The delightful series Younger may not be the only TV drama to look at millennial life, but it's one of the better ones. Starring Sutton Foster as Liza Miller, a 40-year-old who says that she's in her twenties so she can get a job, the series looks at ageism and honesty. For six seasons, the show has been both funny and sweet, with great performances from the cast.
Younger has a group of fascinating characters and it has been fun to watch them evolve from the very first episode. While the main gist of the series has remained the same since the pilot, many other things have shifted.
Changed: Only Maggie Knows About Liza's Secret
Liza tries really hard to look younger, and part of her makeover includes the clothing that she wears. In the pilot, only her best friend Maggie (Debi Mazar) knows that Liza is in her forties, trying to pass as a twenty-something. This is out of necessity, since Liza lives with Maggie, but also because they're lifelong friends.
By the end of season 6, everyone important in Liza's life knows her secret, so this definitely changed.
Kept The Same: Liza's Double Life Lasts For Seasons After The Pilot
In the pilot, Liza is officially living a double life: a divorced 40-year-old mom to Caitlin (Tessa Albertson) and a twenty-something publishing assistant. It's tough to keep it up, but she feels that it's something she must do.
Liza continues to live this double life for several seasons after the first episode. Sure, people randomly find out, but for a while, it's only Maggie and then Josh (Nico Tortorella) who know.
Changed: The Love Triangle Isn't In Existence Yet
The love triangle between Liza, Charles, and Josh keeps viewers engaged and yet in the pilot, it wasn't in existence. Charles (Peter Hermann) was just Liza's older boss and that was that.
After a while, this love triangle powers the plot on Younger, and it's hard to imagine it not part of the show.
Kept The Same: Liza Never Understands Millennial Life Or Slang
Hilary Duff plays fashion-forward Kelsey Peters, who befriends Liza right away — but she does think that Liza is a bit out to lunch. In the pilot, when Kelsey doesn't get why Liza doesn't shave down there, Liza makes an awkward comment, and is shocked that younger women do this.
Liza never understands millennial life or the slang that people use, which is something that the show kept the same. She never really figures it out, which is charming.
Changed: Empirical Is Doing Well In The Pilot
By the end of the sixth season, Empirical has gone through so many sea changes that it's hard to keep track. But in the pilot, the publishing company is doing well and its employees enjoy a sophisticated, well-paid NYC life.
It makes sense that the series would delve into what publishing is like these days and how that has affected even the biggest companies.
Kept The Same: Liza Worries About Her Age Gap With Josh
Josh is a great love interest for Liza, and when she meets him in a bar in the pilot episode, she worries about their age gap. He's so cute that she's wants to try dating him, but she still has this big secret that she's keeping.
Liza never stops being concerned about the age difference, and even now, when she's wondering if she should be with Josh, she knows that she's too old for him. She really struggles with this.
Changed: Liza Evolves From Being An Assistant
The whole reason why Liza lies about her age is so she can be an assistant, but she doesn't hang onto this role forever.
Liza and Kelsey head up Millennial Print, so Liza gets some editing experience, and it's clear that she is going to keep moving on up in the world — as long as the company can survive.
Kept The Same: Social Media Is A Big Deal On The Show
Since Liza is performing assistant duties for Diana Trout (Miriam Shor), the head of marketing, she has to tweet and figure out social media. In the pilot, she imagines what Jane Austen would tweet, which is something she feels a little comfortable with since she's such a bookworm.
Social media always remains a big part of Younger, whether the characters are creating campaigns to promote new books or Kelsey accidentally posts something to her Instagram story that might cost the company a deal.
Changed: Diana Isn't A Decent Person Yet
Self-aware Diana Trout is very different in the pilot than she is by the end of season 6. She's not a great person in the first episode, so her character changes for the better and becomes much more developed.
While Diana is rigid and addicted to work, she slowly opens up to her coworkers and even finds love. It's nice and surprising to see this happen.
Kept The Same: Liza And Caitlin Feel The Effects Of Liza's Messy Divorce
Liza is always there for her daughter Caitlin, and even though she is able to find love again, Liza still feels the effects of her messy, tough divorce.
Her ex-husband randomly pops in throughout the show, only to disappear again, which doesn't happen in the pilot. Liza has to consistently work to keep David (Paul Fitzgerald) from draining all of her energy, and it's a realistic look at divorce and co-parenting.