Somehow, I managed to miss the Younger train when it originally aired on television.
Maybe I was under a rock, or it wasn’t something that immediately grabbed my attention in its heyday. It’s a pity since Sutton Foster had my heart during the tragically canceled Bunheads.
Anyway, Younger has been streaming on Netflix, and all it took was one graphic of Hilary Duff smiling and a dreary afternoon for me to press play.
It’s funny, quirky, and reminds me of a time when people genuinely thought we Millennials were the “It” thing and chased after our interest, taste, and dollar was actually a priority.
I must’ve been under a rock on that front, too, because all I can ever remember is a thousand different think-pieces about how we somehow ruined everything, but that’s a discussion for another day.
Younger’s Ridiculously Implausible Premise is a Hoot
When Younger debuted a whopping (gasp) ten years ago, the world was a different place, and the idea that a 40-year-old woman could somehow pass herself off as a 26-year-old for the sake of a job opportunity seemed a bit more plausible.
It isn’t now. The most comedically implausible part of the series is that no one considered that a gorgeous Sutton Foster looked precisely like a beautiful woman her age.
The concept seemed like a stretch, but Younger is the type of escapist fun that reeled me in. Now, nearly two seasons into this ridiculously fun series, I’m amused beyond measure.
But I’m also frustrated.
I’m assuming this is one of those series where ‘ships run supreme, and I can already feel the triangle brewing between super hot, kind, and artsy Josh and charming Charles, her boss.
And damn if Younger isn’t like catnip for me on the ship front by appealing to some of my favorite genres and tropes. Both guys tick different boxes for me, so your girl is in ship heaven.
Sexy Middle-Aged Women Finding Themselves (and Sexytime with Hot Younger Dudes)? Yes, Please!
I’m a sucker for a May/December romance involving an older woman and a younger man, though.
Suck it, society! Why should men have all the fun on that front?
I find the genre liberating, and it usually leads to some inspiring storytelling about womanhood, rediscovering yourself, your desires and needs, becoming truly comfortable in your own skin, and so much more.
That’s my kind of content. Nothing is more compelling than a middle-aged woman coming to grips with herself and finally reaching this point of self-acceptance that likely eluded her for decades before.
Society generally has a way of wearing women down and leaving them questioning themselves, and then, it seems like something clicks into place at a certain age.
Ironically, it’s at that age and time when society also wants to silence and push women aside with these false misconceptions that they somehow lose value.
Maybe that’s why the angle of a sexually liberated and more self-assured woman being desirable to a younger man is all the more satisfying. But I digress.
Liza and Josh Have Smoking Hot Chemistry Worth Rooting For
The point is that Liza and Josh are the exact type of relationship that would appeal to me on paper. He’s equal parts sexy as hell and sweet, and she’s quirky and fun.
Their chemistry is out of this world, and it’s gratifying to see this divorcee who took a few hits in her life rejuvenized partly because of this genuinely incredible guy who likes her for exactly who and what she is.
It didn’t take much for me to hop aboard with this relationship. Did I mention Josh is super hot? It certainly has helped a great deal.
But nearly two seasons into this series, I want to shake Liza to bits. Why is she like this, Younger Fanatics?
Liza’s Selfishness Works in Her Professional Life, But Not Her Romantic One
What’s conflicting for me as a viewer about Liza is that a large part of the joy in seeing Liza mislead everyone around her in pursuit of her dream and great opportunity at Empirical is that she’s finally getting to be selfish.
As a mom and wife to a crappy husband for nearly two decades, she didn’t get many opportunities to be selfish. In her position, selflessness is not only a way of life but an expectation. It’s what supposedly makes you a great mother and wife, right?
Liza’s selfishness is what makes it so easy to root for her at work, even when she faces challenges from her hilarious boss Diana or Martha freaking Plimpton guest stars and attempts to expose Liza’s deception.
I support Liza sticking it to the system that often disparages age in the workplace. Liza at her publishing company, being a selfish woman who hides her true identity for HER greater good? I’m all in for it!
