Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fifty-something woman leads a boozy, sensual series.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Youth
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
With her only child, Ruari (Aran Murphy), off to college and her marriage a distant memory, Alex (Sharon Horgan) hopes that this is a time when she can capture a little of the dazzle and joy of her YOUTH. Alas, with advancing age comes baggage: Ruari has emotional issues that require her time and attention, as do her aging parents. Meanwhile, a once-thriving career as a book agent has hit a few snags as she strains to work within a publishing industry that has changed faster than she has. And though her ex-boyfriend Patrick (Rupert Friend) is a part of her past, he keeps intruding into her present. Is this Alex's time to shine? Or is she on a slow slide to the end?
Is It Any Good?
Sharon Horgan's comedy takes a smart, unflinching look at the messy realities of 50-something womanhood with warmth and humor. Contemplating her forthcoming empty nest status and what it might mean for her romantic prospects, Youth's Alex gives her BFF Sam (Sharlene Whyte) a call to discuss. "Do you think you can still be sexy when you're 60?" she wonders, deciding that she needs "someone" to fall in love with her now, before the older, presumably sexless, version of herself is on the scene. But not just any someone: When Sam fixes her up with a male friend in his 60s, the camera follows Alex's eye as she fixates on the sagging skin on his neck, patting her own neck reflexively as if to wonder, "Is that what my neck looks like too?"
With a head full of hair and a flirtatious manner, Patrick is a more appealing prospect for Alex—if only he weren't dating another woman young enough that Alex sneeringly calls her his "goddaughter." And though Alex was prepared to mourn her son's lost babyhood and absence, how is she to cope with his actual problematic presence, going through issues he won't discuss with her even as his actions complicate her life? Messy and frustrating, Alex's problems feel real, particularly to viewers in the same stage of life who are so wrapped up in taking care of others that they run out of time for themselves. Youth holds the promise that Alex will unsnarl all the strands, solve her problems, and burst from her chrysalis into a beautiful sexy butterfly of late-middle-aged womanhood. Even if she doesn't, watching her struggle to get there is a funny, sexy, emotionally resonant journey.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what type of series Youth is. Is it a sitcom? A drama? A dramedy? Is it hard to peg? Why?
TV shows and movies that have a premise that's easy to sum up in a few words are called, in the parlance of TV critics, "high concept." Is Youth a high-concept show? Why, or why not? Are high-concept shows more or less realistic than non-high-concept shows?
This show's title, Youth, is ironic: Writer, creator, and star Sharon Horgan is in her 50s, as is main character Alex. How many other shows can you name that are built around women in their 50s? Are these shows uncommon on television? Why? How old are most female characters on TV shows?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 20, 2026
- Cast : Sharon Horgan , Sharlene Whyte , Aran Murphy
- Network : HBO Max
- Genre : Drama
- Character Strengths : Communication , Perseverance
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2026
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