But what Not Suitable for Work lacks in of-the-moment freshness, it makes up for in comfort-food familiarity. Chief among its assets is a very solid cast, who share the sort of affable chemistry that makes you want to flop down on the couch right alongside them.

“Not Suitable for Work” may stretch thin across nine episodes but its nimble pace, quick-enough wits and aspirational aesthetic add just enough sparkle to what could have otherwise been a dull ride through early adulthood.

It’s not exactly relatable or grounded, nor is it particularly hilarious, but Not Suitable For Work’s few bright spots and its impressive pedigree suggest that with a tighter focus, it could turn into the comfort hangout sitcom it desperately wants but doesn’t yet know how to be.

Stretches for both satire and straightforward cuddliness. Abby’s adventures in the universe of styling tend to be the strongest bits of the series because Avantika is a gifted comedic actor. .... Elsewhere, the show loses its grasp on what exactly it wants to say about these dweebs, if much at all.

“Not Suitable for Work” is a bland take on a well-trodden setup. The glimmers of a more biting, memorable take on young people juggling jobs and love in New York City throughout the nine-episode season end up being just that: glimmers.

A generous interpretation of all this would be that Kaling— who’d been on a hot streak with Never Have I Ever, The Sex Lives of College Girls, and Running Point—is saying every generation has to make its own mistakes, no matter the institutional guardrails. That may well be true. But it doesn’t mean TV scripts should sound as oblivious as the green characters that populate them.

It’s not irritating enough to warrant full-throated derision but not funny, endearing, or memorable enough to recommend around the water cooler.