YoungTown is a mockumentary-style sitcom (in the vein of The Office and Parks and Recreation) centered on the experiences of Adrian, a non-member student at BYU. Adrian, drawn to BYU for the prestige of its animation program, becomes the subject of a documentary experiment by the university's Office of Belonging. This setup allows the show to explore his interactions with an eclectic group of peers—two student apartments (one male, one female) who together form his "FHE family."

 

YoungTown capitalizes on the cultural curiosity surrounding BYU and Provo, aiming to intrigue a non Latter-day Saint audience through its unique setting (the strange attractor). However, the show's lasting appeal will lie in its characters—relatable, flawed, and authentically human. Moving away from the humor derived from satirizing Latter-day Saint culture (such as that found in The Book of Mormon Musical, The RM, and Mobsters and Mormons), YoungTown will find its comedic core in the eccentricities and awkwardness of human behavior, much like its genre predecessors. BYU, church culture, and Utah provide the backdrop, not the punchlines; instead, the focus is on relationships and universal experiences.

 

Ultimately, YoungTown will invite secular viewers into the world of young adults navigating the trials and triumphs of college life, and the young adult years in general. It’s a show that’s as curious about its setting as its audience is, but its heart is in the humor and humanity of its characters.