Link to the n*de dudes
The first three episodes of Not Suitable for Work (2026) just dropped on Hulu. It's advertised as "five twenty-something professionals" in Manhattan struggling with careers and relationships.
Sounds familiar. I've already seen New Girl (with Max Greenfield, n*de on RG Beefcake and Boyfriends) Happy Endings (with Zachary Knighton), Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (with Victor Rodriguez III), and the grandad of them all, Friends:
So no one told you life was going to be this way.
Your job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's DOA.
The first episode synopsis of the new series gets all creepy: "Whoa -- two girls live across the hall from three guys. Yeah, I'd watch that, leer leer." But according to Decider and Meecham Meriweather's blog, there's a gay character, Kel, played by Nicholas Durvenay. So I'll watch for gay representation.
There are five interlocking plotlines. I'll separate them for clarity.
Behind a giant stock ticker, Dudebro Davis (Will Angus) is getting yelled at by HR for having an office romance: "relationships with coworkers are forbidden."
"If I have to choose between love and work, I'll choose love!"
The next morning, Dudebro tries to bring his girl breakfast in bed, but she's dumped him.
He asks his roommates why girls keep breaking up with him, even though he has a great body and a high-paying job.
"Maybe you come on too strong, falling in love instantly."
He heads to work. Coworker Jocelyn (queer actress May Hong) notes that she hurt her Achilles tendon, but the nurse at Urgent Care was kind of cute. She doesn't specify a male nurse, and most nurses are ladies. I'll bet she's queer.
Coworker Dileen renewed his vows with his wife over the weekend. Dudebro responds with "God, I'm so lonely!" You had a girlfriend like 30 seconds ago. You haven't had a chance to become lonely yet. Dileen advises him to start off as a friend, then move gradually into romance.
But when Dudebro walks into work the next day, he is so stunned by the sight of the Girl of His Dreams that he drops his coffee. And she turns out to be his new coworker! He stumbles over himself trying to "welcome" her, introducing her to the coworkers, giving her the company password, and so on. But when he offers to help with her assignment, she's offended: "I graduated from a top university with a degree in this, and I've done it 38,000 times on two internships with top firms! I don't need help!" Uh-oh, you're blowing it.
Gay Dude Kel
At medical school, the teacher announces that today they'll be examining cadavers, including their genitals, "which may be swollen." Gay Dude Kel doesn't want to do it: "Is there a vegan option?" No. He removes the sheet and exclaims "That dude's real dead" -- and faints. Haven't you studied anatomy, bro?
Cut to Gay Dude discussing a call-back for an acting job with Rich Kid Josh (below).
"How can you handle acting and med school?"
"It's easy. I just don't sleep."
On his call-back audition, he is asked to do a monologue where he tells his dad "I'm nothing. I'm useless." Next he is asked to do a freestyle rap. It wasn't mentioned in the audition call. He tries, performs badly, and is ushered out.
Back in the cadaver lab, Gay Dude decides that he doesn't want to cut open an "uncircumsized cadaver." So it would be ok if he were circumsized? He doesn't enjoy med school, so he's quitting. Right now.
When Gay Dude breaks the news to the guys, they are shocked. "But you don't have a job, and when your mom finds out, she's going to kill you."
"Who cares? Now I can concentrate on my acting."
The next day, Gay Dude meets his sister at the coffee shop and explains that he hates medical school, and is droppping out. "I just need you to help me think of how to tell Mom." Uh-oh, the sister invited Mom. Here she is, wanting to take the Christmas card photos with her talented doctor children. Gay Dude chickens out of telling her.
Rich Kid Josh
Rich Kid Josh (Jack Martin) and his girl are doing stuff. Shirtless, but he moves around too much for a good screen shot He stops to check his cell phone, which annoys her. It would annoy me, too. You're literally in the middle of the act. But he has to check the time of his interview --a PA job on The Wes Dryden Show, a big deal.
You've seen Jack Martin as the villainous RA in Pizza Movie.
Later, his roommates complain about the girlfriend taking up so much space, so he offers to move with her into the apartment next door. It's occupied by Fashionista Abby (below), but she's living there illegally, so he'll order her to move out.
In the morning, Rich Kid appears at his interview. He tells Boss Patricia that even though he's the CEO's son, he wants to go through the ranks like anyone else. "Nope, it's not going to happen. You're not qualified. Next!"
On the way out, Rich Kid runs into Wes Dryden (Victor Garber), flatters him, and drops CEO Dad's name. "Oh, and I'm applying for a PA job on your show."
Cut to Rich Kid announcing to the guys that he got the job!
The next day, Wes Dryden introduces Rich Kid as the new PA. Boss Patricia is angry: she wanted to hire a girl who's been interning there for two years. She calls Josh into her office and asks "Do you know how I got this job? I married Wes."
Victor Garber's d*ck is on RG Beefcake and Boyfriends.
"But you're both gay."
"It was the 1990s. He needed a lavender marriage for his career, and I needed a promotion." The point is, she's angry that all Rich Kid had to do was say his name, so she's going to keep him from moving up in the industry.
