From Jennifer Whalen and Meredith MacNeill (Baroness von Sketch) and Sphere Media (Sort Of) comes Small Achievable Goals, a new comedy about two polar opposite women navigating the messiness of menopause and midlife as they work alongside the eccentric employees of The Podcast Folx.
Julie Muldoon (Whalen) has worked hard to curate the perfect life for herself: loving husband, great career, and award-winning podcast, “Big Important Ideas”. But suddenly Julie’s body has chosen violence and begins to betray her. Waning libido and painful sex threaten her marriage, hot flashes and an internal monologue that’s suddenly become external threaten her work life.
When she’s passed over for a promotion on her 50th birthday her rage and frustration erupt in front of the entire office.
The very same day, Kris Fine (MacNeill) joins The Podcast Folx as host of brand-new show “Glow Up with Kris”. Julie’s nemesis, Evan Vandergrift (Alexander Nunez), found Kris on TikTok, where her price-conscious beauty dupes and make-overs of mature women have found her a massive, but not lucrative following. Kris is thrilled for the opportunity to have a more stable gig to support herself and her daughter, Saffron (Kiori Mirza Waldman). But on her first day at her new job, she’s forced to battle her non-stop period, the realization that Evan’s vision of the show includes a younger co-host, and a very disgruntled new producer who seems to hate her: Julie.
From this inauspicious beginning, the series follows the women as they clash, connect, and ultimately bond over their shared frustrations and common enemy: menopause. Over the first season, Kris and Julie must work to build a successful podcast – without killing each other – while battling potential workplace irrelevance and tackling menopause, marriage, sex and parenting.
We watch as Kris seeks love – online, or maybe in the workplace with shy HR manager Mo (Paul Braunstein); Julie rediscovers her mojo in an office where Gen X feels suddenly very much over the hill; Kris struggles to get doctors to treat her extreme symptoms – before they cause her serious harm; and Julie battles painful sex and a waning libido in her loving marriage to Pete (Jon Dore).
Along the way, we get to know the eccentric employees of The Podcast Folx, including very Gen Z murder podcast host Chelsey (Georgie Murphy), easy-going queer Millennial producer Robyn (Tricia Black), no-nonsense shoe obsessed office manager Jamila (Leslie Adlam) and Beatles loving sound engineer Larry (Kevin Whalen).
As they work to make Glow Up with Kris a successful podcast, Julie and Kris tackle their troubles with humour and honesty, breaking their problems down into bite-sized pieces… or Small Achievable Goals.
EPISODE SYNOPSES
Episode 101: “Judy Bloomed”
On her 50th birthday, Julie gets passed over for a promotion and realizes – to her horror – that she’s in menopause. Meanwhile, newly hired podcast host Kris’s first day at work is complicated by unexpected flash bleeding, a much younger co-host, and a new producer: Julie.
Episode 102: “The One”
Polar opposites Kris and Julie butt heads as they try to work together, while Julie is faced with her worst nightmare about aging and Kris struggles to find the confidence to host her first episode while dealing with unexpected period woes.
Episode 103: “Good Sex”
While Julie’s libido flatlines, Kris is hit with a wave of perimenopausal horniness and can’t focus on anything but sex. Their attempts to solve their problems lead them to a sex shop for “research,” resulting in genuine revelations, Kris’s first ever online hookup, and an unruly dildo dilemma.
Episode 104: “The H.R. Seminar”
With an ego boost from special guest star Jeanne Beker, Kris’s lack of boundaries and Julie’s controlling nature land the entire office in an HR seminar that threatens their camaraderie. Kris has a long-awaited doctor’s appointment, but the results aren’t what she hoped, and Julie finds an unexpected silver lining to an embarrassing menopause symptom when Evan tries to steal her office. Cameo appearance: Jeanne Beker
Episode 105: “Work Wife Balance”
Julie’s reunion with her ambitious ex-‘work wife’ Ronnie leaves Kris feeling insecure about their newly cemented friendship, right when she needs Julie’s support as she deals with a series of frustrating medical appointments. Meanwhile, Julie’s sexual life is the stuff of literal nightmares, and her reunion with Ronnie may re-ignite her passion for serious journalism – if it doesn’t kill the office’s vibe first.
Episode 106: “Making Work Friends”
Kris seeks the perfect way to celebrate her daughter’s first period after learning Saffron’s been keeping it a secret, and Julie navigates marital insecurities with some light stalking. Meanwhile, Evan awkwardly attempts to make work friends by enforcing frivolity – awkwardness ensues, and secrets come to light that threaten Kris and Julie’s friendship.
Episode 107: “Conscious Uncoupling”
Just as they’re nominated for an award, the rift in Julie and Kris’s friendship causes workplace disruptions when they refuse to work together. They’re forced to confront their vulnerabilities and the challenges of perimenopause when Evan lands them an exciting celebrity guest - Peaches.
Episode 108: “Family Matters”
As Kris and Julie struggle to make amends with Saffron and Pete after revealing hurtful secrets on “Glow Up with Kris”, Podcast Folx founder Michael (Peter Keleghan) and Evan hijack their podcast success. But Jamila, Mo and the other Podcast Folx rally behind Kris and Julie to help them regain the spotlight, resulting in a tempting offer from a rival producer that sets the stage for potential big change ahead.
PRESS FEATURES
ELLE
THE KIT
TORONTO LIFE
THE GLOBE AND MAIL
CBC
“We need content like Small Achievable Goals, and creators like Whalen and MacNeill who are vocal, honest, and unashamed about menopause.”
SHE DOES THE CITY
“In a way, the show itself is a series of small achievable goals in terms of representation and creating community for those who are struggling through a certain time in their lives. But it also goes beyond that to touch on an important and rising television trend: proving that older women should not be invisible.”
THE GLOBE AND MAIL
"Smart, funny, and relatable."
THAT SHELF
"The show has that extra dash of honesty and vulnerability that will help it resonate with anyone who watches."
THAT SHELF
“The Judy Blumes of menopause have arrived.”
WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
"[Not] just for people who have experienced perimenopause and/or menopause. Far from it."
ELLE
"Must-see."
EVERYTHING ZOOMER
"Whalen and MacNeill, who are both excellent actors and comedians."
THAT SHELF
"She [Jennifer Whalen] has a particular skill for cutting dialogue."
THAT SHELF
“Laugh-out-loud funny but grounded in a reality."
TORONTO STAR
"Dares to tackle society’s most taboo subject."
THE GLOBE AND MAIL
"Leaves viewers winded—sometimes in hysterics, sometimes in disbelief."
TORONTO LIFE
"Sharp, unpredictable."
TORONTO LIFE
"Laugh-out-loud funny but grounded in a reality."
THE KIT
"Makes the torments of menopause funny."
THE KIT
"The series is clearly in the hands of astute, thoughtful people who get it."
ELLE
"Groundbreaking..hilarious."
ELLE
"The menopause comedy you've been waiting for."
ELLE
"A series laced with laugh-out-loud teachable moments."
TORONTO STAR
One of the Top Ten Shows to Watch in 2025.
TORONTO STAR