FX’s Adults is growing its audience instead of losing it. The streamer just revealed that Season 2 of the comedy grew its viewership more than 40% over Season 1, according to Disney’s internal streaming data. The gains come from both the U.S. and internationally, with international viewership doubling off a small base.
The show follows five friends who crash together in Samir’s childhood home, a setup that lets the series look at the wins, losses and humiliations of being in your twenties. Malik Elassal plays Samir, Lucy Freyer plays Billie, Jack Innanen plays Paul Baker, Amita Rao plays Issa and Owen Thiele plays Anton.
The Numbers Behind the Growth
The data covers the first 12 days of Season 2’s release on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally. Both seasons arrived as full drops, not weekly episodes. The linear ratings on FX/FXX are very small, with most viewing coming from streaming.
Here is how the numbers break down:
| Metric | Season 2 vs. Season 1 |
|---|---|
| U.S. audience growth | 30%+ |
| International growth | +100% |
| Total growth | 40%+ |
| Critics score increase | 30% to 100% |
The critics score started at 77% for Season 1 and rose to 100%. The show’s Tomatoes score rose 30 points, from 77% to 100%, matching the audience growth almost exactly.
What Changed for Season 2
One major factor was a prequel episode released early. Marathon Day, a standalone episode set before the main story, dropped a month before Season 2. It drove viewership for Season 1, which has been up 50% since the July 31 debut.
The episode worked because it gave fans a reason to return before the new season arrived. That jump in Season 1 viewership then carried forward into Season 2.
Why the Show Is Outperforming Its Peers
Most streaming series see a sophomore slump. Adults is doing the opposite. According to sources, Adults has performed better than a similar comedy about young New York professionals living together, which Hulu canceled after one season. The comparison is direct: both shows followed the same basic idea, but Adults kept going and grew its audience instead of shrinking it.
The Creative Team Behind the Show
Kronengold and Shaw created the series. The show is executive produced by Nick Kroll, Sarah Naftalis, Jonathan Krisel, Alicia Van Couvering and Rob Rosell, along with the creators themselves.
The production company is FX Productions.
What the Critical Score Says
The critics score matched the audience growth almost exactly. The show’s Tomatoes score rose 30 points, from 77% to 100%.
The show’s premise is simple: five friends living together in a childhood home. The execution, by all accounts, is not.
How the Show Stacks Up Against Its Competition
The comparison to the canceled comedy shows how tight the streaming landscape has become. Here is the record so far:
- Adults grew its audience 40%+ in Season 2.
- Adults’s international viewership doubled.
- The show’s Tomatoes score rose 30 points.
- Hulu canceled the similar comedy after one season.
What Comes Next for Adults
The show has found a formula that works. The early release of Marathon Day proved a smart strategic move. The audience responded immediately, and the numbers have held steady through the first 12 days of Season 2.
For now, the show is winning the sophomore slump game. It is a rare thing in streaming, and the numbers back it up.
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