Not Suitable for Work might not look like anything new. After all, the “friends in a big city” setup is practically its own genre at this point. Decades after FRIENDS set the blueprint, writers are still trying to capture that specific magic of 20-somethings crammed into metropolitan apartments, shouting across hallways, and making terrible romantic choices. But when Mindy Kaling’s Not Suitable for Work dropped on Disney+, it felt less like a cheap imitation and more like a necessary, modern evolution.
While critics have been quick to draw parallels to the sitcoms of yesteryear, Not Suitable for Work stands entirely on its own. For anyone tired of the same old TV tropes, this series is a refreshing, deeply addictive breath of fresh air.
Here are five reasons why Not Suitable for Work breaks the mold and why it’s impossible not to fall in love with it.
Photo from Disney+
5 Ways Not Suitable for Work Safely Beats the Cozy Sitcom Curse
1. The women are not just looking for love.
In a lot of classic city sitcoms, the female leads are often driven primarily by their relationship status, their dating mishaps, or a perpetual search for “the one.” Not Suitable for Work completely flips this dynamic. AJ (Ella Hunt) and Abby (Avantika Vandanapu) are fiercely independent and complex characters right out of the gate. While they certainly experience their fair share of messy encounters, their self-worth isn’t tied to a romantic partner. They are strong, autonomous, and allowed to be flawed without being reduced to desperate dating caricatures.
2. Career ambition takes center stage.
The characters in this show would hate nothing more than to fail at their jobs. Instead of jobs serving as vague background setups for wacky apartment antics, the professional lives of these five friends actually drive the entire plot. We watch AJ grind through the brutal environment of investment banking and Abby hustle as an assistant to a demanding celebrity stylist. It captures that authentic Gen-Z and millennial anxiety of trying to establish yourself in a hyper-competitive city, shifting the ultimate goal from finding a spouse to surviving the corporate ladder.
Photo from Disney+
3. The men are safely and hilariously lovestruck.
One of the most entertaining subversions in the script is how the romantic energy flows. Traditionally, we see women pining over emotionally unavailable men. Here, the boys are the ones wearing their hearts on their sleeves. Davis (Will Angus) might look like a typical finance bro from the outside, but underneath the exterior, he is a massive romantic who just desperately wants to love and be loved. Watching the male characters be the more open, vulnerable, and lovestruck ones in the dynamic brings a unique, comedic balance that feels incredibly modern.
4. Every character is actually likeable.
Sitcom friend groups can occasionally suffer from what we might call the “Seinfeld Effect” where, over time, you realize everyone in the group is actually a terrible person. Not Suitable for Work steers completely clear of that trap. Even when Josh (Jack Martin) is being a bit sanctimonious, or Kel (Nicholas Duvernay) is stressing over his secret dream of acting while navigating med school, you can’t help but root for them. They have a genuine, warm chemistry that makes you want to hang out in their Murray Hill apartments. They support each other’s wild ambitions rather than tearing each other down.
Photo from Disney+
5. It is relatable on every single level.
Ultimately, the show works because it feels real. It captures the chaotic, specific energy of your mid-20s: the terror of a bad performance review, the nightmare of dealing with an unhelpful landlord, the absolute necessity of a group chat, and the agonizing embarrassment of past hookups (looking at you, Josh and AJ!). It doesn’t sugarcoat how exhausting it is to build a life, and it actually reminds us how much better the struggle is when you have the right people as your roomies or across the hall. If you haven’t binged it yet, go do that now.
