Is Hulu’s ‘Not Suitable for Work’ the Gen Z Answer to ‘Friends’ Everyone Wanted

The moment Hulu dropped the first three episodes of ‘Not Suitable for Work‘ on June 2, critics and audiences alike had one name on their lips, and it wasn’t the show’s own. Mindy Kaling’s nine-episode comedy centers on five friends who live in an apartment in a New York neighborhood, a setup so familiar it practically comes with a fountain and a theme song. The ‘Friends‘ comparisons started before the premiere even landed, and they have not let up since.

Created and executive produced by Kaling, ‘Not Suitable for Work’ follows five ambitious twenty-somethings navigating careers, friendships, romance, and personal challenges in Manhattan’s Murray Hill neighborhood. Hulu’s comedy is Kaling’s first show with sole creator credit since ‘The Mindy Project,’ showrun by her longtime collaborator Charlie Grandy, and continues a progression from high school in ‘Never Have I Ever’ through college in ‘The Sex Lives of College Girls’ into the uncertain time after the diploma.

The ‘Friends’ Blueprint and How ‘Not Suitable for Work’ Follows It

Single, good-looking twenty-somethings renting two apartments across the hall in a posh Manhattan building who strike up friendships and romantic entanglements automatically evoke ‘Friends,’ and ‘Not Suitable for Work’ is inevitably triggering those comparisons, along with similar criticism the NBC sitcom faced about people in entry-level jobs being able to afford such expensive lodging.

AJ works long hours at an investment bank as a first-year associate with her neighbor Davis, and lives with aspiring celebrity stylist Abby. Davis rooms with his childhood friends Kel, who quits medical school in the premiere to pursue acting, and Josh, a journalist whose idealism does not extend to avoiding the use of his media CEO dad to land a job as a PA on a news show.

At the premiere, the stars acknowledged the similarities to ‘Friends’ directly, with Nicholas Duvernay comparing his character Kel Washington to Ross Geller, saying he’s very Ross-coded, and Jack Martin stating that his character Josh Teitelbaum is a little bit like Chandler. The cast’s self-awareness about leaning into that DNA is either charming or telling, depending on which side of the critical aisle you sit on.

Kaling attempts to deliver the generational voice that ‘Friends’ represented for twenty-somethings in the Nineties, as ‘New Girl’ did for Millennials, with an ensemble cast of Gen Z actors trying to capture the dialogue, energy, and voice of the newest twenty-somethings in New York City.

What Mindy Kaling Says About the Gen Z Sitcom Comparison

At the premiere of her latest show, Kaling addressed the similarities directly, replying that the comparison is the highest compliment and asking who wouldn’t want to be associated with ‘Friends.’ Main star Avantika, who plays Abby, added that ‘Friends’ is simply the GOAT.

Kaling revealed the new series is inspired by her own life, stating that ‘Never Have I Ever’ was about her time in high school, ‘The Sex Lives of College Girls’ was about her years at Dartmouth, and ‘Not Suitable for Work’ follows the last pivotal time in her youth, which was moving to New York City and being super ambitious.

Kaling also expressed genuine admiration for Gen Z, pushing back against the pejorative things often said about them and arguing that the ones she knows and has worked with are all workaholics who want to make up for the time lost during Covid. That warmth toward the generation being depicted is unmistakable in the show’s tone, even when critics argue that warmth tips into idealization.

The show was originally sold to Hulu under the title ‘Murray Hill,’ the Manhattan neighborhood where the central characters live, but the title was subsequently changed to ‘Not Suitable for Work’ at the suggestion of Warner Bros., with Kaling admitting she has never prided herself on coming up with good titles.

Where the Hulu Comedy Earns Its Comparisons and Where It Falls Short

One positive review argues that ‘Not Suitable for Work’ wears its influences openly without ever feeling derivative, and that what elevates it above its obvious reference points is its lack of a designated wild card, meaning all five leads feel genuinely compatible with one another, which opens up the romantic geometry considerably.

The Hollywood Reporter describes the show’s ensemble as broadly appealing, stuffed with fresh faces you might sorta recognize but who haven’t broken out big just yet, with a vibe that is reliably funny, lightly sweet, and generally chill. That accessibility is clearly part of the design, though critics disagree on whether it reads as comfort or laziness.

Variety’s review takes a sharper angle, arguing that the world hardly needs another ‘Friends’ photocopy and that the show never quite skewers its protagonists, raising the salience of their less admirable qualities just enough that viewers chafe at being asked to spend time with them, yet not enough to make self-awareness a load-bearing part of its disposition.

Time magazine’s critique cuts even deeper, describing the show as an older person’s idea of a show about young adults, with a cast that is relevant and scripts peppered with internet slang, but characters that bear so little resemblance to Gen Z that they might as well be at Central Perk in 1994.

The Cast, the Critics, and Whether a Second Season Is Coming

The ensemble cast features Ella Hunt, Avantika, Will Angus, Jack Martin, and Nicholas Duvernay, with a recurring cast that includes Victor Garber, Constance Wu, Jay Ellis, Ego Nwodim, and Judy Gold. Constance Wu’s performance as the tyrannical boss Vanessa has emerged as a standout across multiple reviews.

On Rotten Tomatoes, ‘Not Suitable for Work’ currently holds a 56 percent score, falling short of Kaling’s other recent successes, including ‘Never Have I Ever’ at 94 percent, ‘The Sex Lives of College Girls’ at 73 percent, and ‘Running Point’ at 84 percent. The mixed critical reception has not, however, dampened audience engagement on the platform.

Despite its polarizing reviews, the show has been consistently ranking high on Disney+ and Hulu’s Daily Top 10 in the United States, bolstering its chances for a Season 2 renewal. Kaling has also acknowledged that the Season 1 finale was informed in part by ‘Friends’ holiday episodes, nodding to just how consciously the DNA of that classic series runs through this one.

Whether ‘Not Suitable for Work’ ultimately carves out its own identity the way ‘New Girl’ and ‘Happy Endings’ did, or remains a conversation piece defined entirely by the show it’s chasing, is a question only more seasons can answer. What do you think: does ‘Not Suitable for Work’ earn its place as a worthy successor to ‘Friends,’ or is the comparison doing more harm than good for a show trying to find its own footing?