Adults Season 2 Review: An Earth-Shatteringly Funny Installment That's Better Than The First

I will be the first to admit that I was worried about Adults season 2 not living up to the hype of its tremendous first outing, but I was wrong: it's uproariously funny, uncompromisingly sharp, and full of heart in a way that makes it even better than its debut. A smart Gen Z comedy that expects its viewers to be in on the joke, Adults revolves around a group of cohabitating friends who are struggling through their young adulthood together and trying to make sense of what being on your own is supposed to feel like, other than complete discomfort.

Starring Amita Rao as Issa, Lucy Freyer as Billie, Jack Innanen as Paul Baker, Owen Thiele as Anton, and Malik Elassal as Samir, Adults is truly an ensemble series, with every episode giving viewers different combinations of the group that always feel natural. The series has often been compared to Friends, and in a way, it is the modern answer to the '90s classic, consistently delivering on storylines that don't always feel like they should land, but manage to. Adults season 2, which drops all eight of its episodes on Thursday, August 27 on Hulu via FX, lands with purpose.

With messier stories, tremendous performances, a fascinating array of guest stars, and some of the most hilarious TV moments of the year, Adults season 2 builds on the first season's foundation in a way that feels natural and consistent, ensuring that the series locks in as a modern ensemble sitcom.

Adults Season 2's Greatest Strength Is Its Superb Ensemble​​​​​​

Throughout Adults season 2, the thing that shines the most brightly is the chemistry between the ensemble. While the jokes are pitch-perfect and the plot lines are consistently outdoing themselves to stay both grounded and up the ante, the thing that kept me locked in throughout were the relationships between the characters, individually and as a group. Adults season 1 spent its time giving viewers an understanding of who the characters were, both to us and to each other, while season 2 makes sure those dynamics are both solidified and always expanding. Adults' cast works cohesively to manage both.

In order to buy into Adults, viewers have to believe this group of people love each other enough to stick their necks out for one another, but also consistently sabotage each other. The cast's performances bring a level of authenticity into even the most absurd storylines, making each of their friendships feel unique and grounded throughout the consistently escalating season. As their feelings continue to shift and grow, especially in the relationships that veer more romantic than platonic, like Issa and Paul Baker, the level of nuance that's brought into their connections makes Adults feel lived-in, regardless of conflict level.

Adults season 2's biggest surprise is in the fact that though its first outing established the dynamics at play, the plates beneath the surface are continuing to shift around. There's never a true status quo, leaving everyone on an even playing field from episode to episode. Whether episodes are more focused on an Anton story or a Billie plot, Adults uses each of its characters and their connections to its advantage, which allows even their more out-there plots to land in a way that feels both messy and purposeful.

Adults Season 2 Ups The Ante With Bolder Plots & Well-Placed Guest Stars

While Adults season 1 was able to ground the series by giving viewers the lay of the land, season 2 works to up the ante in a few different ways. Throughout Adults season 2, viewers see the core characters weaving their way through their own stories from episode to episode, fumbling through the hilarious and mundane trials of adulthood, but the stakes are always rising. Each episode lays out a fairly simple premise, but by the end of the episode, the pressure has been cranked up to 1000, and the characters are usually in entirely different situations than when things started out.

The series uses classic sitcom conventions (episode 4, "Raccoon", is the best modern take on a bottle episode I think I've ever seen) and peppers iconic guest stars throughout the season, but it never overplays its hand in a way that feels egregious. While Adults has clearly been able to benefit from the fact that its first season was a success, the second season never feels like it's overly advantageous. Instead, the work speaks for itself, with fast-paced stories and incredibly timed jokes that feel like the most natural thing in the world. Adults season 2 is a true must-watch.

Adults season 2 drops all 8 episodes on Hulu on Thursday, August 27, with weekly episodes airing on FXX.

Release Date August 27, 2026

Episodes 8