Better Things (TV series) explained

Genre:Comedy drama[1] [2]
Opentheme:"Mother" by John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (seasons 1–2)
Composer:Jay Gruska
Country:United States
Language:English
Num Seasons:5
Num Episodes:52
List Episodes:
  1. Episodes
Producer:Joanne Toll
Editor:Debra F. Simone
Camera:Single-camera
Runtime:20–48 minutes
Network:FX

Better Things is an American comedy-drama television series created by Pamela Adlon and Louis C.K. for FX, starring Adlon as a divorced actress who raises her three daughters on her own.[3] FX gave a 10-episode order on August 7, 2015.[4] The series premiered on September 8, 2016.[5] The series was renewed for a fifth and final season which premiered on February 28, 2022.[6] The series concluded on April 25, 2022.

The series and Adlon's performance have been praised, and Adlon was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2017 and 2018. The show received a Peabody Award in April 2017, with the board stating: "[...] this searingly funny and beautiful show is an at-times raw examination of the vicissitudes of working motherhood, crackling with feminist verve and energy, that consistently cuts new ground".[7]

Cast

Main

Recurring

Notable guest stars

Production and development

The pilot was ordered by FX on January 18, 2015. It was written by Louis C.K. and Pamela Adlon, and directed by Louis C.K.[10] The story is semi-autobiographically based on Adlon's life. The pilot was picked up for a 10-episode first season on August 7, 2015.[11] [12]

The show is named after the song "Better Things" by The Kinks.[13]

On September 20, 2016, FX renewed the series for a second season, which premiered on September 14, 2017.[14] [15] In October 2017, FX renewed the series for a third season,[16] which premiered on February 28, 2019, and consisted of 12 episodes, all directed by Adlon.[17] In November 2017, after Louis C.K. confirmed the sexual misconduct allegations against him were true, FX canceled their overall deal with C.K. and his production company, Pig Newton. It was announced that C.K. would have no involvement in future seasons of the series.[18] [19] That month, Adlon fired 3 Arts manager Dave Becky as her manager. Pig Newton and 3 Arts no longer co-produced the series after the Season 2 finale.[20] For the third season, Adlon hired four new writers for the series, Sarah Gubbins, Joe Hortua, Robin Ruzan, and Ira Parker.[21]

In March 2019, the series was renewed for a 10-episode fourth season that premiered on March 5, 2020.[22] [23] In May 2020, the series was renewed for a fifth season,[24] which was announced to be its last in October 2021.[25]

Podcast

Adlon launched a podcast titled Better Things with Pamela Adlon during the show's final season. The goal was to give insight to the creative process behind the show. Constructed as a companion to the final season, it featured guests like Diedrich Bader, Kevin Pollak, Olivia Edward, and Celia Imrie.[26] [27]

Episodes

Season 5 (2022)

Reception

Critical response

The series received an overall score of 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and 88% on Metacritic.[28] [29]

The first season has a Metacritic score of 80 out of 100 based 32 reviews.[30] Rotten Tomatoes gave the first season a 95% score, with an average rating of 8.2 out of 10 based on 58 critic reviews, with the critical consensus "Pamela Adlon's Better Things abstains from traditional sitcom sendups and forges a path all its own – in this bawdy, often hilarious and bittersweet ode to the daily highs and lows of being a single mother."[31]

The second season has a Metacritic score of 96 out of 100 based on 13 reviews.[32] On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 96% approval rating with an average rating of 9.2 out of 10 based on 27 reviews, with the critical consensus "Better Things second season plays even more adroitly to its strengths, weaving confidently between stinging humor, caustic observation, and poignant drama".[33] In his review for Time, Daniel D'Addario wrote, "This is a huge leap forward for a show that was already quite strong. Adlon comes as close to a pure auteur as TV gets. That her story is one imbued with both sadness and light makes Better Things one of television's very best shows—in any genre."[34] Better Things is ranked as the seventh best TV series of 2017, according to Metacritic's list which tallies "best of" lists from various major TV critics and publications.[35]

The third season has a Metacritic score of 94 out of 100 based on 19 reviews.[36] On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 9.3 out of 10 based on 37 reviews with the critical consensus, "Pamela Adlon fully asserts her authorial voice over Better Things in a triumphant third season that examines the exhaustion of motherhood with exhilarating artistry."[37] Matt Zoller Seitz of Vulture wrote, "Better Things is the best the show has ever been."[38] Caroline Framke of Variety wrote, "Better Things feels a bit freer to be its most audacious self this season. Making the show under extraordinary pressure has, in the end, allowed Adlon to throw up her hands, say anything she wants, get it all out there and succeed entirely on her own terms."[39]

