“Messy and Steamy”: Sharon Horgan’s Coming-of-Middle-Age Comedy Is a Must-Watch

If Bad Sisters, Catastrophe, and Motherland are permanently sitting somewhere on your list of comfort rewatches, Sharon Horgan has returned with another comedy that deserves your immediate attention.Her new HBO series Youth has arrived, and this time, the writer and actor is tackling the particular chaos of being single, dating, and attempting to reinvent yourself in your 50s.Think less coming-of-age and more coming-of-middle-age.What is Sharon Horgan’s Youth about? Youth follows Alex, a divorced literary agent in her 50s (played by Sharon), as she tries to work out exactly what she wants the next chapter of her life to look like.Her son Ruari is heading off to university, her elderly parents increasingly need her help, her ex-husband is still very much in the picture, and her job is becoming increasingly dominated by a publishing landscape she doesn't entirely understand.So naturally, she finds herself back in the dating world and questioning everything, from whether she can still feel sexy in her 50s to just how much time she actually wants to spend looking after everyone else.What could possibly go wrong?What are the reviews saying about Youth? Very good things, actually.The Hollywood Reporter described Youth as “fun” and “frisky,” praising the way the series tackles everything from sex and romance to parenting and aging without pretending Alex has suddenly got life figured out simply because she's reached her 50s.The Guardian, meanwhile, branded the show “utterly hilarious,” praising its painfully accurate observations about aging and dating after divorce.And early reviews have been seriously impressive: Youth currently holds a perfect 100 percent critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.Basically, if your idea of a good comedy involves questionable romantic decisions and brutally accurate observations about getting older, we're listening.Who's in the cast of Youth? Obviously, Sharon leads the series as Alex, but she's surrounded by a very impressive cast.Homeland and Anatomy of a Scandal star Rupert Friend plays Patrick, a man Alex reconnects with as she attempts to navigate her newly revived dating life.Meanwhile,Small Axe star Sharlene Whyte plays Sam.Aran Murphy—yep, Cillian Murphy's son—stars as Alex's son Ruari. Robbie Gee plays Frank.And the wider cast gets even more stacked, with appearances from:Harriet WalterAnne ReidOwen McDonnellDamian LewisFreddie FoxJames NortonWhere can I watch Youth? Good news: Youth is available to stream on HBO Max.The first two episodes, “Lockjaw” and “Wagon Burner”, are available now, with the eight-part series releasing weekly rather than dropping as one big binge-watch.Youth is streaming on HBO Max now.