Mindy Kaling’s Gen Z “Friends” attempt falls flat

Hulu’s new comedy “Not Suitable for Work,” starring Mindy Kaling’s tried-and-true formula for young-adult mishaps, aims to recreate the cozy escape of “Friends” for Gen Z. But an uneven structure, overlong episodes, and thin plots leave the promise mostly unfu

A new wave of sitcoms keeps trying to claim the “Friends” throne: the same premise of twentysomethings hanging out. the same hope that warm chemistry can carry the laughs. Mindy Kaling’s latest effort. “Not Suitable for Work. ” lands that familiar promise on a very specific target—Gen Z in New York City—and asks whether anyone can make that world feel carefree instead of curated.

Streaming Tuesdays on Hulu. “Not Suitable for Work” arrives with a breezy pitch and a glow-first cast. but early episodes show it struggling to match its ambition. The series, rated ★★½ out of four, is a worthy, amusing attempt to capture a less-cynical view of Generation Z. Yet in its current form, it holds itself back, and the gap between potential and payoff becomes hard to ignore.

Kaling. who has found major success both on-screen and behind the scenes. has built a track record of comedies about young people scrambling through life. She previously shaped Netflix’s “Never Have I Ever” around Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan). then moved to HBO Max with “Sex Lives of College Girls.” “Not Suitable for Work” follows a similar instinct—make the 20-somethings the center of the chaos—but it grows up a bit. shifting to New York City living across the hall from each other in too-nice apartments and trying to figure out what they want from love lives and careers.

The show leans into a sunnier version of Gen Z’s reality. In the world of “Not Suitable for Work,” the 1990s feel closer than the headlines. Where the 2020s. and especially Gen Z’s coming of age during a global pandemic. are often framed by misery and world crises. this sitcom treats the COVID-19 pandemic as “simply one more roadblock” on the path to hooking up. Even if part of the world is burning down, the characters keep believing theirs is still an open door.

That optimism plays out across the ensemble: Abby (Avantika). an aspiring celebrity stylist with an acerbic glare who sees fashion as art; AJ (Ella Hunt). the bubbliest and klutziest investment banker Wall Street has ever seen; Josh (Jack Martin). a nepo baby determined to prove himself as a broadcast journalist; Davis (Will Angus). a socially awkward investment banker who takes the “bro” out of finance; and Kel (Nicholas Duvernay). who gives up the med school dreams of his parents to pursue a career in acting.

Their lives tangle quickly. especially once the across-the-hall setup turns crushes and interpersonal drama into a revolving door of enemies and frenemies. Davis starts mooning over AJ. and AJ spends her time worrying she’s accidentally pissed off the firm’s big boss—played by Jay Ellis of “Insecure” and “Top Gun: Maverick. ” who lords over the children with millennial wisdom. Kel, meanwhile, has his eyes on Abby. Josh is recently dumped—and even his initial animosity toward AJ sets the stage for the show’s expectation that sparks could turn into something hotter.

Anyone familiar with Kaling’s previous work can see where the stories are heading. The five actors fit her style. and the dialogue moves with her recognizable speed: slightly corny insults. flung fast and bright. Hunt and Martin are positioned early as the Ross and Rachel-style leads. but the ensemble remains mostly well-balanced through the first season.

Still, the biggest problem isn’t the cast or the tone. It’s the shape of the series itself. Episodes run around 35 minutes, and there are only nine episodes to work with. That combination leaves the season with too little room to let characters fully land, while each installment risks dragging. It’s a problem “Friends” never had—not because it didn’t have silly moments like the time Monica stuck a turkey on her head. but because the audience had time to care about Monica first.

The show wants to sell a version of Gen Z adulthood where career passion wins and economic caution gets tossed aside. Yet the emphasis cuts against that fantasy in a way that feels difficult to explain away. Two members of the group work in finance, and one is the son of a media CEO. In 2026’s economy. the series can’t make the math disappear—especially when the apartments in New York City are “nice” enough to require someone in a suit and tie paying rent.

There’s a quieter contradiction too: the show’s innocence and sunny Gen Z energy is genuinely likable. but it reads as unrealistic against a backdrop that still exists outside the frame. The plots stay light. and the result is a kind of charm that can’t fully hide that the world it offers feels curated rather than lived.

“Not Suitable for Work” ends up feeling like a familiar Gen Z snack—sweet and fun with an easy crunch. but too much once the pacing and sameness pile on. Shorter episodes, punchier jokes, and relief from the characters’ repetitive energy could turn that sweetness into something sturdier. Right now, though, the show risks giving viewers a stomachache instead of the comfort it’s aiming for.

Mindy Kaling Not Suitable for Work Hulu Gen Z comedy Friends style sitcom Ella Hunt Avantika Jack Martin Will Angus Nicholas Duvernay Jay Ellis Gigi Hadid cameo streaming Tuesdays TV reviews