The fourth season has a Metacritic score of 90 out of 100 based on six reviews.[40] On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 8.7 out of 10 based on 22 reviews with the critical consensus, "Sharp and singular, Better Things just keeps getting better."[41] Dan Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter called the series "still one of the very best things on TV".[42] Ben Travers of IndieWire gave it an "A" grade and summarized that season 4 is "an experience like nothing else on television".[43]

The fifth season has a Metacritic score of 93 out of 100 based on 14 reviews.[44] On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 8.8 out of 10 based on 23 reviews with the critical consensus, "Bittersweet, funny as ever, and brimming with wisdom, Better Thingss final sendoff is as good as it gets."[45] Jen Chaney of Vulture called it "one of the most generous, organic, and beautiful works of the past decade".[46]

Accolades

YearCeremonyCategoryNominee(s)Result
2016Critics' Choice Television AwardsMost Exciting New SeriesBetter Things[47]
Satellite AwardsBest Actress in a Series, Comedy or MusicalPamela Adlon[48]
Peabody AwardEntertainment ProgrammingBetter Things
2017Gotham Independent Film AwardsBreakthrough Series – Long FormBetter Things[49]
Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesPamela Adlon[50]
TCA AwardsIndividual Achievement in Comedy[51]
Writers Guild of America AwardsNew SeriesPamela Adlon, Louis C.K., Cindy Chupack and Gina Fattore[52]
Hollywood Music in Media AwardsOutstanding Music Supervision – TelevisionNora Felder[53]
2018Golden Globe AwardsBest Performance in a Television Series – Musical or ComedyPamela Adlon[54]
TCA AwardsIndividual Achievement in ComedyPamela Adlon[55]
Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Pamela Adlon[56]
2019TCA AwardsIndividual Achievement in ComedyPamela Adlon[57]
2020American Cinema Editors AwardsBest Edited Comedy Series for Commercial TelevisionJanet Weinberg [58]
Casting Society of AmericaTelevision Series – ComedyFelicia Fasano and Samantha Rood[59]
TCA AwardsOutstanding Achievement in ComedyBetter Things[60]
Individual Achievement in ComedyPamela Adlon
Gracie Allen AwardsComedyBetter Things[61]
2021Critics' Choice Television AwardsBest Comedy SeriesBetter Things[62]
Best Actress in a Comedy SeriesPamela Adlon
Hollywood Music in Media AwardsBest Music Supervision – TelevisionNora Felder and Heather Guibert[63]
2022TCA AwardsIndividual Achievement in ComedyPamela Adlon[64]
Hollywood Critics Association TV AwardsBest Cable Series, ComedyBetter Things[65]
Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, ComedyPamela Adlon
Best Directing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy
2023Critics' Choice Television AwardsBest Comedy SeriesBetter Things[66]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pamela Adlon chooses motherhood over martyrdom on Better Things . The A.V. Club . Danette . Chavez . September 7, 2016 . August 29, 2017.
  2. Web site: How Pamela Adlon's 'Better Things' Broke Through for FX (Critic's Notebook) . The Wrap . Tim . Grierson . September 20, 2016 . August 29, 2017.
  3. Web site: Haithman . Diane . Better Things Coming For Louie Veteran Pamela Adlon – TCA . . August 13, 2015 . January 18, 2015.
  4. Web site: Littleton . Cynthia . FX Networks Gives Series Orders to Comedies Better Things, Cassius and Clay . Variety . August 13, 2015 . August 7, 2015.
  5. Web site: Louis C.K.-Pamela Adlon FX Comedy Series 'Better Things' Sets Fall Premiere Date . Deadline . Anthony . D'Alessandro . June 16, 2016 . July 6, 2016.
  6. Web site: Better Things Sets Final Season Premiere Date at FX — Lena Waithe, Danny Trejo Among Guest Stars . TVLine . Andy . Swift . December 17, 2021 . December 17, 2021.
  7. Web site: Entertainment winners named for Peabody 30 . Peabody Awards . Margaret . Blanchard . April 20, 2017. November 11, 2017.
  8. Web site: All hail the rise of the reasonably competent TV heroine . Toronto Star . November 5, 2016 . Sophie . Van Bastelaer . November 8, 2016.
