The fifth and final season of comedy Better Things begins on FX February 28. Two episodes air that night, with subsequent episodes premiering weekly.
Pamela Adlon stars and executive produces. She directed every episode of the final season.
Adlon’s directing workload is, in fact, astounding. Louis C.K. directed the Better Things pilot in 2016, and Adlon directed a pair of episodes in season one. She has directed every episode from season two onwards.
The fifth season focuses on ‘the road ahead’ for Adlon’s Sam Fox, according to FX. She’s been so devoted to her life as an actor and single mother of three that she’s left little time for herself. “As she navigates three daughters, each coming of age; the challenges of her chosen career; and her mother’s increasing signs of ageing (as well as her own)—Sam embraces each moment, and each member of her family, with a fierce love, raw honesty and biting humor,” FX said.
Adlon spoke about the final season during a TCA session earlier this month. “To be able to spend time with three generations, and have the kids grow up with their grandmother, I don't think Sam is looking, really, for anything else, particularly in season five,” she said. “When we started the show, Sam was just a single mom in her 40s, who would try to, you know, knock boots once in a while or get together, and that's all gone. That's not her concern anymore. Her concern is taking care of what she has.”
Celia Imrie, Mikey Madison, Hannah Riley and Olivia Edward are also in the cast. Episodes also stream on Hulu.
When the premiere date was announced late in 2021, FX chairman John Landgraf said, “While it’s bittersweet to present the finale of Pamela’s masterpiece, we adore the upcoming season and think fans will love the episodes as much as we do. Our thanks to Pamela, the extraordinary cast, the crew and everyone who worked on Better Things for putting an exclamation point on this brilliant, original, radically humanistic series.”
Adlon said Better Things could continue, but five seasons felt right for its run. “This is an incredible thing, that we have five seasons,” she said. “Right now, we have 52 episodes of these stories of this family. And I don't think there's any doubt that we could go on and on. And the stories will keep changing.”
She added that wrapping season five, and the series, “feels very satisfying.” ■
