HBO’s “Youth”, created by Sharon Horgan, follows Alex, a glamorous 50-year-old London book agent navigating divorce, perimenopause and the imminent departure of her teenage son. The series treats middle age as a kind of second adolescence, presenting Alex’s romantic misjudgements and uncertainty with a light, breezy tone rather than as a sweeping generational statement.

The eight-episode comedy draws on Horgan’s own life and completes a loose trilogy alongside “Pulling” and “Catastrophe”. Alex remains caught between caring for her ageing parents and supporting her adult son, while pursuing book-festival hookups, Ibiza trips and chaotic professional dealings; the publishing industry also provides a source of gentle satire.