Sitcoms Are So Back

Student tuning in to the latest season of “Adults.” Photo by Bella Loiacono '27

As the older side of Gen Z enters adulthood, sitcom series that depict the roller coaster ride of your early 20s like “Adults” and “Overcompensating” have blown up in popularity. Comforting in its chaos and humor, these series have given viewers the opportunity to finally see an accurate portrayal of early adulthood in the absurdity of the current day.

The highly anticipated second season of “Adults” came out on Aug. 27, and with a 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes it has been ranked as one of the most popular series of the year. From timely references and jokes to realistic and believable costume designs, a new era of sitcoms has arrived and is taking Gen Z by storm.

The series follows a friend group of 20-somethings, Issa, Paul Baker, Samir, Anton and Billie, living together in Samir’s childhood home in Queens to avoid paying rent. Each episode is structured like a classic sitcom, showing the chaos of their everyday lives as they tackle new jobs, relationships and the overall confusion of becoming an adult at an age when you may still feel like a kid.

“I think it leans into the Gen Z stereotypes in the funniest and most natural way possible,” said Jasmin Arias López ‘27. “It’s relatable and accurate to what people our age are worried about, like jobs, health, real adult responsibilities that we keep pushing away to prevent the inevitable of growing up.”

Another recently released sitcom, “Overcompensating,” was also a massive success during the summer of 2025. It follows the life of college freshman Benny as he struggles with accepting his sexuality amid the suffocation of family expectations and frat culture. The series was written, produced and starred in by Benito Skinner, who modeled the show after his own experiences in college. With a second season on the way later in 2026, viewers are promised a wild season by Skinner himself. 

In an interview with People Magazine, he said, “We’re not censored in Season 2 at all. I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe my parents will see it.’”

Through the popularity of these series, it is evident that this is the kind of entertainment that has been missing for years. Growing up with “Good Luck Charlie” and “Shake It Up” with actors in their 20s portraying characters as young as freshmen in high school, Gen Z has been set up with a totally unrealistic idea of what growing up looks like. With the introduction of series marketed toward Gen Z with characters their age, it is refreshing to watch a show with characters experiencing relatable issues and anxieties about the future.

Though more dated sitcoms such as “Friends” and “Seinfeld” still serve as family-night classics and background noise for a college house living room, they have lost their relatability and relevance over the years.

“I find myself preferring shows like ‘Adults’ and ‘Overcompensating,’” said Katie Ewald ‘27. “They’re more relatable and provide a current representation of young people through their characters.”

Then, of course, is “New Girl,” the middle child of the previously mentioned shows. Having aired in 2011 and ended in 2018, it is a bit more relevant in pop culture and timely in its humor, but still lacks the age range and daily life issues that Gen Z can relate to. Many fans of both series have even gone as far as to refer to “Adults” as the Gen Z version of millennials’ “New Girl,” seeing as they have a similar main plotline of a group of friends who live together and sometimes date each other.

“Adults” further resonated with fans for its focus on the importance of friendship as opposed to love, seeing as the pressure to find someone and fall in love often increases during the inevitable crisis of entering your 20s. The characters’ unstable romantic relationships but strong friendships are a comforting reminder that while romantic love can be difficult to find, platonic love should not be diminished in value.

Though “Adults” has not officially been renewed for a third season, it will definitely be in high demand from fans who want to see what its charmingly dysfunctional friend group will get into next.