Although she never goes anywhere herself, Mel (Natasha Rothwell) spends her days working at New York’s JFK Airport, helping people travel to exciting new destinations.

At 35, she’s trying to figure out what on earth to do. She’s single, she’s broke, her family is disappointed in her. She’s aware of the irony that, despite working at an airport, she’s afraid of flying. She also works with her ex, Alex (Jocko Sims); she ended the relationship largely out of caution – disappointment has become the norm for her. To pass the time, Mel imagines herself as other people, be it successful-looking travelers at the airport or artists in a bar – anything to distract herself from the misery of her life.

When Mel has a near-death experience involving crab rangoon and a collapsing cupboard (on her birthday, of all days), her whole life is turned upside down. Mel is faced with a decision: after nearly four decades of misery, it’s time to turn her life around.

Refreshing, How to die alone– the new series from Hulu and the Onyx Collective, now available to stream – does not take Mel on a big Eat, Pray, Love-type adventure to find herself. She doesn’t quit her job and run off to explore the globe. (Even if she wanted to, it’s not quite in her budget.) Rothwell’s series is much more grounded.

She doesn’t do anything dramatic, like quitting her job and going on a road trip, or anything out of the ordinary, like attempting some remarkable mental or physical feat. But Mel isn’t settling for anything anymore. She takes part in a management program at work, tries to find romance, and works to repair her family relationships, particularly her complicated rivalry with her brother Brian (Bashir Salahuddin).

Rothwell has long been funny, especially as the fiery, unfiltered and cheerful Kelli in HBO’s Unsurewhere she stole every scene imaginable from her co-stars. (Rothwell also wrote for the show.) In season 1 of The White Lotusshe showed a different side as Belinda, the quiet, yearning hotel clerk whose dreams were built and promptly destroyed by a wealthy guest (Jennifer Coolidge). Rothwell’s performance was the most authentic and heartfelt in a star-studded ensemble.

In How to die aloneRothwell gets a well-deserved lead role – one that she takes full advantage of and explores all sides of her comedic personality. She is also the show’s creator and showrunner (alongside Vera Santamaria, who PEN15 And Orange is the new black). It’s a fantastic showcase for Rothwell. Mel is a complex character who comes wonderfully to life. She’s a joy to follow throughout these eight well-paced episodes. She’s incredibly charming and vulnerable, and isn’t afraid to explore the darkest and most desperate aspects of Mel’s life.

The show reflects the world best when it deals with the workplace. It is often a miserable experience with too little pay, but the camaraderie among coworkers – if you like them enough – makes the experience bearable. The supporting cast is great, from the baggage handler Terrance (KeiLyn Durrel Jones) to the airport bird handler (a very funny H. Jon Benjamin), and makes How to die alone you feel mature and alive.

Most episodes start with street interviews that introduce the topics, whether it’s breaking up toxic friendships or hooking up. These brief moments bring reality into the show and help Mel feel like a real person – she does similar things to the people interviewed and, of course, is just like us.

The step can be a little bumpy – Rothwell is so great that How to die alone needs no further convincing that Mel feels and acts like a real person. She’s funny and lovable and clumsy and makes a few silly mistakes, some of them perfectly reasonable, some more controversial (cheating is never the best decision). There are also a few fun creative flourishes that break out into the odd musical number, or a particularly funny scene examining the effects of taking Percocet.

Ian Watson/Disney

But beneath all the laughter – and there is a lot of it –How to die alone draws on a remarkable sincerity that makes the show a real pleasure to watch. This is a show about discovering yourself and what you want from life long after it’s considered acceptable. There are long, difficult conversations between Mel and her best friend Rory (Conrad Ricamora), her brother and her work rival Patty (Michelle McLeod). The show treats big concepts like infidelity, love and death with respect, but isn’t afraid to laugh at the darker aspects of life either.

How to die alone is a lot more fun than its grim title suggests. It’s a hilarious, superbly performed show that doesn’t deserve to die. Let’s hope How to die alone There will be many more seasons to come.