Mindy Kaling’s new series, Not Suitable For Work, breathes new life into the sitcom formula. The series follows a group of 20-somethings adjusting to adult life and jobs in New York City. What differentiates Not Suitable for Work from other workplace comedies is their proximity as neighbors in the same building.
The series premiered on June 2 with three episodes and airs weekly on Tuesday on Hulu. The first episode introduces everyone’s career goals and current standing: AJ (Ella Hunt, Dickinson) hopes to hit the ground running at her finance job, which Davis (Will Angus, Almost Friday TV) coincidentally works at; Abby (Avantika Vandanapu, Senior Year) bends the strict rules set by her famous fashion designer boss, Vanessa Hsu (Constance Wu, Beef); Josh (Jack Martin, La Brea) uses his father’s influence to work with his idol Wes Dryden (Victor Garber, Legends of Tomorrow); and Kel (Nicholas Duvernay, Reminders of Him) struggles to balance his dream of being an actor with med school.
Not Suitable For Work differs from other workplace sitcoms with its depiction of jobs that suit each of the characters, instead of throwing them all together for the sake of the show. Abby, Josh, and Kel have less realistic jobs that still feel grounded due to the focus on character interactions rather than the job itself.
The cast feels very comfortable in their characters, playing ridiculous situations completely straight to allow the jokes to shine. Will Angus delivers one of the most magnetic performances and is completely convincing as Davis, who arguably is the most ridiculous of the main ensemble.
While there were a few connections between the episodes, these are mostly singular stories told within the runtime. In an age where streaming forces television shows to stretch one narrative over a whole season, Not Suitable For Work’s episodic style provides audiences with a more bite-sized viewing experience.
The writing of each episode relies on the characters to drive the plot, rather than having things just happen to them. This allows for silly antics that feel feasible for this group of people. For example, Davis risking an allergic reaction because he doesn’t want to offend AJ is far-fetched but believable due to his choices as a character.
Mindy Kaling and Charlie Grandy are the writers responsible for the three-episode premiere, including perfect punchlines that were laugh-out-loud funny. With more writers taking on the rest of the season, new perspectives may keep up the momentum.
