Entertainment · TV & Streaming · 4 hrs ago
Channel 4 sitcom It Gets Worse draws mixed reviews
Channel 4’s six-part sitcom It Gets Worse follows three young friends sharing a flat and facing problems with work, relationships and sex.
Writer and star Leo Reich plays Ethan, who lives with Abi, played by Emily Fairn, and Sam, played by Olive Gray.
The show presents Ethan as anxious and aimless despite having a life of relative privilege and few practical prospects.
Abi is stuck in an unhappy relationship and an entry-level job, while Sam wants to write but relies on gig work and short-lived romances.
The reviews differ in tone, but both criticize the comedy as overfamiliar and lacking a clear focus, while noting some strong performances or jokes.
The series also features cameos from Lena Dunham and Andrew Scott, with narration by Zadie Smith.
The six episodes follow the friends through their personal and professional entanglements, but no further plans for the show are given.
Channel 4 sitcom It Gets Worse received sharply negative reviews from the Independent and the Daily Mail.
The Independent called it fitfully funny but said it pales in comparison to Girls.
The Daily Mail described the sitcom as a derivative, aimless mess with unlikeable characters and tired gags.
Written by and starring comedian Leo Reich, the six-episode series follows three friends navigating personal and professional problems.
The cast includes Emily Fairn and Olive Gray, with Andrew Scott and Lena Dunham among its guest stars.
- Who
- Channel 4 sitcom It Gets Worse, written by and starring Leo Reich.
- What
- The sitcom received mixed reviews, with both outlets criticising it but the Independent noting some jokes and flashes of intrigue.
- When
- The reviews were published on 22 October 2026.
- Where
- The series is set in London, including Dalston; it airs on Channel 4.
- Why
- Not stated
The Independent
The Daily Mail
Overall assessment
The Independent
It is fitfully funny, with a likeable lead and occasional solid jokes, but often shaggy and ill-defined.
The Daily Mail
It is a derivative, aimless mess with unlikeable characters and tired gags.
Characters and comedy
The Independent
The show leans too heavily on vague relatability and familiar observations.
The Daily Mail
Its characters are shallow and unlikeable, and its jokes feel old or recycled.
The Independent published its review of It Gets Worse at 21:30 UTC.
The Daily Mail published its review of It Gets Worse at 22:16 BST.
- Channel
- Channel 4
- Writer and star
- Leo Reich
- Episodes
- 6
- Flatmates
- Abi (Emily Fairn) and Sam (Olive Gray)
- Guest stars
- Andrew Scott and Lena Dunham
2 sources
What people are saying
All I want is ten years of my life where I wouldn't have to worry about anything. Is that too much to ask?
one of the easiest lives in recorded human history