Youth Review: Sharon Horgan Captures the Complexities of Middle Age

While many television series featuring younger casts could easily bear the title Youth, HBO’s latest comedy offers a more nuanced perspective. Premiering on September 20, Youth follows Alex, a divorced 50-year-old woman caught between raising a college-aged son and caring for declining parents. Rather than relying on irony, the show delivers a heartfelt and hilarious examination of a woman clinging to the vibrancy of her youth while embracing the comforts that come with experience.

Created by and starring Sharon Horgan, known for Catastrophe and Bad Sisters, the series opens with Alex calculating she has roughly a decade of sexual vitality remaining. Her efforts to end a long period of celibacy are complicated by a dating pool populated by men her own age who are still dodging adult responsibilities, including her ex-husband Lorcan, played by Owen McDonnell, and a former flame portrayed by Rupert Friend. A blind date with a 67-year-old man, Michael, played by Tim McInnerny, highlights the double standards she faces, leaving her disappointed and leading to poor treatment of her suitor.

Professionally, Alex struggles for recognition as a seasoned literary agent from her boss and best friend, Sam, played by Sharlene Whyte. Their relationship is characterized by candid, foul-mouthed banter, yet it is strained by Sam’s inability to keep Alex’s secrets, which has real-world consequences. The narrative avoids painting Sam as simply toxic, instead presenting a pragmatic businesswoman whose trust issues stem from her marriage, suggesting that preserving both the friendship and professional partnership requires significant effort.

Horgan continues her tradition of creating deeply flawed characters who are nevertheless lovable. Her son Ruarí, played by Aran Murphy, is initially frustrating, spending his days consuming online content and treating his mother poorly. However, Murphy brings sensitivity to the role, revealing Ruarí’s genuine confusion about masculinity. The show balances sharp wit with physical comedy, including a recurring gag about perimenopause, and populates its literary world with eccentric clients and rivals.

Horgan has described Youth as a thematic successor to her earlier works, reflecting on how the messy realities of life persist into middle age. As Alex admits, finding joy becomes increasingly difficult, yet the series suggests that every new life stage, with all its terrors and disorders, is simply another form of youth.