THE STORY – A 50-year-old divorcee juggles dating life while taking care of her parents and adult son.
THE CAST – Sharon Horgan, Scarlett Rayner, Nadia Parkes, Aran Murphy, Sharlene Whyte
THE TEAM – Sharon Horgan (Writer & Showrunner)
Sharon Horgan has long proven herself to be a masterful auteur of refreshingly honest portraits of life and all its hilarious misfortunes. From “Catastrophe” to “Bad Sisters,” Horgan consistently blends her distinctive comedic voice with stories of life’s high stakes. It’s no surprise that with “Youth,” her newest endeavor on HBO, she once again turns the indignities of aging into something sharp, complex, and deeply funny. Through her signature wit, richly drawn characters, and meticulous world-building, Horgan makes growing older without grace feel like something we should all be watching.
Horgan plays Alex, a middle-aged divorcee with aging parents and a son, Ruari, played by Aran Murphy (a clear descendant of his father, Cillian), who’s about to graduate high school but has no idea what he wants to do with his life. But that’s okay; Alex doesn’t really know yet either, even in her 50s. She’s a literary agent, dealing with difficult clients and her BFF boss (played by a warmly funny Sharlene Whyte) who doesn’t really give her the respect she doesn’t necessarily deserve. She also has her eccentric ex, played by Owen McDonnell – a deadbeat dad who pops up at the worst possible times. In and out of her life are men of various ages, with Alex testing the waters of how young (or old) she really wants to feel by dipping her toes in the dating pool. Two of the mainstays are Rupert Friend, playing her on-again-off-again younger lover with delightful Irish charm, and Tim McInnerny, a man more seasoned – and stable – than Alex in life and relationships.
Alex’s increasing concern with aging is met with both fear of the unknown and jealousy of the past. She wears clothes that invoke a 20-year-old’s streetwear style while dealing with her dad’s inability to figure out how to work a podcast. She still deals with awkward encounters with strangers (some of the series’ best laugh-out-loud moments), while trying to remain the guiding light for her son. It’s a bitingly funny look at a transitional phase of life, someone stuck in the middle while not knowing which way to go.
Because Horgan writes for herself, she knows her strengths well. She fully embodies Alex and all her hilarious antics, making herself the center of the series. She’s skillfully gifted at playing authentically flawed women who are way funnier than anyone you personally know. For her son, she cast another Irishman: newcomer Aran Murphy. If you take one look at the kid, you’ll have no doubt of his lineage; he is a dead ringer for his Oscar-winning father, Cillian, in both looks and mannerisms. Aran also has that same natural ability to seem apathetic about what he’s doing, and it’s perfect for the role of Ruari. He’s going through a pivotal time in his life, just turning 18 and off to college, but doesn’t deal with the changes so well. He panics after some awkward encounters at school, returning to his mom, who attempts to figure out what’s wrong and inevitably tries to solve it. Their relationship grounds the series, and Horgan and Murphy’s familial chemistry works extremely well. Hopefully soon enough, and with no thanks to this critic’s previous mentions, Murphy is able to separate his talents from his famous father’s and stand on his own, which he’s well on his way to doing.
The series leans heavily on Alex’s relationships with her friends and family, elevated by Sharon Horgan’s signature talent for assembling a flawless cast. Sharlene Whyte balances this dynamic beautifully as Sam, artfully walking the line between authority figure and best friend while serving as a relationship north star Alex so desperately needs. Rupert Friend and Horgan are drawn together, and anytime he’s not on screen you’ll find yourself missing his presence. Alex’s parents are used mainly for comedic bits (which always land), but also provide a layered look at the blessing and curse of aging with your parents. While everything’s funny on the surface, it’s also a little sad, and those moments of pause and reflection are the most gripping. As with most Horgan productions, the script is tight, with each moment serving a purpose. It’s one of her strengths, but one may wish for more comedic opportunities in this tight eight-episode series. There are also a few flashy moments in direction, but nothing consistent enough to make it a standout of the year.
As the series builds and ventures outside of London, the stakes get higher and more interesting for Alex and her crew. A particular episode toward the end of the season, set in Ibiza, is the series’s highlight, building momentum and empathy for our protagonist. You have to suspend reality in a few moments, mainly the inability of Alex’s friends to separate her exes from their group, but by the season’s end, it’s hard not to be invested in and root for Alex in all her adversity.
It’s simple in concept, full of hysterical misfortunes, and layered with Horgan’s signature wit. The series is intriguing enough, if not a bit slow at the start, but each episode does a fine job of compounding interest on the last, building stakes and character development so it’s hard to turn away. With sharp humor and biting commentary on how life never really goes the way you want, Horgan brings together generations of struggles – from Gen Z’s transition into adulthood to Gen X’s daily annoyances and erosion of youth; she dares to ask the question, “When did it all stop being fun?” Youth may be wasted on the young, but that doesn’t stop Horgan from stealing all the fun back for herself. It’s a show that, while not one you’d likely consider your favorite, you’ll binge in one sitting.
THE GOOD – Sharon Horgan’s authentic wit and humor lend to sharp writing and strong character development. The series is well cast and well acted.
THE BAD – It takes a while to get going, and some episodes could use more comedy from its talented cast.
THE EMMY PROSPECTS – Outstanding Comedic Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
THE FINAL SCORE – 7/10
