Not Suitable For Work’s Cancellation Has Important Implications For Gen Z Viewers

When I heard that Hulu axed Not Suitable For Work, I wasn’t surprised.

In the months leading up to the series, I had high hopes, mainly because I’m always happy to see new comedies.

Plus, given how influential Never Have I Ever has become, particularly for the Asian American community, I’m interested to see where Mindy Kaling takes her projects.

After watching a few episodes of the series, I decided that Not Suitable For Work isn’t for me — not because it was egregiously bad, but because it was decidedly just fine.

It’s not a crime for a series to be so middle-of-the-road, but in the current television landscape, this series was already doomed.

While the batch release schedule and streaming-only approach certainly didn’t help, the real challenge was finding a way for the series to stand out.

Not Suitable For Work was marketed as a “Gen Z” comedy, an emerging genre that targets young people in their 20s with jokes written specifically for them to relate to.

Around this time last year, I wondered whether the TV industry would continue to value the Gen Z audience.

And with Not Suitable For Work, it seemed like the Gen Z renaissance was finally happening.

But at the same time, I realized there’s actually a bigger problem with generalizing about what Gen Z might be watching.

While my fellow Gen Z viewers absolutely adore Adults and Overcompensating, shows made with them in mind, they also tune into other kinds of comedies.

Even though many probably did not grow up when The Office was airing, a lot of Gen Z people love watching and rewatching shows like The Office and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

And of course, Gen Z also devotes plenty of attention to the drama category (take a look at The Summer I Turned Pretty and Heated Rivalry!).

Maybe this means the Gen Z comedy space isn’t as big an opportunity as previously imagined.

Not Suitable For Work had all the elements for a successful Gen Z comedy: effective marketing, a catchy title, and a diverse cast of young people.

But even with Mindy Kaling‘s name attached, Not Suitable For Work would have needed to be an incredibly memorable series to last, unlike Adults and Overcompensating.

Of course, with TV, it’s not necessarily a competition. People can watch Not Suitable For Work alongside all the other shows.

But our attention is a limited resource. Even as someone who loves watching things, I often feel burnt out by how many new or returning series can come out at the same time.

Making sacrifices and putting shows on the back burner are necessary parts of the TV viewing experience.

So, when Not Suitable For Work received a lukewarm reception in June, I suspected that many Gen Z viewers, already excited for the new Adults episodes in July and August, wouldn’t give the show a chance.

Looking back at shows airing in the early 2000s and early 2010s, it felt like there was more room for mediocre or lower-quality series (I’m looking at you, The CW).

Admittedly, that was more true in drama, but it applies to comedy too.

Now, the TV landscape somehow feels like it’s being squeezed tighter because there’s so much available through streaming that it’s hard to stand out.

Also, because Gen Z grew up in the streaming era, the lack of urgency around watching new series likely contributed to Not Suitable For Work’s downfall.

Of course, marketing and buzz are essential for a series’ success.

But Not Suitable For Work had decent buzz and plenty of marketing, so the issue may have been that there’s no room for growth in the Gen Z comedy genre.

Part of that might also be that comedy itself is only starting to recover from the death of pilot season. But a larger part is still the target demographic itself.

There’s no denying that Gen Z is a powerful consumer category. In fact, they’re considered the most active moviegoers in recent years.

However, the TV industry still hasn’t quite figured out how to draw their attention effectively.

As much as I hope Not Suitable For Work’s cancellation isn’t indicative of the future of Gen Z comedy, it definitely points to some of the existing problems that future series marketing to Gen Z have to consider.

What are your thoughts on the current TV landscape for Gen Z and the cancellation of Not Suitable For Work? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

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