“I will forever be grateful to FX for allowing me to tell stories the way I see the world, and want the world to be seen,” Adlon said in a statement to Deadline. “Making this show has been film school for me. I bow down to my crew and my cast. And I can’t wait for people to discover and re-discover ‘Better Things.’ This is gonna be a wrap on Sam Fox (for now). See you at the after party.” In addition to writing, directing, executive producing, and showrunning “Better Things,” Adlon plays Sam Fox, a working actor living in Los Angeles with her three daughters, Max (Mikey Madison), Frankie (Hannah Alligood), and Duke (Olivia Edward). With her aging mother Phyllis (Celia Imrie) living next door and her friends Rich (Diedrich Bader), Sunny (Alysia Reiner), and Tressa (Rebecca Metz) always close by, “Better Things” explores evolving adult relationships, mother-daughter stories, and Sam’s professional and personal growth through inspired and inspiring episodic storytelling.
Critics often rate the series among the year’s top shows. Season 3 was the second best-reviewed TV program of 2019 (behind only “Fleabag” Season 2), and Adlon earned two consecutive Emmy nominations for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2017 and 2018. “Better Things” was recognized with a Peabody Award in 2016 and has been nominated at the TCA Awards, WGA Awards, CSA Awards, and Gotham Awards. When “Better Things” was renewed for Season 5 last year, Adlon also signed an overall deal with FX Productions. The new deal covers all scripted and unscripted programming, meaning any future projects stemming from Adlon will be made exclusively for FX or other divisions within its parent company, Walt Disney Television. No new programs have been announced as of yet. Adlon, who won an Emmy in 2002 for voicing Bobby Hill on “King of the Hill,” can be heard in recent animated programs such as “Tuca & Bertie” and “Archer.” She also guest starred on NBC’s hit “This Is Us,” and played a supporting role in Judd Apatow’s feature, “The King of Staten Island.” She has directed every episode of “Better Things” since Season 2, totaling 34 episodes of the series so far. Adlon will again direct all episodes of the final season. “Better Things” is available to stream via FX on Hulu. Season 5 is expected in early 2022. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
