"Not Suitable for Work" Season 1 Finale: A Super Simple Guide to the Friends, The Drama, and What’s Next

Meet the Gang and the New Year’s Eve Finale

Imagine a group of young people who live right across the hall from each other in a place called Murray Hill. Because they are neighbors, it’s super easy for them to hang out and become good friends! The show Not Suitable for Work (you can watch it on Hulu) follows five pals:

• AJ (played by Ella Hunt)
• Abby (played by Avantika)
• Davis (played by Will Angus)
• Josh (played by Jack Martin)
• Kel (played by Nicholas Duvernay)

Over the first season (which has 9 episodes), they got new jobs and lost old ones. Some even dated people for a little while. But mostly, they just really liked each other (in a crush kind of way) and became a solid friend group.

The big Season 1 finale (the last episode) is called "A Birthday Party for the Whole World" (Episode 9). It happens on New Year’s Eve—a time when people think about fresh starts! The friends have to fix some fights about work and feelings. But some things are left unfinished, just in case there is a hopeful second season.

Important Point: The show is a type of "hangout comedy". That’s a friendly way of saying it’s about friends spending time together. These shows are built to last many seasons so we can watch the friendships grow, just like the show New Girl (2011)!

The Crushes and Kisses (Love Squares Made Simple!)

One of the biggest dramas is like a puzzle of crushes—almost a "love square"—between AJ, Josh, Davis, and Bill (Jay Ellis), who is AJ and Davis’s boss.

Here is what happened in the finale, step-by-step:

1. AJ and Bill liked each other, but Bill went on a trip to Aspen and their relationship fell apart.
2. When they all went back to work (a place called Fisher Stassen) after the holidays, Bill called AJ "unhinged" (which means he thought she was acting wild or crazy).
3. Davis stood up for AJ and even fought Bill at work! Because of this, Davis got fired. (This shows Davis really cares about AJ.)
4. AJ used her PTO (that’s "Paid Time Off," which is like paid vacation from work) to take care of her own feelings on her birthday. Yay for self-care!
5. AJ thanked Davis, they talked honestly about their feelings, and they kissed.
6. Uh-oh—Josh saw the kiss! He has had a crush on AJ since college, so now he has to sit with his sad feelings.

The show is clearly building up to AJ and Josh being a couple one day. The same goes for Kel and Abby—they are super sweet, supportive, and have great chemistry (that means they get along really well!).

But wait, there’s a twist! In the finale, a new character named Bianca (Maya Walker) shows up (only in this episode) and might like Kel. For most of the season, Kel had a crush on Abby, but now the tables have turned!

Jobs, School, and a Broadway Dream

The friends also had lots of job changes:

• Abby tried to be her own boss as a stylist, but that didn’t go as planned. She quickly took (and left) a 9-to-5 retail (store) job for steady money, but then Vanessa (Constance Wu) asked Abby to return to her old job.
• Kel lost his temporary teaching job after his boss Kate (Ego Nwodim) saw him looking at Abby during a school winter dance. But good news! Kel booked a tiny part in a Broadway play (only two lines!) and his students and Davis came to cheer him on.

Will There Be a Season 2?

As of the Season 1 finale, the show has not been renewed (which means no official Season 2 yet). But the story clearly sets up more adventures!

The show’s creator and executive producer, Mindy Kaling, told Deadline that the writing team is ready for Season 2, but they are waiting to hear if they can start making it. She said she "loves the show so much" and has her "fingers crossed."

Here are some cool facts about the show’s success:

• It premiered with 3 episodes in early June and hit the top spot on Hulu’s Top 10 TV Shows in the US!
• The last two episodes came out on Thursday, June 23, 2026.
• Famous friends like Ashanti and the Giggly Squad podcast hosts (Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo) made cameo appearances (quick guest spots).
• In those episodes, Josh proved he is good at his job to his bosses Wes Dryden (Victor Garber) and Paula (Ruby Gold).

Important Point: If you want a Season 2, the best thing fans can do is keep watching the show and tell your friends to watch too!

Summary

Not Suitable for Work is a fun Hulu show about five neighbors (AJ, Abby, Davis, Josh, and Kel) dealing with jobs and crushes. The Season 1 finale on New Year’s Eve wraps up AJ and Davis’s kiss (which Josh saw!) and shifts Kel and Abby’s friendship. While the show hasn’t been renewed for Season 2 yet, creator Mindy Kaling and the cast are hopeful. It’s a classic "hangout comedy" with lots of heart, famous cameos, and room to grow!

FAQ

1. What is "Not Suitable for Work" about?
It’s a beginner-friendly comedy on Hulu about five friends living in the same building (Murray Hill). They navigate jobs, breakups, and budding romances together.

2. Who are the main characters in Season 1?
The main pals are AJ (Ella Hunt), Abby (Avantika), Davis (Will Angus), Josh (Jack Martin), and Kel (Nicholas Duvernay). Their boss Bill (Jay Ellis) and other friends like Vanessa and Kate also appear.

3. What happens at the end of Season 1?
AJ and Davis kiss after Davis defends her from their boss Bill and gets fired. Josh sees the kiss. Kel might start liking Bianca instead of Abby. Some jobs are lost, but Kel gets a Broadway cameo!

4. Is "Not Suitable for Work" renewed for Season 2?
Not yet. But creator Mindy Kaling says the writers are ready and hoping for more seasons. Fans are encouraged to keep streaming it!

5. What is a "hangout comedy"?
Think of it like watching your own friend group on TV. It’s a show meant to run for many seasons, focusing on characters spending time together and growing, like the show New Girl.