A24’s ‘It Gets Worse’ Updates ‘Girls’ for British Gen Z
Leo Reich’s new series explores London’s dysfunctional youth with sharp, cynical humor.
1A Modern Generational Shift
The series It Gets Worse serves as a successor to the iconic show Girls, shifting the focus from millennial New York to contemporary London. Creator Leo Reich explores the lives of a dysfunctional friend group, featuring a gay protagonist and a diverse cast, while maintaining the cynical tone of its predecessor.
2Passing the Creative Torch
Lena Dunham makes a notable cameo as a boss, symbolizing a transition from her own generation to Gen Z. Having collaborated with Reich on the Netflix show Too Much, Dunham appears to endorse this new voice, highlighting the shared experiences of urban creatives navigating professional instability and personal self-delusion in adulthood.
3Production and Distribution Details
Produced by A24 for the U.K.’s Channel 4, the show consists of six tight episodes. It is scheduled for release on Paramount+ in the United States, bringing its specific British perspective to a wider audience. The narrative focuses on a narrow timeframe involving the trio's struggle to secure a new apartment.
4Character Dynamics and Struggles
Ethan, Abi, and Sam face constant instability due to their poor decision-making and financial pressures. Ethan loses a security deposit through negligence, while Sam attempts to supplement her income with tutoring. Abi hides her desire for domestic stability from her friends, creating tension within their shared living arrangement in London.
5Literary Voice-Over Technique
Author Zadie Smith provides the show's inner monologue, offering a cool, assured contrast to the characters' anxious scrambling. This narrative device highlights the irony of the characters' lives, particularly when contrasted with the high-profile collaborators like Andrew Scott and Lena Dunham who appear in the series as guest stars.
6Satire of Modern Lifestyle
The show offers biting commentary on contemporary habits, from the foodie culture represented by an Anthony Bourdain portrait to the complexities of modern dating. Characters navigate queer communes and toxic relationships, often finding that their relative comfort in life only provides more opportunities for profound self-sabotage and existential dread.
7The Weight of External Factors
While many of the characters' problems are self-inflicted, the show acknowledges that external realities like Brexit contribute to their malaise. This blend of personal failure and societal pressure creates a resigned nihilism, which the characters navigate through gallows humor rather than seeking traditional solutions to their ongoing life crises.
8Defining the Gen Z Experience
It Gets Worse succeeds by diagnosing the specific anxieties of a generation that feels both entitled and lost. By embracing pessimism and dark comedy, the series captures a unique moment in time. It suggests that for these characters, muddling through the absurdity of daily life is the only viable path forward.
Original article: Variety – TV — A24’s ‘It Gets Worse’ Updates ‘Girls’ for British Gen Z