Youth Packs Its Half-Hour With Too Many Problems

The show follows a single working mom named Alex who manages multiple responsibilities at once. It makes a joke of never letting up with that balancing act. By the middle of its first season, Youth has brought in a cast of interesting characters and plot threads, and it tries to check in on as many of them as its half-hour slot permits. The show keeps adding problems one atop another until Alex can scarcely catch her breath.

Sam and Alex’s Working Relationship Stumbles

At the center of Youth sits Alex’s relationship with Sam, the owner of the publishing house Goblin Seed. At first, the two appeared to be working together as co-conspirators rather than simply as colleagues. As the company’s success grew, however, it started to push them apart. Just last week, Sam treated Alex like an employee for the very first time. This week, Alex requests to be treated like a partner during a meeting with a client who happens to be a psychologist named Rachel Lash, played by Vivienne Acheampong.

Sam uses his position to pull rank on Alex in front of the staff, then turns right around and asks her for help mocking Frank’s bartending staff. That sequence alone makes the meeting worth watching. The trouble is that Alex treats the meeting as an impromptu therapy session instead of keeping her personal feelings out of it. She could have waited for a more private moment to work through her issues. This week, Alex’s insecurities got in the way of the meeting with Rachel, and she shot Sam a death glare before letting them take over.

Wedding anniversary invitations and Sunday calls in Ibiza make it hard to tell where friendship ends and workplace friction begins. Alex has not always been professional, and Sam tends to take every chance she gets to remind her of that. Sharon Horgan plays Alex with faults that still win audiences over, and Alex does seem to do well at her work most of the time. Goblin Seed is one call that went wrong, but it only appears that way now, looking back.

Michael Man Returns as Surrogate Dad

Alex has gotten Michael back, the man she refers to as either “Old Michael” or “Michael Man,”. He returned after her disappointing encounter with Patrick. She does not genuinely want to be with him, yet his eagerness and understanding are so pronounced that she convinces herself she can skip the honeymoon period and move straight into a marriage without physical intimacy.

Dawn Shadforth directs Alex through the obstacle course she builds with her own family, who serve as human shields and diversions meant to stop Michael from getting even a kiss. Once more, Horgan works his magic of making us feel for these people despite their selfish actions. Michael himself admits that he is the last person on earth who could be considered free.

Ruairi’s Search for a Real Dad

Ruairi, Alex’s son, is working at Frank’s bar and still hoping his dad will eventually be a dad to him. When Bridget shows up at the bar with Mia and some friends, he approaches her and softly pleads with her to clear things up so that he isn’t known as “the pervert, hands-down-the-pants guy.” She doesn’t want to be defined by what happened either, but Mia pulls her away before she can say anything else.

The series introduces fresh characters and growing troubles without making plain how much space there is to hold them all at once.

The Review’s View on Youth

The running joke is that every episode of Youth is stuffed with so much plot that Alex’s personal crises barely have room to breathe, which is exactly the show’s own comedic thesis is the punchline. The show introduces a group of interesting characters and storylines, and it tries to check in on as many of them as its half-hour runtime permits. Some of those characters remain underdeveloped, and some of those dynamics have yet to be fully fleshed out.

It makes sense that a fresh comedy would still be finding its footing, especially one that has barely reached the middle of its first season. A phrase that keeps returning to mind comes from stories about single working mothers, where having it all is described as difficult, if not impossible.

Key Episodes Watched

What We Know So Far

• Show: Youth
• Season: First season, halfway through
• Main character: Alex, a single working mom played by Sharon Horgan
• Key characters: Sam, Rachel Lash, Michael Man, Ruairi, Patrick, Cara, Bridget, Mia
• Episode reviewed: “House Party”
• Running time: Half-hour episodes

The series is delivering on its promise by filling a half-hour with as many issues as possible. It is still figuring out how to use some of its supporting players, but the main drive — Alex juggling work, family, and romance — is running smoothly.

See the video the story is built around at The A.V. Club.

comedy · Peacock · Sharon Horgan · TV Review · Youth