Every episode of 'Younger' is a delightful, lit-themed mini rom-com
Calling all television lovers — the young, the old, and those lying about their actual ages — Younger is the most delightful damn show on the planet, and no one can tell me any different.
The TV Land comedy, which stars Sutton Foster and Hilary Duff as two up-and-coming women in the book publishing industry, first aired in 2015. It's managed to turn up the charm season after season.
Amid the colorful title screens, overly perfect transition shots of New York City, and fresh fashion, all the lies, quirky/complex characters, sexy romances, and weird AF plot lines will genuinely make your jaw drop.
It's the ultimate feel-good television show, and if you're sleeping on it, it's time to wake the hell up.
The series is from Darren Star, creator of Sex and the City, and it's based off the book by the same title by author Pamela Redmond Satran. The show follows 40-year-old Liza Miller (Foster) who, after realizing her age is working against her in the professional world, sets out recreate her image and pass herself off as a 26-year-old.
After getting highlights, updating her wardrobe, and learning some essential new slang, the single mom reclaims her youth well enough to fool everyone around her and score a job as an assistant. But keeping up the ruse while navigating her new world — filled with a demanding boss (Miriam Shor), a 20-something co-worker Kelsey (Duff), a young tattoo artist named Josh (Nico Tortorella), and an actual-age-appropriate boss, Charles (Peter Hermann) — isn't as easy as she imagined.
Younger is about to embark on its fifth season, and it was just picked up for a sixth. Here are some reasons you need to check out the show ASAP.
It gets the generation gap
What sets Younger apart is its amazing ability to capture generational gaps — both in and out of the workplace.
In Liza's personal life, she's constantly juggling relationships with old friends who know her as a suburban mom, and the new crowd who know her as a lively Brooklynite. In the professional world, once Liza lies her way into an assistant job at Empirical Publishing House, she struggles to adjust to the updated marketing approaches and tech-savvy way of working, all while literally co-running an imprint for twentysomethings called Millennial Print.
Watching Liza search the web to find out how to set up a Twitter account for Jane Austen made me laugh out loud. It also made me think about the fact that for those who didn't grow up spending close to 24/7 glued to their devices, this isn't at all an absurd setback to experience.
As Liza's character progresses, she learns about "going viral," using emoji, sexting, memes, and even how to keep up with the latest bikini wax trends — things I've had my own mother ask me about on more than one occasion. The show does a remarkable job of capturing what it's like to feel out of place — for both older people trying to fit in with a younger crowd, and younger people trying to prove themselves in the workplace.
It pokes fun at our undeniable social media obsessions
One of my favorite things about Younger is how it celebrates the importance of physical books and the persistence of the publishing industry in a digital world. But while keepin' it old-school, Younger also absolutely nails the social media obsession shared by companies, brands, and individuals as they try to stay relevant and impress audiences.
It might seem like Liza and the crew brainstorm hashtags and Twitter campaigns, pose for Instagram photos, and talk about dating apps much more openly and frequently than characters on other shows, but you know what? THAT'S REAL LIFE.
Younger doesn't shy away from the IRL addiction to phones, tablets, and social media presence, and takes things a step further by highlighting their necessity in the workplace. I mean, Empirical put Jane Austen on Match.com, for goodness sake — both a completely foolish and incredibly smart thing to do in this day and age.
Younger doesn't play it safe
Though one might assume a show about a 40-year-old single mother working in book publishing would be a snooze-fest, let me assure you, it's anything but.
There's sex, drugs, the occasional affair, a bold parody of Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin, death by falling construction beam, and a creepy identical twin reveal — to name just a few plot points. The show has inspired an IRL adaptation of a book, Marriage Vacation, and (SPOILER ALERT) did we mention MATTHEW MORRISON F*CKS A DAMN SHEEP IN ONE EPISODE???!!!!!!!!!
As the show returns following the #MeToo movement, it's going to branch out and tackle some heavier topics. The show's creator has plans to revisit past plot lines through a new lens and address the behavior of some of his characters.
It's the perfect mental vacation
Every episode leaves you feeling like you just watched a mini literature-themed romantic comedy (the best kind), and that's what makes it PERFECT.
If you don't understand what I'm saying, watch this short film preview for Season 5 — which I have seen approximately 15 times already — and try to tell me this show isn't just the right amount of extra.
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Season 5 premieres on June 5. Catch up on past episodes of the show via TV Land and Hulu.
Nicole is a Senior Editor at Mashable. She primarily covers entertainment and digital culture trends, and in her free time she can be found watching TV, sending voice notes, or going viral on Twitter for admiring knitwear. You can follow her on Twitter @nicolemichele5.
