Hulu's coming-of-age comedy series *Adults* has released a surprise 20-minute prequel episode ahead of its second season, showing viewers a departure from its usual format without losing the show's comedic tone. The episode, titled "Marathon Day", reveals how latecomer Paul Baker joined the core friend group, offering an origin story that has generated fresh excitement for the upcoming season while demonstrating the series can experiment with one-off narratives.

The prequel, released on 31 July, was created by Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw and follows Anton as a workplace lie about running the New York City Marathon spirals out of control, pulling in friends Samir, Issa and Billie to help maintain the deception. Paul Baker, played by Jack Innanen, stumbles into the group's orbit after genuinely completing the marathon, eventually joining in on the ruse and becoming part of the friendship circle. *Adults*, which premiered on FX and Hulu on 28 May 2025 with Nick Kroll as executive producer, returns for its second season on 27 August.