Netflix's original series On The Verge continues to be one of the most-watched new TV shows on the streaming platform. Created by Julie Delpy, the enchanting series follows four female best friends in their 40s and 50s navigating daily life in pre-COVID Los Angeles. The show is full of quirky characters who are funny, relatable, and easy to root for, making the slice-of-life dramedy far more compelling than many shows of its ilk.
Whether it's Justine's politically incorrect outbursts, Ell's (Alexia Landeau) wild moneymaking hustles, Anne's (Elisabeth Shue) recreational drug use, or Yasmin's (Sarah Jones) international espionage racket, On The Verge has some of the most enjoyable main characters around.
Jerry
As Justine's boss and owner of the restaurant named after her, Jerry (Giovanni Ribisi) is designed to be a bit of an unpleasant antagonist on the show. Justine butts-heads with him over their business practices, menus, replacement workers, etc. However, as the series progresses, Jerry begins to show glimpses of humanity and compassion, especially when Justine confesses her infidelity to him.
Part of Jerry's appeal is that he makes no attempt be phony just to impress others. He remains himself no matter what, including chewing up to 30 antacid tablets a day, as per doctor's orders. Ribisi gives such an easygoing and natural performance that there's never a false moment with Jerry, even when he does despicable things.
George
George (Troy Garity) hasn't many redeeming qualities on the show in season 1. After a few amusing scenes of him hallucinating with Anne and having a good time together, he leaves his heiress wife because he is sick of her partying ways, yet has zero qualms about continuing to take her money to pay for his bachelor pad and live the life of a lothario.
Anne, later, voices her reluctance to depend on her wealthy mother's money any longer, but George insists she continues taking it so he can buy their son material items. He left Anne to get clean and become more mature, but ends up being far more immature than she does, becoming less attractive in the process.
William
While a bit socially awkward, William (Timm Sharp) is the endearingly calm, kindhearted, and soft-spoken partner of Yasmin who, like all the main male characters on the show, takes a supportive backseat to the strong female leads. As a caring parent to Orion (Jayden Haynes-Starr), William is also supportive as can be when it comes to Yasmin's tenuous career path.
However, when Yasmin's bizarre Bourne-like international spy storyline takes hold, William becomes far less trustworthy as he snoops around and tries to undermine his wife. While he has every right to wonder what Yasmin is up to, the way William goes about finding answers makes him less likable as the series advances.
Martin
Martin (Mathieu Demy) is an adorably quirky fellow who, through no fault of his own, ends up as one of the most sympathetic characters on the show. As Justine's husband and Albert's loving father, Martin's relocation from France to L.A. stresses him out to no end, which puts a severe strain on his marriage.
The strain makes Martin grumpy and unpleasant to be around for the first half of the season, but once Justine returns from her trip to San Francisco, he begins to feel better and apologetically expresses his renewed love for his wife. Martin's made all the more sympathetic when Justine decides to leave him for Francisco (Arturo Del Puerto) in the finale, due to the magic of their marriage fading.
Kai
While all of the child actors in the series are terrific, none stand out more than Ell's charming youngest child, Kai (Kai To), the most hilarious male character on the show, by far. The foul-mouthed toddler armed with perfect comedic timing has so much star power that his own mother makes him the main attraction of their homemade reality TV show. The scene at the butcher with the salmon is a perfect example of adorably droll Kai can be.
Aside from being given the funniest lines on the series, one episode requires Kai to act poorly on purpose in front of casting agents, which the young actor is able to do with stunning credibility. Naturally charismatic as can be, Kai needs to be a major focus moving forward should the show be renewed for season 2.
Yasmin
Yasmin starts the series as arguably the most likable of the four female leads. Her life of privilege as a Black woman with affluent white friends presents challenges they cannot relate to, making her a very sympathetic character to root for in her quest for happiness and a positive representation of a POC. Her model parenting of Orion and dedication to William are as commendable as can be, and she is a great friend to the other women.
Alas, once she gets involved in the espionage storyline, Yasmin becomes a far less compelling character. The blame lies with the writing, as the storyline feels like it belongs to another show entirely, taking Yasmin away from what makes her and the show as a whole so compelling: the intimate interactions of the female friends and their families.
Anne
It's a true testament to Elisabeth Shue's acting ability that she can make such a "first-world problem" like Anne's garner so much compassion and sympathy from the audience. Given all the perks life can afford by her demeaning, affluent mother, who she does not get along with, Anne decides to disavow her inheritance and remain true to her non-materialistic self. Shue makes the internal struggle feel as honest and dispiriting as can be.
However, it's George leaving Anne to live a lavish bachelor lifestyle that doubles down on her sympathetic nature and makes viewers genuinely want to see her find peace, love, and happiness. Hopefully, her newfound fling with the sexy artistic Adam (JR Bourne) bears fruit.
Ell
Alexia Landeau gives an absolutely hilarious breakout performance as Ell, the single mother of three who goes to outlandish lengths to hustle and make money for her family. While her friends enjoy a life of wealth, Ell scraps and claws her way through an impoverished lifestyle with great enthusiasm and ingenuity.
After failing to land acting gigs for Kai, Ell starts her own child acting agency before getting the bright idea to produce her own YouTube family reality show entitled Priceless, which proves to be a major hit. Despite exploiting her children in wildly over-the-top ways, Ell embodies the beautifully messy spirit that makes the show so lovable and her one of the best TV moms.
Justine
As the show's protagonist played by the series creator, Justine is written to be the most compelling character. Despite her countless flaws and virtues, Justine remains so through her lust for life, fearlessness to speak her mind, and putting herself in humiliating, unflattering scenarios that almost every human being can relate to and feel for. Delpy is so real, raw, and recalcitrant that it's hard not to fall in love with her.
From Justine's work struggles with Jerry, dying romance with Martin, challenging parenthood to Albert (Christopher Convery), and complex friendships with the other women, she remains the heart and soul of the series. That she makes such a difficult and disagreeable decision at the end of the series only proves how intrepid Delpy is as a writer and actor, fully prepared to redeem herself come season 2.