Mid-20s Crisis: A Gen-Z Coming of Age

From a young age, we are asked what we want to be when we grow up, and our minds are filled with endless possibilities. As the years pass, those dreams slowly fade, until one day we are left with a pervasive sense of panic. Having no clue of who we are and what we want to do with the rest of our lives. Some people look back at their 20s, often through rose-tinted glasses, calling them "the best years of their lives", but in truth, they might just be the scariest, often filled with immense pressure and uncertainty.

Mid-20s Crisis offers a fresh take on the timeless challenges of being in your 20s. Following four roomates, Iris, Amy, Rex and Danielle, trying to navigate their careers, dating, and figuring out how to be a functioning adult. All while crammed into a 3-bedroom apartment in New York City. The series follows these girls through these treacherous years, and how you can get through all the chaos and joys of adulthood with friends struggling as well by your side. 

Amid her own mid-20s crisis, Rucci found inspiration to write from conversations she shared with friends. "I started writing because I was with my friends, and always would spiral because XYZ is moving, traveling around the world, and got engaged. Things were happening in my life that I don't know what to be doing right now, so let's write about it." Rucci went on to explain how she was watching Girls at the time, a timeless series about trying to make sense of life after college from the early 2010s. She wanted to create a show capturing this generation, post-pandemic young adults." 

Originally filmed as a proof of concept, it was screened at numerous film festivals earlier this year. Then this past May, Rucci hosted a live table reading at LA MAMA Theatre to showcase the the first 8 episodes of the series. She assembled a stellar cast that brought the script to life. The four lead actresses' chemistry made it feel as if I was watching a real friend group unpack their day with each other.  They weren't afraid to get messy, from breaking out into a complete dance party to letting out demonic screams, capturing the array of emotions that come with being a young adult. Displaying the vast freedom of lack of responsibility and living with friends, while on the other end, feeling the frustrations of adulthood.

Throughout the series, each of the girls faced a variety of struggles and hardships, from the challenges of dating to going celibate, trying not to lose their job due to their digital footprint, and the journey of being a free spirit (as well as free loading) with the IRS on their tail. No matter the scale of these problems, the show highlights that you can get through any challenge with the right friends by your side. For some it may be experiencing your first heartbreak like Rex, or like Amy getting her pap smear with Iris by her side. Rucci shares how her own friendships contributed to the series. "My initial inspiration was the conversations I was having with my friends at the time, but also the conversations we had that we wouldn't talk about with other people, like what birth control we're on, a weird ex-boyfriend. Things that I found interesting but could be fun." Among all the silliness, Rucci balances these comedic beats with darker moments. Not shying away from the unsaid dangers of dating, such as grooming and sexual assault. 

What is most unique about this generation’s experience compared to previous ones is taking place in the digital age. The series perfectly captures the current reality of being a young adult with the world wide web, taking a timeless problem, such as trying to establish a career or working odd jobs, and displays the creative ways to make money online. Of the four girls, three use the World Wide Web for various jobs, from selling feet pictures, hosting online holistic workout classes, to trying to become an influencer. 

With today's hyper consumption of content, it is a slippery slope to include internet trends or viral moments. They easily make a film or movie feel outdated as they attempt to be on trend. Rucci expressed her distaste for current Gen-Z shows that mark themselves as too timely and how cautious she was when writing this series. "My friend Anna, who helped me produce it, played Iris in the reading. She said I should watch [censored] because there are a lot of jokes in there that would've worked 3 months ago if it came out then. After all, it was relevant then. If you go through your script, make sure you don't include jokes that cover one viral TikTok everyone in the world watched and got over. Then your show comes out and it's not funny anymore…"

As I left the theater craving for more, in the lounge area, I found myself in the midst of an

immersive experience. Walls decorated with posters, Polaroids, or interactive boards to share your own mid-20s crisis. What left me speechless was the mural of memorabilia that perfectly captures the inner mind of a current 20-something woman. With pictures of heart-throbs such as Pedro Pascal and Josh O'Connor, to romance books such as Normal People and A Court of Thorns and Roses, to a hot pink vibrator and quotes from the script, such as "Fame is the American Dream".  

If you are craving to see this show on the big screen like I am, follow Mid-20s Crisis on

to stay up to date on the show’s development and see clips from the live table reading.

Written By Ashley Murphy

Photos By Cat Washington