Okay, Boomer: the sitcom we've been waiting

 

Title

"Okay, Boomer"

Genre

Comedy

Logline

"Okay, Boomer" walks the line between hilarious and heartwarming as it follows the life of 67-year-old Doug, who finds himself living under one roof with his 13-year-old granddaughter, Mia, and 40-year-old son, Mark. As three generations collide, they navigate the generation gap, tackle modern challenges, and discover that family bonds can be stronger than the differences that divide them.

Pilot Episode

"Living rent-free"

Synopsis

We jump right into the present day in a spacious apartment on New York's Upper West Side, where an inter-generational family navigates daily life in the 2020s with plenty of friction, comedic misunderstandings, and love.

Meet Doug Watson. Born in 1957, Doug has lived in New York his entire life. He's twice divorced, and has one son, Mark. Mark's wife Katherine is serving overseas in the Air Force on a two-year tour, leaving Mark with their teenage daughter Mia. Although Doug and Mark have always had a strained relationship, they are determined to make it work for Mia's sake.

Mia is a bright, turbulent thirteen year old who, while never actually uttering the series' titular phase, makes her disdain for her old man clear. However, she loves her grandpa Doug, and Mark hopes his father can help them navigate the turbulent teen years.

Each episode of "OK Boomer" delves into the everyday adventures and misadventures of this multigenerational household, with Doug, Mia, and Mark often finding themselves at odds due to their contrasting worldviews and lifestyles. The episode titles and themes are taken from various bits of slang unique to each generation. Episodes include:

• "Living rent-free," the pilot, in which it's established that Mark and Mia have been living in Doug's rent-controlled apartment for two weeks, but will have to stay there for another two years when Kat is transferred overseas.
• "Yeet it into the sun," an episode in which Doug realizes he needs to start cleaning out a lifetime's worth of accumulated possessions and embracing a more minimalist lifestyle to accommodate his new housemates.
• "Dig it," an episode in which Doug wins a lottery giving him a spot in the much-coveted local community garden but knows nothing about plants. With a little help from Mark's green thumb and some online advice from "GardenTok" via Mia, the three manage to get their garden growing.
• "Five finger discount," in which Mia is caught shoplifting with her friends, and tries to keep it a secret from Mark. Doug tells her about a time when he was caught playing a prank on the school principal with his friends, and together they conclude that it's best for Mia to come clean.

The series draws on humor derived from their generational differences, but is more interested in showing the potential for connection, rather than alienation, across the generations.

Characters

Doug, being a traditionalist and a product of a different era, often struggles to grasp the complexities of modern technology, social media, and the ever-changing teenage landscape. That said, Doug is no Archie Bunker. His very best quality is that he desperately wants to learn and connect with his son and granddaughter. This leads to a lot less head-shaking and finger-wagging, and a lot more earnest hilarity, whether Doug decides to learn a TikTok dance and surprise Mia with a performance, or tries to set all the household bills on auto-pay to make life easier for Mike.

Mia, a wise-beyond-her-years teenager, is fiercely independent, tech-savvy, and well-versed in the language of the internet. Her interactions with her grandfather and father create a humorous clash of perspectives, as they often find themselves bewildered by her knowledge and trends of the younger generation. However, underneath her confident exterior, Mia still seeks the guidance and acceptance of her family. She also professes a love for "old guy stuff," that Doug can teach her, including practical skills like fixing cars and a deep familiarity with classic rock-n-roll.

Mark, caught between the responsibilities of middle age and the expectations of his father, attempts to find his footing in a world that has rapidly changed since his youth. Balancing work, parenting, and living with his own father, Mark navigates the challenges of adulthood while learning important life lessons from both Doug and Mia. Mark is the most uptight of the three, given his excessive responsibilities, and often has to learn to relax, cut loose, and enjoy life as much as he can.

Rounding out the cast are some colorful supporting characters:

Katherine "Kat" Watson, Mark's wife and Mia's mother. She's a tough Air Force mom who has high expectations of her daughter and runs the family like a military unit when she's home.

Mrs. & Mrs. Bergman, the elderly lesbian couple next door who have been Doug's friends for years. One is a retired plumber, and the other is a retired social worker. They both love yoga and meditation, and are prone to investing in elaborate conspiracy theories about city government.

Dan, the building superintendent, who has a massive following on TikTok thanks to his grandson Jake, who follows him around while he fixes toilets and yells at the furnace.

Eric, Mia's best friend from childhood, who is transgender, a talented ballet dancer, and deadpan snarker who's often over at the house. He adores the Bergmans. Mark refers to him as "my bonus kid" and "the son I always wanted." Eric has a crush on Jake, and eventually the two begin dating, often saying lovey-dovey mushy things that cause Mia and Doug to roll their eyes at each other.

Final thoughts

"Ok, Boomer" is a comedy that celebrates, rather than mocks, intergenerational connections. It reminds us all that under the kitchen table squabbles and incomprehensible slang, we're all just trying to make it work.