  9. Web site: 'Better Things' Casts Celia Imrie; 'Rectify' Adds Rebecca Tilney . Deadline . Denise . Petski . April 22, 2016 . August 19, 2016.
  10. Web site: Andreeva . Nellie . FX Orders Comedy Pilot Starring Pamela Adlon From Louis CK . Deadline . August 13, 2015 . January 18, 2015.
  11. Web site: Rose . Lacey . Louis C.K., Pamela Adlon's Better Things Comedy Lands Series Order at FX . . August 13, 2015 . August 7, 2015.
  12. Web site: Andreeva . Nellie . Louis C.K.-Pamela Adlon Comedy Better Things Gets FX Series Order . Deadline . August 13, 2015 . August 7, 2015.
  13. News: Fernandez . Maria Elena . Pamela Adlon Can't Believe She Has Her Own Show . September 12, 2016 . . September 8, 2016.
  14. Web site: Atlanta, Better Things Renewed at FX . TVLine . Andy . Swift . September 20, 2016 . September 20, 2016 . April 1, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190401155556/https://tvline.com/2016/09/20/atlanta-renewed-better-things-season-2-fx/ . dead .
  15. Web site: 'Better Things' & 'You're The Worst' Get Late-Summer Premiere Dates On FX, FXX . Pedersen . Eric . Deadline . June 28, 2017 . June 28, 2017.
  16. Web site: Better Things Renewed for Season 3 . TVLine . Ryan . Schwartz . October 19, 2017 . October 19, 2017.
  17. Web site: Better Things: Pamela Adlon's FX Comedy Sets Season 3 Premiere Date . TVLine . Dave . Nemetz . January 3, 2019 . January 3, 2019.
  18. Louis C.K. dumped by FX from all his shows . Entertainment Weekly . James . Hibberd . November 10, 2017 . November 11, 2017.
  19. Web site: FX Cuts Ties With Louis C.K. Following Sexual Misconduct . Goldberg . Lesley . November 10, 2017 . The Hollywood Reporter. November 12, 2017.
  20. Web site: Pamela Adlon Drops Manager Dave Becky Amid Louis C.K. Sexual Misconduct Scandal . Andreeva . Nellie . November 13, 2017 . Deadline. November 16, 2017.
  21. Web site: 'Better Things' Season 3: Pamela Adlon Announces New Writers' Room After Louis CK's Departure . IndieWire . Hanh . Nguyen . April 23, 2018 . May 2, 2018.
  22. Web site: Better Things Renewed for Season 4 . TVLine . Rebecca . Iannucci . March 26, 2019 . March 26, 2019.
  23. Web site: FX Sets Premiere Dates For 'Fargo', 'Mrs. America', 'Better Things', 'Devs', 'Archer' & More – TCA . Deadline . Denise . Petski . January 9, 2020 . January 9, 2020.
  24. Web site: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Better Things Renewed at FXX and FX . TVLine . Kimberly . Roots . May 26, 2020 . May 26, 2020.
  25. Web site: Andreeva . Nellie . 'Better Things' To End With Season 5 On FX As Pamela Adlon Wraps Sam Fox's Story (For Now) . Deadline . October 6, 2021 . October 6, 2021.
  26. Web site: Patten . Dominic . 'Better Things' Creator Pamela Adlon Launches Podcast To Pull Back Curtain On FX Series' Final Season . Deadline . March 3, 2022 . June 9, 2022.
  27. Web site: Companion podcast alert! Stream 'Better Things with Pamela Adlon' while watching the final season of the FX dramedy on TV . Podsauce . April 12, 2022 . June 9, 2022.
  28. Web site: Better Things. Rotten Tomatoes. December 19, 2020.
  29. Web site: Better Things. Metacritic. December 19, 2020.
  30. Web site: Better Things - Season 1 Reviews . Metacritic . March 13, 2020.
  31. Web site: Better Things: Season 1 . Rotten Tomatoes . September 7, 2016.
  32. Web site: Better Things - Season 2 Reviews . Metacritic . March 13, 2020.
  33. Web site: Better Things: Season 2 . Rotten Tomatoes . September 15, 2017.
  34. Review: Why Better Things Is One of the Best Shows on Television Right Now . Time . Daniel . D'Addario . September 14, 2017 . September 15, 2017.
  35. Web site: Best of 2017: Television Critic Top Ten Lists . Metacritic . Jason . Dietz . December 4, 2017 . December 12, 2017 . January 2, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180102041111/http://www.metacritic.com/feature/critics-pick-the-top-10-best-tv-shows-of-2017 . dead .
  36. Web site: Better Things - Season 3 Reviews . Metacritic . March 13, 2020.
  37. Web site: Better Things: Season 3 . Rotten Tomatoes . February 26, 2019.
