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| Not Suitable for Work Character Map & Relationship Chart Explained: Who Likes Who, Cast Guide, Character Map and What to Expect From Hulu’s New Comedy. |
Not Suitable for Work wastes absolutely no time throwing its characters into awkward friendships, workplace chaos, questionable life choices and romantic disasters. Hulu's latest comedy, executive produced by Mindy Kaling, follows five ambitious but deeply imperfect twenty-somethings trying to survive New York City while pretending they have their lives together. Spoiler: most of them do not.
Set between corporate offices, expensive apartments that somehow seem far larger than any real New Yorker could afford, and endless personal dilemmas, the series feels like a Gen Z answer to classic friendship comedies. But unlike the polished sitcoms of the past, Not Suitable for Work leans into messy emotions, career anxiety, accidental crushes and the uncomfortable reality that adulthood rarely goes according to plan.
One reason the show clicks so quickly is because every character is connected to someone else through friendship, work, attraction or family pressure.
By the end of the opening episodes, viewers may find themselves needing a relationship chart just to keep track of who is living with whom, who works together, who has a crush, and who is quietly making everyone's life more complicated.
At the centre of everything is AJ Pascarelli, played by Ella Hunt. AJ arrives in New York determined to become a successful financial analyst. She moves in with her university best friend Abhinaya "Abby" Chilukuri, played by Avantika, and immediately finds herself balancing demanding office expectations with an increasingly complicated social life. AJ wants control over every aspect of her future, which naturally means chaos follows her everywhere.
Abby is AJ's closest friend and roommate, making their relationship arguably the emotional backbone of the series. While AJ is buried in spreadsheets and corporate ambitions, Abby works as an assistant to celebrity stylist Vanessa Hsu.
Abby appears more relaxed on the surface, but her own life becomes messy when professional responsibilities begin colliding with personal feelings. That complication arrives in the form of Austin Blanchett, played by Harry Richardson. Austin is a rising British acting star and one of Vanessa's clients.
Abby's growing attraction to him creates one of the show's most entertaining dilemmas because it places her directly between career ambition and personal desire. Vanessa, unsurprisingly, is not exactly thrilled by the possibility of her assistant blurring professional boundaries.
Across the hall lives the show's equally chaotic male trio. Kel Washington, played by Nicholas Duvernay, may be one of the most relatable characters in the entire series. Officially, he's a medical student. Unofficially, he would rather be an actor.
His secret auditions, demanding studies and constant exhaustion create a storyline packed with both comedy and genuine emotional weight. To make matters even more complicated, Kel develops feelings for Abby, creating another layer in the show's growing web of relationships.
Davis Beau Bradley Barrett III, portrayed by Will Angus, initially looks like the stereotypical finance professional. The expensive suits and confident image suggest one thing, but underneath, Davis is basically a hopeless romantic searching for his ideal relationship.
His interest in AJ quickly becomes one of the central romantic threads of the season. Unfortunately for Davis, finding love proves significantly harder than updating a financial report.
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| Not Suitable for Work Relationship Chart & Character Map |
Then there is Josh Teitelbaum, played by Jack Martin, whose entire existence feels like a walking lesson in accidental privilege. Josh dreams of building a serious journalism career, but having a wealthy and influential father means people constantly question whether he earned his opportunities.
Josh often stumbles into problems without realising it, yet his awkward attempts to prove himself make him surprisingly likeable. The professional side of the story introduces another network of important connections.
Bill Gibson, played by Jay Ellis, serves as the demanding boss overseeing AJ and Davis. Bill expects excellence and rarely lowers his standards. His interactions with younger employees generate some of the show's sharpest workplace humour, particularly when their idealism crashes into his practical approach.
Vanessa Hsu, portrayed by Constance Wu, operates in a completely different world. As Abby's boss, she commands attention whenever she enters a scene. Vanessa is demanding, intimidating and often hilariously blunt.
Yet beneath her tough exterior is someone who understands exactly how competitive her industry can be. She frequently pushes Abby harder than anyone else, even when Abby would prefer a slightly less stressful day.
Meanwhile, Wes Dryden, played by veteran actor Victor Garber, serves as Josh's professional idol. As a respected journalist and television host, Wes represents everything Josh hopes to become.
Their relationship becomes especially interesting because Wes is fully aware of Josh's family connections and refuses to make life easy for him. Supporting characters add even more layers to the ensemble. Kate Woodson, played by Ego Nwodim, helps Kel secure work while also bringing her own unpredictable energy into the mix.
Jocelyn, portrayed by May Hong, provides a grounded workplace presence alongside AJ and Davis. Paula Miller, played by Judy Gold, keeps a watchful eye on Josh at The Wes Dryden Show.
Meanwhile, Elena, portrayed by Emilia Suárez, and Naya, played by Sydney Cole Alexander, expand the show's social and family dynamics in meaningful ways.
What makes Not Suitable for Work stand out is that nobody is entirely put together. AJ is ambitious but overwhelmed. Abby is confident but conflicted. Kel is chasing two futures at once.
Davis falls too hard too fast. Josh constantly discovers new ways to make life unnecessarily complicated. Their flaws are not hidden; they are practically the main attraction. Viewers can also expect plenty of workplace comedy mixed with genuine coming-of-age storytelling.
Beneath the jokes about impossible bosses, awkward dates and expensive New York living sits a surprisingly honest look at young adults trying to figure out who they want to become. The series understands that your twenties are often less about having answers and more about making spectacular mistakes while searching for them.
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Fan reactions have been notably mixed but passionate. Many viewers have praised the chemistry between the core cast, particularly the friendships between AJ, Abby, Kel, Davis and Josh. Others have highlighted Ella Hunt, Avantika and Nicholas Duvernay as early standouts.
Some viewers have compared the series to a modern-day Friends, while others argue it feels more chaotic, more career-focused and far more reflective of contemporary young adulthood.
A few critics have questioned some of the exaggerated New York lifestyles on display, but even sceptical viewers generally agree that the cast's charm keeps the comedy moving.
Ultimately, Not Suitable for Work succeeds because its characters are far more interesting than their job titles suggest. Behind every analyst, stylist assistant, aspiring actor and ambitious journalist is someone trying to navigate friendship, ambition and identity without completely falling apart.
Whether you're watching for the romance, the workplace comedy or simply to see who ends up liking whom next, there's plenty to keep track of throughout Season 1. Which character are you backing so far — AJ, Abby, Kel, Davis or Josh? And which relationship do you think will create the biggest drama as the season continues?