If you want better world-building
Choose DTF St. Louis. It scores 5.0 vs 2.5 for world-building, with a 4.3 overall score.
Adults, Season 2 Review
Bottom Line
Choose it for sharp ensemble comedy, stronger character arcs, and rewarding romantic payoffs. Skip it if you need a roomy season with slow-burn stories that get more than eight episodes to develop.
Best for
Best for viewers who want fast, character-driven hangout comedy with edgy jokes, strong ensemble chemistry, and emotionally sincere romance beneath the absurd setups.
Not for
Less suited to viewers who want a roomy long-season sitcom rhythm, strong New York location realism, or a finale built around the season's strongest premise.
Verdict
Season 2 is widely seen as the point where Adults becomes a confident hangout sitcom rather than a promising imitation of one. Reviewers repeatedly praise the ensemble chemistry, sharper joke writing, physical comedy, and deeper character work, with the Anton–Paul Baker arc and the Raccoon episode drawing particular enthusiasm. The cast is treated as a major strength, and several critics say the show now balances heart and absurdity naturally. The tradeoff is space: most reviewers think eight episodes leave romances, guest arcs, and low-stakes hangout time underdeveloped, and the HOA-centered finale drew some of the season’s weakest notices. Even so, the overall response is strongly positive, with unusually high interest in another season.
Feature Scorecards
Summary
58 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.045 (78%)
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Positive 3.5-4.46 (10%)
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Neutral 2.5-3.45 (9%)
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Negative 1.5-2.42 (3%)
Pros highlights
View all 51 pros-
This is the clearest point of agreement: the ensemble’s rapport, warmth, and ability to bounce off one another are repeatedly described as the show’s secret sauce.
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The core five are repeatedly described as having no weak link, with confident comic timing, natural interplay, and performances that make heightened stories feel lived-in.
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Appetite for more episodes is extremely strong, with repeated calls for Season 3 and, in some cases, several more seasons beyond it.
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Episode construction is a major strength, especially the real-time Raccoon countdown and other classic sitcom setups that escalate simple problems into layered ensemble chaos.
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Season 2 is widely praised for giving the ensemble clearer wants, more vulnerability, and deeper individual arcs, with Anton and Paul Baker receiving especially noticeable growth.
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The season’s heart registers alongside the jokes: breakups, vulnerability, and character growth can be unexpectedly moving and even tear-inducing.
Cons highlights
View all 7 cons-
Eight episodes are the season’s most repeated structural limitation, leaving less room for romance, side characters, and low-stakes hanging out. The counterpoint is that the tighter order keeps episodes focused.
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The broader season can feel rushed and slow at the same time: key romances could be seeded earlier, while the short run crowds story into the edges.
Cast & Creators
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Paul BakerInnanen brings easy affability and surprising flexibility to Paul Baker, shifting convincingly from soft-boy warmth to frat-bro energy. His chemistry with Owen Thiele helps make the central romance work.
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AntonThiele stands out for magnetism, emotional range, and the ability to move from anxiety or shame into sharp comedy almost instantly.
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IssaRao combines expressive physical comedy, high-energy charisma, and full commitment to material that could easily turn cringey. Her performance repeatedly turns awkwardness into one of the season’s biggest comic assets.
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SamirElassal gives Samir a wholesome sincerity and strong straight-man timing, making his overthinking feel both goofy and emotionally affecting.
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BillieFreyer balances awkward comedy with real emotion, carrying difficult cringe material while keeping Billie vulnerable and funny.
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CreatorKronengold’s comic rhythm is sharp, and his work with Rebecca Shaw gives the sexually fluid relationship dynamics unusual clarity without over-explaining them.
View all 58 feature scores and cast & creators
Compared With Category Average
Compared with other TV Shows, this product is above average in ethical sensitivity, CGI quality, sexual content level, near average in supporting cast performance, production design, below average in world-building, season finale quality, character consistency.
