FX Adds 1 New 'Adults' Premiere on Hulu as Season 2 Nears

Q: What was so disastrous about the original opening scene of FX's Adults that executives ordered an unprecedented prequel do-over?

There is no public indication that the original opening scene contained a specific scandalous or uniquely “disastrous” moment. What FX executives have said is more limited: viewers were dropping out very early in the pilot, in some cases during the opening scene itself, and that data convinced the network the show needed a different entry point. John Landgraf described the fix as giving *Adults* “a new front door” rather than correcting a single offensive or botched scene. The network and creators Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw responded by making a new prequel-style episode, “Marathon Day,” to introduce the characters and world in a more inviting way before the original pilot on Hulu. So the problem appears to have been audience engagement, not a publicly identified fiasco in the scene’s content. In a crowded streaming market, FX concluded that the show’s original opening simply was not hooking enough viewers fast enough, and ordered an unusual do-over to improve discoverability and retention ahead of season two.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 31

A new prequel episode for FX comedy “Adults” debuted Friday on Hulu, replacing the original pilot as the effective series opener ahead of Season 2.
FX made the change after streaming data showed many viewers dropped off during the pilot, with some leaving in the very first scene.
John Landgraf, who renewed the New York-set comedy for a second season despite weak first-season audiences, said the network wanted a “new front door” to recapture attention.
The unusual move underscores how far TV networks are going to revive interest in underperforming shows on streaming platforms.