HBO releases “Youth,” a London-set comedy starring and written by Sharon Horgan that follows a woman in her 50s navigating a midlife crisis as she tries to restart her love life. Across reviews, the series is described as frank about aging and personal reinvention, pairing steady comedy with emotional beats.
The show centers on a divorcee managing multiple responsibilities at once: a challenging career, a troubled son, and aging parents. Reviewers also highlight performances from supporting cast members, including Rupert Friend and Aran Murphy, and note that Horgan’s writing and comedic voice shape the series’ focus on what people may feel they must give up with age.
While outlets differ in how they characterize the series’ tone and structure, they largely converge on similar themes. IndieWire and Mashable describe the comedy as familiar in its general premise yet refreshing in its specific insights, with Mashable calling it messy and moving. The Hollywood Reporter characterizes the portrait of midlife as fun, frisky, and bracingly honest, emphasizing both humor and candor.
