Trying season 5 on apple plus reaps years of parenting drama
Trying season 5 is now streaming on apple plus, with the premiere live and new episodes arriving weekly through August 26. After four seasons tracing Nikki and Jason's adoption journey, critics say Andy Wolton's British comedy finally lets the couple savor family life—and rewards loyal viewers with its warmest storytelling yet.
The fifth season of Trying arrived on apple plus on July 8, giving subscribers immediate access to the first episode of the feel-good comedy. For fans who followed Esther Smith and Rafe Spall through infertility, adoption panels, and teenage turmoil, the return marks the payoff of years of emotional groundwork.
Key Takeaways
- Trying season 5 premiered July 8 on apple plus, with new episodes releasing weekly through August 26.
- IndieWire's review calls the season a reward after four grueling seasons of parenting struggles.
- Season 5 follows Season 4's six-year jump and birth-mother storyline that tested Nikki and Jason.
- The comedy was not confirmed for a fifth season until May 2025, after Season 4 ended in July 2024.
- The feel-good series stars Esther Smith and Rafe Spall as adoptive parents Nikki and Jason.
What Makes 'Trying' Season 5 Different From Earlier Seasons?
IndieWire argues that after documenting a decade of arduous parenting decisions, season 5 shifts focus to what the outlet calls "the good times"—those precious stretches when kids listen, parents stay connected, and family life simply works. Jason and Nikki are no longer fighting adoption panels or competing for children; they are savoring hard-won time together.
The change follows IndieWire's season 5 review, which notes the show was never just a rom-com. Over four prior seasons, the couple struggled to conceive, pursued adoption, won over skeptical relatives and courts, and—after a six-year jump in season 4—faced their daughter Princess's birth mother.
How Did Season 4 Set Up the Emotional Payoff?
According to IMDb coverage, season 4 presented what the outlet described as Nikki and Jason's toughest parenting test yet. A six-year time jump pushed Princess into her teenage years, and her growing desire to connect with her biological mother forced the adoptive parents to navigate emotions they could not fully control.
IndieWire notes that season 4 introduced Princess's birth mother after that leap forward in time, setting up the identity questions that defined the family's most emotionally complex chapter. Season 5 picks up after that groundwork, letting viewers share in a calmer stage where connection feels earned rather than uncertain.
When and Where Can You Watch 'Trying' on Apple Plus?
As 9to5Mac reported, the season 5 premiere is available now to apple plus subscribers. New episodes follow every Wednesday through the August 26 finale, continuing the same weekly release pattern used across the series.
Season 4 wrapped in July 2024, but fans waited until May 2025 for official confirmation of the fifth season—a long gap that made the July 8, 2026 global premiere especially welcome. For more streaming updates like this one, see our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.
Could Season 5 Be the Final Chapter?
IndieWire notes that Apple has not announced an end to Trying, yet season 5 reads like a denouement. The critic writes that it certainly feels like the end may be nigh, though the season works better for now as an ode to another stage of parenting rather than a cliffhanger hungry for renewal.
Whether or not more episodes follow, the early reception suggests the show's patience-first formula paid off. After putting in the work across infertility, adoption panels, court battles, and adolescent identity questions, season 5 finally lets Nikki, Jason, and their audience enjoy the connection they fought so hard to build.