Hulu Cancels 'Not Suitable for Work' After One Season

Hulu has decided not to renew the Mindy Kaling comedy "Not Suitable for Work" for a second season, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. The series premiered in June and ran for nine episodes, following five work-obsessed 20-somethings living in the same apartment building in Manhattan's Murray Hill neighborhood: AJ (Ella Hunt), Abby (Avantika Vandanapu), Davis (Will Angus), Josh (Jack Martin), and Kel (Nicholas Duvernay).

The show drew comparisons to "Friends" in its coverage, charting the group's personal and professional lives as they attempted to figure out adulthood. Fans were particularly invested in the will-they-won't-they relationships between AJ, Davis, and Josh, as well as the romantic chemistry between Abby and Kel.

Despite the cancellation, The Hollywood Reporter understands that series producer Warner Bros. Television plans to shop the show around for a potential new home.

Cast and Creator React on Social Media

On Tuesday, Kaling — the creator of "The Mindy Project," "Never Have I Ever," and "The Sex Lives of College Girls" — took to Instagram to share a carousel of photos of the cast and team. "I love this show, I loved making this show, I love these people and I love all of you for all your sweet comments, messages, edits and for watching [Not Suitable for Work]," she wrote.

Cast members reposted Kaling's carousel on their own Instagrams with heartfelt messages. Jack Martin, who played Josh, reposted the photo, saying he "will always love" the show and "everyone who was part of it … thank you for watching."

Avantika shared a photo of her co-stars and wrote: "I love this cast and this team so very much!" She said the show "gave me such a birth a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" and "brought me growing to people and audiences I could have never even dreamed of before or after. I am so grateful to Mindy, Charlie, Hulu, Warner Bros for giving us this chance. We love you."

Nicholas Duvernay wrote a message of gratitude to "every single person involved with this show," thanking the cast, Mindy, Charlie, Howard, Warner Bros, and Hulu, as well as fans.

Kaling's First Solo Creator Credit Since 'The Mindy Project'

"Not Suitable for Work" marks Kaling's first sole creator role since "The Mindy Project". She executive produces the series under her Kaling International III banner with showrunner Charlie Grandy and Howard Klein.

In interviews with The Hollywood Reporter, cast members reflected on the experience. Jack Martin said he felt "really lucky" after being cast as Josh. Ella Hunt noted, "Being part of the Mindy-verse was exciting to me." Nicholas Duvernay, in comparing the show to "Friends", said: "That's a giant to compare it to, but that's initially how I felt being part of it. A lot of the comedies put out nowadays are so angled at Gen Z. That or it's like scrolling on Instagram. This is contrary to my expectations, but it has a more modern take on it. It's work-obsessed kids trying to make their way in New York."

Mixed Critical Reception

The show's reception underscores a divide: While the author at CinemaBlend found it "genuinely and" concluded the Rotten Tomatoes score "wasn't great" and "also" thought the characters were relatable, THR's TV editor, Angie Han, in her review, was more reserved. "Despite being set in present-day New York, the show's vision of love and maybe career feels rooted somewhere in the 2000s, or even the 1990s," she wrote for THR. "And while this isn't necessarily a bad thing — a bit of escapism is crucial for a comfort watch — it means that for a show about Gen Z, Not Suitable for Work feels oddly certain."

As the cast and creator maintain a sense of appreciation, the future of "Not Suitable for Work" remains in the hands of a possible new home.