That night, the girlfriend brings Rich Kid "his favorite" (that's so annoying; all anyone ever eats on tv is their favorite).
In other news, she's dumping him. She fell in love with a real estate agent, brother to The Property Brothers (stars of a Canadian DIY show).
More after the break
Angry AJ
A girl knocks on the guys' door. "Hi, I'm Angry AJ. I'm new to the building, and I forgot my apartment number. Do you know my roommate, Fashionista Abby?"
"Abby?" Gay Dude Kel asks. "South Asian, gorgeous, smells like a garden after a summer rain? She's right next door." Hey, you're straight. Google AI and the reviews screwed up. Or maybe he was originally intended to be gay, but the showrunners decided that with the new fascist state cracking down on LGBT representation, they'd better turn him straight. But at least there are minor gay characters.
Angryy AJ, arrives at Fashionista Abby's apartment, and complains that she hooked up with their neighbor, Rick Kid Josh, back during COVID. Afterwards he ghosted her. But he didn't recognize her a few minutes ago, so don't mention it. It's too embarrassing.
Back story: Fashionista Abby used to live here with her boyfriend Ethan, but he left her to become a country-western singer. But his name is still on the lease, so technically they're squatting. Just have the super transfer it to you. Easy.
Then they discuss their jobs. Abby is working for the celebrity stylist she used to internet stalk in college; she turned out to be a monster. AJ is going to work in a big finance company tomorrow.
"Try to make friends," Abby advises. "You don't talk to people, unless you blow up at them."
In the morning, on the way to work, Angry AJ stops at a coffee truck, but she doesn't move fast enough, and a guy (Jay Ellis, above) cuts in line. They argue; she calls him a "boomer dad in orthopedic sneakers "I was born in the 1980s!" "So you were born in the last century." Har-har. Never argue with someone outside your workplace; 100 to 1 he's your new boss.
That night, Angry AJ complains that everyone at her new job dresses like a Vogue model. As the girls try to find something to wear, they smell smoke. The flat iron in the bathroom is on fire! Abby pours mouthwash on it. Mouthwash contains alcohol, you dope!
Antoine is played by Michael Benjamin Washington, who played gay novelist James Baldwin in Godfather of Harlem. He was also in Boys in the Band, and won the visibility award from the HRC. I'm guessing that he's gay in real life.
The next day, Angry AJ and the other new hires go to a tv interview with the super-successful CEO. His advice: Closing deals is better than romance, so don't have a romance. Don't have a social life at all. Unless you are willing to give 100% to the company 24/7, get out.
And of course he's the guy that Angry AJ argued with at the coffee truck.
That night on the way home, AJ thinks that a guy is stalking her, so she maces him. It turns out to be Dudebro Davis from work! "But why are you following me?" "I'm just going home -- I live here!"
Yep, AJ is the Girl of His Dreams that he met earlier, neither realizing that they are next door neighbors. Didn't they see each other at the fire evacuation last night?
After Dudebro goes home to wash out his eyes, AJ goes to a bar, and sees Rich Kid Josh drinking to mourn his lost love. Whoops, he left his wallet at home, and the waiter won' t take Venmo. AJ takes care of it. He's so happy that he texts Landlord Antoine and tells him to cancel the eviction notice.
Too late. There's an eviction notice taped to the girls' door.
Fashionista Abbey
Abby is introduced getting a "Don't f*ck with coworkers" speech from her terrible fashion stylist boss. "Or any of our hot celebrity clients."
She doesn't get her own plotline until the end of the episode: she has to dress celebrity Austin (Harry Richardson, left) in a stupid-looking bare-chested gaucho outfit. And he won't be wearing underwear, Boss cautions, "But don't look at his p*nis."
Austin arrives. He thinks that the fashion industry is irrelevant, and the outfit is ridiculous: "I look like a time-traveling str*pper."
They bicker. Fashionista Abby suggests a new outfit. He hates it until she name-drops Colin Farrell. Then he loves it.
"Great. I just need to steam-clean the outfit before the show tonight, so take it off..."
As promised, he's wearing underwear. Abby gawks at his equipment (off screen). He is delighted; "Were you checking me out?" The end.
Beefcake: Some shirtless shots, but obscured or moving around so much that it's hard to take a screenshot.
Zachary Knighton's d*ck is on RG Beefcake and Boyfriends.
Heterosexism: Lots. Two breakups, two meet-cutes, two Girl of My Dreams crushes.
Gay Characters: Dudebro's coworker and Antoine (probably), Wes Dryden and Boss Patricia. I'm still upset that they decided to turn Gay Dude Kel straight..
My Grade: It's been 22 years since Chandler, Joey and the others last hung out at the Central Perk. The world has gotten slightly less homophobic, but otherwise nothing has changed.
It's like you're always stuck in second gear.
It hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year.
That's not a good thing. C+.
"Running Point": Travis has a stage mom, Jackie has a p*enis problem, and Sandy's ex is dating a Greek god. With a p*enis With Jay Ellis.
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