  38. Web site: Pamela Adlon's Better Things Returns Stronger Than Ever . Vulture . Matt Zoller . Seitz . February 19, 2019 . February 20, 2019.
  39. Web site: TV Review: 'Better Things' Season 3 . Variety . Caroline . Framke . February 19, 2019 . February 20, 2019.
  40. Web site: Better Things - Season 4 Reviews . Metacritic . March 13, 2020.
  41. Web site: Better Things: Season 4 . Rotten Tomatoes . March 6, 2020.
  42. Web site: 'Better Things' Season 4: TV Review . The Hollywood Reporter . Dan . Fienberg . March 4, 2020 . March 6, 2020.
  43. Web site: 'Better Things' Review: Season 4 Is an Experience Like Nothing Else on Television . IndieWire . Ben . Travers . March 5, 2020 . March 6, 2020.
  44. Web site: Better Things - Season 5 Reviews . Metacritic . February 28, 2022.
  45. Web site: Better Things: Season 5 . Rotten Tomatoes . March 3, 2022.
  46. Web site: Better Things Is One of TV's Best Things . Vulture . Jen . Chaney . March 1, 2022 . March 3, 2022.
  47. Web site: Critics' Choice Awards Reveal Most Exciting New Series Honorees . Prudom . Laura . . September 7, 2016 . July 19, 2017.
  48. Web site: Satellite Awards Nominees Revealed . Kilday . Gregg . . November 29, 2016 . July 19, 2017.
  49. News: Erbland . Kate . 'Get Out' Leads 2017 Gotham Awards Nominations . October 19, 2017 . IndieWire . October 19, 2017.
  50. Web site: Better Things . Emmys.com . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . July 19, 2017.
  51. Web site: 'Handmaid's Tale,' 'This Is Us' and 'Atlanta' Lead 2017 TV Critic Awards Nominations . Kate . Stanhope . . June 19, 2017 . July 19, 2017.
  52. Web site: Petski . Denise . WGA TV Nominations: 'The Americans', 'Stranger Things', 'Westworld', 'This Is Us' Among Nominees . Deadline . December 5, 2016 . July 19, 2017.
  53. Web site: Hollywood Music in Media Awards: Full Winners List . . November 17, 2017 . November 18, 2017.
  54. Web site: Golden Globes: Big Little Lies, FEUD, Fargo, This Is Us and The Handmaid's Tale Lead TV Nominations . TVLine . Matt Webb . Mitovich . December 11, 2017 . December 12, 2017.
  55. Web site: TCA Awards: The Americans, Killing Eve, The Good Place Among 2018 Winners . TVLine . August 4, 2018 . August 5, 2018.
  56. Web site: Full List of 2018 Emmy Nominations . The New York Times . Andrew R. . Chow . July 12, 2018 . July 12, 2018.
  57. Web site: 'Pose,' 'Russian Doll,' HBO Lead 2019 TV Critic Awards Nominations . The Hollywood Reporter . Goldberg . Lesley . June 19, 2019 . June 22, 2019.
  58. Web site: Grobar . Matt . Pedersen . Erik . January 18, 2020 . Eddie Awards: 'Parasite' & 'Jojo Rabbit' Take Top Film Prizes From American Cinema Editors . July 9, 2022 . Deadline . en-US.
  59. Web site: Artios Awards: 'Succession,' 'Pose,' 'Dead to Me' Among Casting Society TV, Theater Nominees . Hillary . Lewis . September 24, 2019 . . February 2, 2020.
  60. Web site: TCA Awards: Watchmen, Unbelievable and Schitt's Creek Lead Nominations . TVLine . Matt Webb . Mitovich . July 9, 2020 . July 10, 2020.
  61. Web site: Nordyke . Kimberly . May 13, 2020 . Gracie Awards: Michelle Williams, Amy Poehler, Niecy Nash Among Honorees . July 9, 2022 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US.
  62. Web site: 'Ozark,' 'The Crown' and Netflix Lead 26th Annual Critics' Choice Awards TV Nominations . Schneider. Michael . January 18, 2021 . Variety . January 18, 2021.
  63. Diane Warren & James Newton Howard Among Top Winners at 2021 Hollywood Music in Media Awards. January 27, 2021. January 28, 2021. Billboard. Paul. Grein.
  64. Web site: 'Abbott Elementary' Tops 2022 TCA Awards . Hailu . Selome . August 6, 2022 . . August 6, 2022.
  65. Web site: Schneider . Michael . July 7, 2022 . 'Severance,' 'Ted Lasso' Lead Streaming Nominees for 2nd Annual HCA TV Awards . July 8, 2022 . Variety . en-US.
  66. Web site: Critics' Choice Awards 2023 Full Winners List: 'Everything Everywhere All at Once,' 'Abbott Elementary' and 'Better Call Saul' Take Top Honors . Panaligan . EJ . Earl . William . January 15, 2023 . . March 6, 2024.

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