‘Trying’ Season 5 First Look: Apple TV’s Most Comforting Comedy Returns With Complications and a Familiar Knock at the Door
- Je-Ree
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
There’s a particular kind of magic in Trying, the kind that sneaks up on you with warmth, lands a quiet emotional punch, and somehow still finds time to be genuinely funny. After four seasons of earned goodwill, Apple TV is bringing the beloved series back for a fifth outing on July 8, and the newly released first look suggests Nikki and Jason’s hard-won stability is about to be seriously tested.
Led by the ever-charming Esther Smith and Rafe Spall, the series picks up with the couple navigating a curveball that feels tailor-made to rattle their carefully built family life. The return of Kat, the biological mother of Princess and Tyler, introduces tension that threatens to undo the sense of normalcy the show has spent seasons constructing. It’s a smart narrative move because nothing says growth like having it challenged.
The first look leans into what the series does best: grounded, character-driven storytelling with just enough humor to keep things from tipping into melodrama. Charlotte Riley’s Kat appears poised to complicate things in ways that feel organic rather than contrived, while the kids, played by Scarlett Rayner and Cooper Turner are no longer just background to Nikki and Jason’s journey but active participants in it.
Returning cast members including Darren Boyd, Siân Brooke, and Celia Imrie ensure the ensemble remains as reliably strong as ever. The show’s ability to balance multiple personalities without losing focus has always been one of its quiet strengths, and Season 5 doesn’t look interested in fixing what isn’t broken.
Behind the scenes, creator Andy Wolton continues steering the ship, with BBC Studios producing. Another standout element returns as well: the music. This season’s soundtrack, curated by Orla Gartland, promises original songs for each episode, continuing a tradition that has helped define the show’s emotional rhythm.
Critically adored and sitting comfortably with a high approval rating, Trying has built a reputation as one of Apple TV’s most dependable offerings. It doesn’t rely on flashy twists or over-the-top gimmicks. Instead, it leans into sincerity, messy relationships, and the small victories that make its characters feel real.
Season 5 looks ready to dig deeper into those themes while giving viewers a reason to worry, just a little, about a family they’ve grown attached to. And honestly, that’s exactly why it works.