Liza being selfish in her relationship with this sweet guy who sacrifices so much for her? That’s where I’m struggling.
Josh is Book Boyfriend Material. Seriously, He’s Kinda Perfect
I want to love everything about Liza and Josh together, and I enjoy much of it, but the only one consistently killing my vibe when rooting for this relationship is Liza.
Josh had a lot to wrap his head around when he learned the truth about her real age, divorce, and the fact that she had a daughter he was closer in age to than Liza.
And there was a brief period when it seemed like he both wanted to be with her but held that deception against her, with this hal-in and half-out wishy-washiness that had me yelling at her to leave that hot bod in his crappy apartment and run for the hills.
But then, Josh quickly turned a corner, and he essentially became the most loving, supportive, endearing, charming, perfect boyfriend for Liza. He constantly reassured her that he cared about her no matter what.
He didn’t shy away from the age thing or even her kid. Hell, he was even happily okay with communicating with her daughter on social media. He simply embraced all aspects of this relationship and what it meant to be with a 40-year-old woman.
Josh is All-In on Liza, Loudly and Proudly
Josh? He wanted to live their lives out loud. And he also wanted to be honest about everything.
It seems to take a toll on the guy whenever he has to lie about Liza to her friends, who have also become his. He also doesn’t like to keep things from people in his life.
At every turn, we see how Josh bends to Liza’s will and adapts to her world however she needs it.
She took the guy to her middle-aged friend’s home in New Jersey to chill, and even when it should’ve taken Josh completely out of his element, he didn’t bat an eye and even had fun.
The guy brings birthday cards to her work friends and is genuinely sweet to everyone in Liza’s life because that’s just who he is and because he cares about her so much.
And as it stands, I’m not seeing much reciprocity in all of this. So far, all I’ve been seeing is how accommodating Josh is, all of these allowances he makes, and his doing things that make him uncomfortable solely to support her.
But Liza rarely, if ever, does the same.
Liza is So Self-Consumed, It’s Painful (and Ruining the Romance)
The number of times she assumes the worst of him because of her own insecurities and rallies the troops, weaponizing her friends against him, is bad enough.
But then, she rarely sticks up for him or gives in to anything he desires.
So far, one of the most irritating moments has been how desperately Josh wanted to discuss Liza in a feature piece about his tattoo business.
He happily would’ve shouted from the rooftops that he was dating her and talked about it because he’s an authentic guy, and this level of deception and secrecy appears foreign to him.
It’s Liza who discourages him from talking about their relationship, likely to keep a tighter lid on things because of her secrets and lies, and there was very little thought about how it was impacting him or hearing his disappointment and frustration that he couldn’t be his true, authentic self during an interview.
How could he talk about what was most important in his life these days when she compelled him to keep their relationship under wraps?
Liza Constantly Throwing an Undeserving Josh to the Wolves is MADDENING
But despite his frustration, I could logically reason that a young, hot business owner in a magazine feature would likely find more success if he came across as mysterious and single.
However, instead of Liza sharing that rationale with her friends to justify why he doesn’t mention her, she allows Kelsey and others to disparage Josh and accuse him of being some kind of playboy who hides Liza.
It’s the last thing he would ever want to do, and he had to bear the wrath of Liza’s friends over something he only agreed to do to protect Liza and her secrets, including keeping them from the same people giving him the riot act.
Watching Liza stand there, listening to her friends berate a guy she claims she cares for over something she told him to do and not even attempting to defend him — may have been my last straw.
How can I continue rooting for this steamy romance when Liza gets in her way while Josh suffers?
Josh supports Liza, defends her, lies for her, embraces her, accepts everything about her, compromises himself for her, is proud to be with her, and genuinely loves her.
And there’s zero reciprocity. What’s a girl supposed to do with that?
Liza is fumbling the hell out of Jake and killing my shipper vibes in the process.
Am I alone in this sentiment? Hit the comments below and let me know!
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