Comparison summary
58 compared features-
Above average 0.4+ pts higher46 (79%)
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Same as average within 0.3 pts6 (10%)
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Below average 0.4+ pts lower6 (10%)
Largest category differences
| Attribute | This product | Category average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| ethical sensitivity | 5.0 | 2.7 | +2.3 |
| CGI quality | 5.0 | 2.8 | +2.2 |
| sexual content level | 5.0 | 3.1 | +1.9 |
| episode length | 5.0 | 3.2 | +1.8 |
| world-building | 2.5 | 4.2 | -1.7 |
| dialogue quality | 5.0 | 3.4 | +1.6 |
| continuity | 5.0 | 3.4 | +1.6 |
| tone consistency | 5.0 | 3.4 | +1.6 |
Consider This Instead
If you want better character consistency
Choose Interview With the Vampire, Season 3. It scores 5.0 vs 2.0 for character consistency, with a 4.3 overall score.
If you want better costume design
Choose How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, Season 1. It scores 5.0 vs 3.5 for costume design, with a 4.4 overall score.
If you want better season finale quality
Choose Sterling Point. It scores 5.0 vs 2.8 for season finale quality, with a 4.5 overall score.
Compared in Reviews
Products reviewers directly compared with this model, grouped into quick takeaways.
- Worse: creature effects The reviewer says the sitcom's creature CGI looks better than Disclosure Day.
Friends
- Similar: episode structure The acid episode is framed as a modern twist on a classic Friends reveal structure.
- Worse: character pairing balance The reviewer prefers how Adults gives more combinations of friends meaningful moments.
New Girl
- Similar: housemate ensemble energy The show's single-household chaos and ensemble dynamics feel strongly similar to New Girl.
FAQ
Is Season 2 considered better than Season 1?
Most reviewers describe Season 2 as sharper, more confident, and better at character-driven comedy. Several explicitly call it an improvement, though one viewer thought Season 1 had more consistently great episodes.
What is the biggest strength of Season 2?
The ensemble chemistry is the most consistent strength. Reviewers repeatedly praise how naturally the five leads play off one another, with stronger writing and character growth reinforcing that rapport.
Is the Raccoon episode a standout?
Yes. Multiple reviewers single it out for its real-time countdown, bottle-episode structure, relationship tension, physical comedy, and inventive handling of a familiar drug-trip premise.
How important is the romance this season?
Romance becomes a major through-line, especially Anton and Paul Baker, while Issa and Paul Baker's breakup is praised for feeling mature and well written. The main criticism is that some romantic buildup arrives too late.
Are eight episodes enough?
Most reviewers say no, arguing that the short season compresses romances, guest arcs, and ordinary hangout time. One reviewer strongly disagrees and likes the focused eight-episode format.
How are the guest stars?
Mostly very well received. Zosia Mamet is singled out for an especially funny guest turn, while the broader cameo lineup is praised overall, though one critic found some appearances stronger than others.
Does Season 2 still feel authentically Gen Z?
Reviewers generally say yes, and several think the portrayal improves by relying less on stereotypes and more on specific, lived-in anxieties about work, relationships, identity, and adulthood.
Sample Expert Reviews We Analyzed
These are a few of the reviews included in our analysis.
Video Reviews
YouTube - jasminesjunkdrawer
- Review score
- 5.0
Article Reviews
imdb.com
IMDb, the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.
- Review score
- 4.5
hollywoodreporter.com
FX's 'Adults' has defied a sophomore slump by showing ratings growth in its second season.
- Review score
- 4.5
hercampus.com
Her Campus is the leading media platform dedicated to empowering college women around the globe. Founded by and for college women.
- Review score
- 4.4
refinery29.com
Adults Season 2 isn't the new Friends. The FX comedy's messy share-house energy is pure New Girl — especially Acid Night's raccoon chaos episode.
- Review score
- 4.4
forbes.com
Adults has returned on FX and Hulu for season 2, and it has set a Rotten Tomatoes review score record for all of 2026.
- Review score
- 5.0
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