruptly stopped being so.

In simpler terms, a sitcom like “Adults” can be accepted for its hasty storylines and shallow characters if it consistently makes us laugh. However, “Adults” struggles to strike a consistent balance between surrealist and down-to-earth humor, which can feel abrupt and jarring. For instance, a joke about Samir hallucinating at the bank in the premiere isn’t revisited until episode seven, and a sketch involving Issa justifying her protest involvement with cards from her purse isn’t repeated throughout the season. While it’s understandable for a sitcom to take time to find its comedic identity, “Adults” does this over a short eight-episode season, which makes the shifts in tone feel disjointed. This is different from shows like “Happy Endings,” which took an entire season to evolve from one type of humor to another.

The show, primarily written by older individuals, attempts to demonstrate its relevance to the current generation, but sometimes struggles to do so. The dialogue, problems, and behaviors portrayed are characteristic of Generation Z, yet filtered through the perspectives of the writers. However, the show manages to feel contemporary in various aspects. If it had been produced during the era of network sitcoms, it might have had more episodes to establish itself and gain audience favor (even if this would have happened on streaming platforms later, as with shows like ‘New Girl’ and ‘Happy Endings’). Instead, FX is experimenting with different distribution methods to mimic this effect in the current streaming-centric model: a binge release on Hulu, followed by weekly linear broadcasts on FX, and a digital strategy that includes uploading the premiere to YouTube and TikTok. Indications suggest that this approach is effective; the show has garnered a fan base on X. To sustain its impact beyond the three hours of the first season, it might need a release strategy more aligned with traditional methods of the past. Despite aiming to be a product of this era, the show doesn’t have to succumb to the pitfalls of this era as well.

Read More

2025-06-04 23:54