‘Adults’ season 1 review: Classic sitcom vibe that needs room to breathe

The mark of a good sitcom rests in the chemistry of the core group of friends, and Adults Season 1 has that in spades. It’s a shame that the first season is only eight episodes, an unfortunate reality for most streaming shows these days. While Adults does just enough in its short runtime to get people on board with its eccentric core group of friends, there’s still something missing.

Meet the Friends

Adults Season 1 centers around a group of mid-twenty-somethings living in Queens at the house of one of their parents as they struggle to pay bills, find jobs, and exist in an increasingly busy world. There’s Samir (Malik Elassal), who’s parent’s house they all live at for free; Billie (Lucy Freyer), who struggles against the pressure of being top of her high school class but recently fired from her journalism job; Anton (Owen Thiele,) who works a vague remote job and spends the rest of his time doing whatever he wants; Issa (Amita Rao,) the most talkative of the bunch but someone who’s scared that no one understands her; and Paul Baker (Jack Innanen,) who’s dating Issa and just moved in.

Together, they make up a dynamic and fun group of friends who are easy to fall in love with even if a lot of their behavior is cringe-worthy. They all pair off together well. While the main 1:1 dynamics are obvious, episodes mix the characters up enough so that nothing becomes stale. While they are all friends, the Anton-Issa best friend episodes are a standout. The two rile each other up quite often, which lead to some very funny but oftentimes heartfelt moments. Thiele brings a Dan Levy-ness to certain facial expressions for Anton while also creating a character wholly memorable in its own right. Rao balances such a fine edge with Issa, who’s energy could almost be too broad; however, Rao finds the heart of Issa in nearly every episode, showcasing her insecurities and love through even the smallest details.

Getting by on charm

That friendship will be put to the test if Adults gets a season two. Let’s hope so because one of the wonderful things about Adults Season 1 is the increasingly growing chemistry between Anton and Paul Baker. Innanen’s Paul Baker is instantly likable, even if it’s perfectly clear Innanen gets by on mostly charm, but damn is Paul Baker charming. He’s a sexually fluid all-around nice guy who everyone loves for his easy-going attitude. His and Issa’s relationship is a lot of fun, but that doesn’t stop the slow burn between Anton and Paul Baker from happening somewhat in the background, until it’s not.

The gradual connection between Anton and Paul Baker is one of the show’s more well-done stories. The season’s twist ending is well-earned in that regard, especially on a rewatch. But other aspects of the show feel less fleshed out. The one duo that gets the least screen time is Billie and Issa, as the only two women in the main cast, it’s disappointing.

Group work

But the episodes in Adults Season 1 where they’re all together hit the hardest, where everyone can play off everyone. “Spit Roast” and “Roast Chicken” work so well because of this aspect. The first one takes place in a hospital, confining them all in a very serious place to invoke very unserious shenanigans upon the older adults at their jobs.

“Roast Chicken” is a house party episode, wherein Billie invites her former English teacher (played by a hilarious Charlie Cox) whom she’s now dating over for an adult dinner party. These episodes, particularly the latter one, let everyone bring their strengths to the table. It’s also where the show starts to hit its stride. The pilot episode has its moments, but “Spit Roast,” the second episode, really makes the case for this show early on in the runtime.

Let them cook

However, Adults Season 1 is missing one crucial thing — time. It’s not solely the show’s fault; at some point, eight episodes became the industry-standard length for a season of a streaming show. Some shows make it work, but something like Adults Season 1 needs more episodes. The cast do a fantastic job bringing these characters to life, but there’s simply not enough time to truly get to know these characters.

With great performances and some truly fantastic episodes, Adults Season 1 could be the next Friends, but it needs room to breathe, and to grow up a bit. Despite the title, these mid-twenties-somethings have a lot of growing up to do, but without the room to showcase what the show is truly capable of, the characters might start to feel too broadly drawn. They have their nuances and their quirks, but without the time to let them feel truly lived-in, Adults won’t have the longevity to become a classic, despite having all the makings of one.

Adults Season 1 is available to stream on Hulu

Katey Stoetzel

Katey is co-founder and tv editor for InBetweenDrafts. She hosts the “House of the Dragon After Show” and “Between TV” podcasts and can be read in various other places like Inverse and Screen Speck. She wishes desperately the binge model of tv watching would die, but still gets mad when she runs out of episodes of tv to watch.