Why aren’t you watching Search Party yet?

A GEN Y mystery series that owes more influence to Nancy Drew books than Girls, this immensely likeable show is also the perfect binge.

WITH its young cast and its Brooklyn setting, the comparison between Search Party and Girls was inevitable even though that’s a bit of a disservice to both.

A Gen Y mystery series that owes more influence to Nancy Drew books (the series artworks confirms as much) than Girls or Broad City, Search Party is immensely likeable and highly watchable.

Twenty-something Dory (Arrested Development’s Alia Shawkat) finds herself unanchored. She’s working for a rich woman (Christine Taylor) as a gofer and her relationship with live-in boyfriend, seemingly well-meaning Drew (John Reynolds), is more fizzle than sizzle these days.

When she comes across news that college classmate Chantal is missing, she’s immediately intrigued by the mystery. But her obsession really kicks into gear when she thinks she sees Chantal, fleeing a Chinese restaurant through the bathroom window, seemingly in fear.

Dory is convinced someone nefarious is chasing Chantal, even if she can’t seem to convince the police or the missing woman’s family.

Alia Shawkat in her career best.

She ropes her friends, second-rate actor Portia (Meredith Hagner) and self-involved Elliot (John Early), in her crusade, as well as the very reluctant Drew.

Here is a hero who’s flawed but endearing, Dory’s search for Chantal substituting for the fact that what she’s really searching for is purpose and a sense of control in a world that gives her none.

Pulling on the threads, Dory stumbles upon leads and red herrings galore — ultrasound pictures, an unstable ex-boyfriend, strange cults, a creepy “nanny daddy” and a private investigator. She even makes one of those string boards with photos and cards of suspects linked by coloured twine, though it’s not a full-on Carrie Mathieson deal.

And the denouement, without spoiling anything here, is spectacular, speaking volumes about compulsions, chance and young people’s narcissism.

“No, I swear, we care about other people.”

That self-centred entitledness that Gen Y-ers are relentlessly hounded for is mostly played for laughs in Search Party, which displays a self-aware insight that both excuses and sends it up.

Despite its dark subject, there’s levity to Search Party, its awkward and absurdist humour underpinning every interaction. A thoroughly unfortunate excursion to Chantal’s vigil (pound sign iamchantal) is obscenely funny while the dialogue, especially the lines spoken by the almost caricature Elliot, is pure cackle-worthy.

In terms of tone, Search Party is most reminiscent of HBO’s Bored to Death but this has a more natural energy.

The performances, led by the doe-eyed Shawkat, are great, always managing to create empathy with these often selfish people.

There are also guest turns from the likes of Ron Livingston, Parker Posey and Rosie Perez.

All this makes Search Party extremely bingeable. Its ten 23-minute episodes add up to around four hours in total and it boasts such an easy spirit that you could polish it off in one sitting, especially as most episodes end on a revelation.

And unlike the unbingeable Twin Peaks, there’s very little in terms of confronting material. The most challenging scene (until the finale) involves some post-dinner projectile vomiting. Ick.

Make some time for Search Party, you’ll be glad you did.

All 10 episodes of Search Party are available now to stream on SBS On Demand. It also airs on Tuesday nights on SBS Viceland at 8.30pm.

Continue the conversation on Twitter with @wenleima.

Nancy Drew for a new generation.