I just binged seven seasons of “Younger”

I’ve been for fully vaccinated for almost a month now and the first three weeks were spent making up for lost time. I spent eight days in Palm Springs then I celebrated my birthday over the next week. It was the most socializing I’d done in a year and it was a blast – but also a bit tiring. I think re-entry is interesting and a bit complicated in an emotional sense.

So last weekend, I decided to return to some TV binge-watching and pretty much randomly chose the show Younger which just began it’s seventh and, I believe, final season.

I got hooked quick and have now gotten through every season and am waiting for the few remaining episodes to become available on Hulu.

The premise: Trying to start a new career gets more difficult as you age, which suddenly single-mom Liza (Sutton Foster) realizes when she tries to re-enter the NYC working world at 40. After young tattoo artist Josh (Nico Tortorella) convinces her she looks younger, Liza decides to do something about it. Her solution revolves around trying to pass herself off as 26, courtesy of a makeover by her best friend, Maggie (Debi Mazar). The newfound confidence helps get her a job assisting temperamental Diana (Miriam Shor) at a publishing house. Teaming with 20-something co-worker Kelsey (Hilary Duff), Liza hopes to make it a dream career — while no one discovers her secret. She later has to deal with the fallout of the truth. She also falls in love with the gorgeous young tattoo artist and Charles, the drop-dead gorgeous man (Peter Hermann) who is the publisher. Providing consistent comic relief throughout each season is social media guru Molly Bernard (Lauren Heller) who most certainly marches to her own drummer. And for charm and sex appeal and swagger, Charles Michael Davis is part of several seasons as Zane Anders who is a love interest for Kelsey but also a rival.

Cannot say how much I have loved this world and these characters. Such stupendous talent starting with Foster who I had always thought of as a Broadway performer (she has two Tony Awards) but who is a tremendous TV star and is able to convey all the highs and lows her character experiences at a sometimes dizzying speed.

I don’t know how this show is consistently overlooked at the Emmys. Foster as Liza is Emmy-worthy as is the brilliant Shor as marketing director Diana Trout. I have fallen in absolute love with Mazar’s character who is an artist and a lesbian and the kind of best friend we all wish we had. I’ve never loved Duff more than as Kelsey Peters and I can completely understand why Liza would be torn between Josh and Charles who are the loves of her life. It reminded me of Felicity being torn between Ben and Noel in that late, great 1999-2002 series.

Anyway, below is a chat with creator Darren Star, Foster, Tortorella, Bernard, Mazar, and Hermann who break down the joys of making ‘Younger’ and what fans can expect from the show’s final season.