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Sharon Horgan's 'Youth' Offers a Relatable Midlife Crisis
Confirmed
In Short: HBO's new comedy series 'Youth' stars Sharon Horgan as a 50-something divorcée navigating life after her son leaves for university.
Sharon Horgan, known for her roles in 'Pulling' and 'Catastrophe,' stars in HBO's new comedy series 'Youth,' where she plays Alex, a 50-something divorcée and book agent who is grappling with the aftermath of major life milestones.
The series, which premiered on HBO Max, explores the challenges and small joys of midlife, a subject rarely depicted in popular media. Horgan's character, Alex, is portrayed as a relatable, charming misanthrope who is both unfulfilled and determined to find happiness.
Youth' is described as a spiritual sequel to Horgan's previous works, blending the themes of marriage and parenthood with the realities of life after these major life events. The show balances humor and emotional depth, reflecting the minor indignities and occasional triumphs of midlife.
Horgan's portrayal of Alex is both funny and poignant, as she navigates the complexities of work and personal life. The series highlights the importance of embracing the present while acknowledging the passage of time.
Critics praise 'Youth' for its honest and humorous take on midlife, comparing it to Horgan's previous work in 'Catastrophe' and 'Divorce.' The show offers a nuanced look at a character who is not seeking a miraculous change but rather small steps towards maturity and contentment.
What's confirmed
- Sharon Horgan, known for her roles in 'Pulling' and 'Catastrophe,' stars in HBO's new comedy series 'Youth,' where she plays Alex, a 50-something divorcée and book agent who is grappling with the aftermath of major life milestones.
- The series, which premiered on HBO Max, explores the challenges and small joys of midlife, a subject rarely depicted in popular media. Horgan's character, Alex, is portrayed as a relatable, charming misanthrope who is both unfulfilled and determined to find happiness.
- Youth' is described as a spiritual sequel to Horgan's previous works, blending the themes of marriage and parenthood with the realities of life after these major life events. The show balances humor and emotional depth, reflecting the minor indignities and occasional triumphs of midlife.
- Horgan's portrayal of Alex is both funny and poignant, as she navigates the complexities of work and personal life. The series highlights the importance of embracing the present while acknowledging the passage of time.
- Critics praise 'Youth' for its honest and humorous take on midlife, comparing it to Horgan's previous work in 'Catastrophe' and 'Divorce.' The show offers a nuanced look at a character who is not seeking a miraculous change but rather small steps towards maturity and contentment.
What's still developing
- Through her roles on various shows and movies – most notably on the self-created Pulling and Catastrophe, as well as Bad Sisters and others, Horgan makes herself reprehensible and relatable at the same time.
- Darren Star shows are all about aspiration; Horgan’s are at worst a warning, but at best a reflection of how we truly are.
- Sharon Horgan has made her name playing a specific type of character: an understandable, charming misanthrope-adjacent who desperately wants to be happy.
- Despite her age (she’s a ripe old 56 as of this writing), that won’t slow down any time soon with HBO ’s superlative Youth, an eight episode series (seven episodes were provided to critics for review) that serves as a spiritual sequel to Pulling and Catastrophe.
- Where the former dealt with marriage (sort of) and the second with parenthood (definitely), Youth is about life after that, or at least in the fallout of the other major tentpoles… What are you when you’ve already done the things society wants you to do – get married, have kids, have a successful job and friends – and yet are somehow still A) alive, and B) unfulfilled?
- In the series, Horgan plays Alex (good name), a book agent and divorcée who is finally getting to live the life she wants when her son Ruari (Aran Murphy) moves out to university.
- Both are broken in their own ways, and though there are slow steps towards maturity over the course of the season, true to form for a Horgan show this isn’t about miraculous changes; it’s baby steps.
- When we meet Horgan’s characters, the fun times are fading away as a glut of responsibilities take their place.