‘This Way Up’ Is The ‘Fleabag’ Meets ‘New Girl’ Series You Love Already

While few shows can compete with the brilliance that is Fleabag Season 2, This Way Up, streaming on Hulu beginning on Wednesday, has emerged as a strong companion series. From creator and star, Irish comedian and actress Aisling Bea, the six-episode mostly-comedy series follows her character Aine, a woman who’s adjusting back to life after spending some time away at a “spa” after a nervous breakdown.

Ultimately, This Way Up is about the joys, and the many non-joys, of what it means to be an adult woman. Like New Girl‘s Jessica Day (Zooey Deschanel) Aine is a teacher and a tutor and the kind of woman who is likely to be described as “quirky” though she would probably loathe it — oh, and don’t even utter the word “adorkable”, though Aine is a bit more grown-up than Jess was during that series’ run.

The Fleabag comparisons are inevitable for any female-led half-hour comedy series these days (also see Gameface on Hulu — Season 2 arrives on August 30!), but it’s a compliment of course, as This Way Up expertly blends the serious with the silly, refusing to ignore Aine’s current fragile mental state while also showcasing her caring and comedic side with those she’s closest to. She’s navigating complicated relationships with her family members, coworkers, friends, roommates, and students to various results with nearly guaranteed cringes and chuckles for those watching.

Bea is flanked by an excellent supporting cast, including our dream sibling, Catastrophe‘s Sharon Horgan as her sister Shona, and Shona’s boyfriend Vish played By Aasif Mandvi. If you’ve never had a crush on Tobias Menzies, that’s about to change here, and You’re The Worst‘s Chris Geere is unable to hide his inherent charm as Aine’s ex-boyfriend.

This Way Up remains irresistible and not just because it’s an easy and enjoyable binge-watch. Bea’s performance is dynamic, keeping her character relatable and worth rooting for throughout, as her heart’s certainly in the right place, even if her execution isn’t. The series has a super dope soundtrack that will have your head bobbing along to match the uncontrollable smile that is sure to be plastered on your face as you watch. Describing a show as having “a lot of heart” can mean a lot of things, but it won’t take more than one episode of this series for you to realize, ah, yep, this one’s got a lot of heart.

This Way Up premieres on Hulu Wednesday, August 21.

Where to stream This Way Up