Casual is an American television comedy drama television series that premiered on October 7, 2015, on Hulu. Created by Zander Lehmann and directed by Jason Reitman, it centers on Valerie (Michaela Watkins), a newly divorced single mother living with her brother Alex (Tommy Dewey) and her daughter Laura (Tara Lynne Barr). The cast also includes Frances Conroy and Nyasha Hatendi.
In advance of its premiere on Hulu, the first two episodes received a preview screening at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival as part of the festival's new Primetime platform of selected television projects.
On October 19, 2017, Hulu renewed the series for a fourth and final season with all eight episodes released simultaneously on July 31, 2018.
On June 23, 2016, Hulu renewed the series for a 13-episode third season. The season premiered on May 23, 2017.
On October 19, 2017, Hulu renewed the series for a fourth and final season with all 8 episodes being released simultaneously on July 31, 2018.
The first season received critical acclaim. On Metacritic the first season holds a rating of 77 out of 100 based on twenty criticsâ reviews. Rotten Tomatoes gave the first season a 93% rating based on twenty-eight criticsâ reviews, with the critical consensus reading, "Jason Reitman's Casual is a funny -- albeit very specific -- look at modern dating, sharpened by edgy dialogue and self-assured performances." For the 73rd Golden Globe Awards, the series was nominated in the category for Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy.
The second season received similar acclaim. It holds an 87% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on fifteen reviews, with an average rating of 8.8/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Well-written and solidly acted, Casual offers a profane -- yet profound -- take on life's many challenges". On Metacritic, the season holds a rating of 88 out of 100, based on seven critics. The third season also has a critics' rating of 88%.