Generational wars have long been a trope in television and popular culture. Yet no recent series has recorded this kind of tension as smart as ‘the Z-suite’. Made and written by Katie O’Brien, Tubi’s first original Scripted Comedy series follows Monica Marks (a Stellaire Lauren Graham), the CEO of Atelier Advertising Agency. With countless prizes, praises and a 30-year career, Monica feels unassailable in the advertising world. After a huge flub on a large campaign her personally canceled, she and her right hand, Doug Garcia (a perfectly cast Nico Santos), quickly dropped off from Atelier and replaced by the 24-year-old Kriska Thompson (Madison (Madison (Madison (Madison (Madison Shamoun), the social media manager of the company. What happens next is a bizarre and hilarious struggle between the seasoned advertisements that think they all know it and a trio of gene-zers who are of no use to rules.
The first season of eight episodes of “The Z-Suite” starts with a funny contrast. In her studio apartment in Brooklyn, Kriska looks at Monica and accepts an Advrouw of the Year Award. Annoyed by her subordinate role in Atelier (although she has had the course for less than six months), Kriska explains that Monica is self -centered. Then she immediately turns into recording each aspect of her life for Tiktok and Instagram, including her Morning Coffee Order, a yoga class (where she supports her ringlight and tripod) and finally the virtual standing meeting of the social media team. The social media team of Atelier includes Clem (Anna Bezahler), who cannot bother to really do work, and Elliot (Spencer Stevenson), who is more concerned with his fashion and mood than ever to work from the office. Finally, Minnesota Matt (Evan Marsh), the Millennial Representation of the Show, is a nuisance for the C-suite and the Gen-Zers.
During what seems to be a typical day in Atelier, Monica Kriska, Clem and Elliot calls in as the youthful display in a super bowl-pitch for an old customer. Kriska is rogue, takes over the field and earns Monica’s anger. In the meantime, the recoil of the most recent advertisement by Monica and Doug, which was held under wraps, starts up. Unable to control the bad press, the advertising veterans are kicked on the doorstep and Kriska and her crew are given the reins to the company.
It is not a smooth transition for both group. Monica refuses to acknowledge her expulsion and tries everything she can do to regain her role, including the stalking of the son of the chairman of Atelier. Later they and Doug come up with different ways to reclaim their earlier glory. In the office, Kriska, Clem and Elliot, who are called CEO, CFO and COO respectively, are full of ideas without actual ability to perform them. Instead, they tend towards poisonous positivity, which is not effective when performing a company of several millions of dollars. “The Z-suite” works well because it shows that neither group has all the correct answers. Although Gen X has difficulty accepting change and transition, Gen Z is also strong from contact with some of the realities of life, simply because of their lack of experience.
There are various hysterical moments in the four episodes that are available for critics. The Z-team gene is from the depth when presenting a client for erectile dysfunction medication. Monica literally has no life/work balance. Elliot’s excuse for his constant latency is also typically Tiktok Medical Jargon.
O’Brien’s brilliant writing and excellent performances by Graham and the entire cast make “the Z-suite” a skilled and daring comedy that skates along the line of satire and never tries to take itself too seriously. The youth and the more experienced come to blow because they try to transfer their points without listening to understand alternative perspectives. As the show suggests, there is often something to learn from others with varied points of view, but we are usually too busy to scream in a void to achieve something valuable.
The first two episodes of “The Z-Suite” Première on 6 February on Tubi with new episodes that fall every week on Thursday.