I have to admit, I am following the first season of Not Suitable for Work with a strange feeling. I wouldn’t call the show bad. There is a likable cast, a few good ideas, and occasional enjoyable moments. But I am still left with the impression that I had watched little more than a thread of a story. Very few characters truly interested me and, more importantly, I struggled to connect with them emotionally. Interestingly, after reading the international reviews, I realized I wasn’t alone.

Mindy Kaling‘s latest creation arrived with high expectations. Comparisons to Friends, New Girl, and even Girls were inevitable, but the consensus seems to be that the series still hasn’t found its own identity. Many critics praise the potential of the cast while pointing to the very things that bothered me most: underdeveloped characters and the feeling that the episodes unfold without a strong enough conflict to give the narrative emotional weight.

Variety was among the harshest voices, describing the series as an uninspired attempt to recreate the Friends formula. RogerEbert.com noted that the show rarely rises above clichés and that its protagonists are more interesting on paper than on screen. Time critic Judy Berman went even further, arguing that the characters feel like an outdated idea of what older generations think Gen Z is supposed to be.

And perhaps that is the central problem with Not Suitable for Work. We spend hours with these young adults, yet we still know very little about who they really are. There is a lack of vulnerability, a lack of complexity, and, above all, a lack of the emotional connection that makes viewers want to spend more time with them.

Another recurring criticism concerns the group dynamic. Friendship comedies live and die by the chemistry among their characters. In Friends, Happy Endings, or even New Girl, we believe those people would actually choose to spend time together. In Not Suitable for Work, that feeling has not fully materialized. The protagonists share scenes, but they do not always feel like they share a life.

Ironically, many critics highlighted the supporting cast as the most interesting part of the show. Constance Wu, Victor Garber, Jay Ellis, and Michael Benjamin Washington frequently steal scenes, to the point that some reviewers suggested following the adults might actually be more compelling than spending time with the five young leads.

The humor also emerged as one of the main criticisms. Although several reviewers acknowledged that the series improves as the season progresses, there is a widespread feeling that the jokes simply lack the consistency expected from this kind of show. The Guardian, for example, observed that the dialogue is surprisingly uninspired for a series created by someone with Mindy Kaling’s track record.

Not everything is negative, however. The young cast received nearly universal praise. Ella Hunt and Avantika were repeatedly singled out as standouts, while Will Angus manages to bring more to Davis than the script initially provides. The friendship among the male characters was also praised for presenting emotionally vulnerable men rather than relying on the stereotypes associated with the so-called manosphere.

New York itself is another element critics embraced. The use of real locations and the costumes designed by Gossip Girl veteran Eric Daman help create an atmosphere that many reviewers considered one of the series’ greatest strengths.

Behind the scenes, there are also some interesting details. The project originally had a different title. During development, it was known as Murray Hill before eventually becoming Not Suitable for Work. Mindy Kaling has explained that she sees the show as the third chapter in a sort of autobiographical trilogy. If Never Have I Ever reflected her teenage years and The Sex Lives of College Girls was inspired by her time in college, Not Suitable for Work is meant to revisit her twenties in New York.

The actors have also spoken about how filming led to genuine friendships off-screen, something they hope will translate into future seasons. There was even a minor controversy when an organization dedicated to food allergy awareness criticized an episode involving anaphylaxis, arguing that the series portrayed incorrect and potentially dangerous medical procedures.

In the end, the impression that remains is that there is a talented cast trapped inside a series that still hasn’t figured out exactly why it exists. The potential is certainly there. But for now, Not Suitable for Work seems more interested in reminding viewers of other shows than in establishing a personality of its own.

And perhaps that is why I finished the season with the same feeling shared by so many critics: after spending several hours with these characters, I’m still not entirely sure who they are — or why I should care so much about them.