Adults TV series highlights shift toward ensemble comedy

The FX series ‘Adults’ has released its second season, marking a shift in the comedy genre toward ensemble comedy series rather than traditional sitcoms. Unlike classic sitcoms like ‘Friends’ or ‘Modern Family’ that utilize recurring leads and multiple subplots, ‘Adults’ focuses on a large group of main characters and follows a more streamlined structure with fewer side plots.

The show explores the post-graduate lives of a Gen Z-coded friend group, including characters Issa, Billie, Paul Baker, Anton, and Samir. The series emphasizes themes of career growth, relationships, and found family. While the show features shorter seasons of approximately eight episodes, the episodes themselves run longer than traditional sitcom formats.

Observers note that this format change reflects shifting viewer habits and attention spans. While traditional sitcom seasons might require several hours of viewing, the condensed but longer-form nature of modern ensemble comedies aims to accommodate contemporary media consumption patterns.