Any sitcom that focuses on young people in New York is going to get comparisons because of the cultural institutions (Friends, New Girl, Seinfeld) that defined the genre before it. Therefore, it’s no surprise that Not Suitable For Work, the latest project from Mindy Kaling, is already drawing parallels from critics. It follows five twenty-somethings focused on achieving career success and finding time for personal happiness in Manhattan’s Murray Hill neighbourhood, and wastes no time throwing everything at the wall. Someone gets dumped, someone quits medical school, a flat catches fire, and that’s just the opening episode.
A key component of a successful sitcom is its cast, and luckily, for this show, they are all predominantly pretty likeable. Davis (Will Angus) is entertainingly full on, and Kel (Nicholas Duvernay)’s dilemma between medicine and acting gives the show some real heart. Josh (Jack Martin), a TV journalism-obsessed nepo baby, could easily become a fan favourite with the right character arc, and the duo of Abby (Avantika) and AJ (Ella Hunt) also offer a lot to the group dynamic. Importantly, the chemistry between the ensemble feels natural from the off, which, for a hangout show, can make or break the show.
The main problem for me is structural: nine episodes, ranging from 30 to 45 minutes, feel like the wrong shape for what this show is trying to be. The hangout sitcoms it’s clearly inspired by didn’t build their worlds in nine episodes. They built them across twenty-plus episodes a season, where the characters had room to become genuinely familiar, where running jokes had time to develop and where you actually started to feel like you lived with these people. I think more episodes at a shorter length would have served the show far better. Give us eighteen tight, punchy half-hours, and suddenly this cast and these characters have the space to really breathe.
As it stands, just as the show starts finding its rhythm, the season is nearly over. This is a common problem for many new sitcoms; the inevitable comparisons are drawn and often written off before they even have a chance to grow. The Paper jumps to mind as another recent one. It’s a shame, because the ingredients are mostly there. Kaling’s experienced eye for ensemble comedy is clear throughout, and there’s plenty to suggest the show has plenty more to give. It’s warm, it’s easy to watch, and on its best days, it has exactly the kind of low-stakes, grab-a-blanket energy that makes hangout comedies rewatchable.
Not Suitable For Work is not quite appointment television yet, but the potential is clearly there. If a second season rethinks its episode structure and gives these characters more room to actually exist together, then this could genuinely develop into something special. For now, though, it’s a perfectly enjoyable watch. It’s a show that knows exactly what it wants to be, but hasn’t quite had the chance to get there yet.
★★★
Streaming on Hulu and Disney+ from June 2nd / Ella Hunt, Avantika, Will Angus, Jack Martin, Nicolas Duvernay, Jay Ellis / Created by Mindy Kaling / Showrunner: Charlie Grandy / Hulu
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