‘Justin Bieber: Seasons’ is The Grownup ‘Never Say Never’ Beliebers Have Been Waiting For

Beliebers, rejoice! Our boy is back — and he’s betting on what’s worked before. It’s a safe and smart bet to make, as Justin Bieber: Seasons, the new docuseries chronicling Justin Bieber’s return to making music and evolution into adult man, premieres its first episode on YouTube today. And if you’re hoping it’s like an updated version to the brilliant 2011 film, Never Say Never, you’re in luck. That’s exactly what it is.

In fact, that movie is referenced within minutes of the first episode (and they’re only an average of 10 minutes long), making it clear that Bieber and his team know exactly what his fans still crave, a full decade after “Baby” was released. Are we still called Beliebers? Unsure, but watching this docuseries sure makes me feel okay about the title. New installments of the series will drop every Monday and Wednesday at noon eastern, but viewers can sign up for YouTube premium to get episodes earlier and ad-free.

I was cautiously optimistic at first. At this point in the singer’s career, it’s hard not to be nervous. It’s been two years since he canceled a world tour 14 stops earlier to focus on his health. With the exception of a feature here and there, he hasn’t released new music, and at 25 years old, married Hailey Baldwin (23).

The first shot of Bieber here really says it all: his body language conveys how uncomfortable he is, how apprehensive he’s feeling about opening up. Those crossed arms! But it’s clear right away, not just by the slightly deeper voice, that this is a calmer, more mature, adult Bieber we’re watching now. But just in case we forgot (we didn’t), the show kicks off by having him drive to his hometown of Stratford, Ontario — we love that! And he knows it! Bieber tells us the last time he brought cameras around these parts was for “Never Say Never, my first favorite documentary.” He then provides the music documentary equivalent of playing the hits, visiting THE STEPS (you know the ones) with his wife, stopping by the apartment building where he grew up, all with commentary from the same players we know and love: Allison Kaye (part of his management team), Ryan Good (formerly known as his “swag coach,” now pal and partner in his Drew House clothing line), and Scooter Braun (I know, we aren’t sure how we’re supposed to feel about him due to the Taylor Swift drama, but the guy knows how to produce a music doc).

The series is for fans of Bieber’s serving as an update on his progress as an artist and human, really. There’s not really a large attempt to change anyone’s mind but to satiate those of us who still have the purple hoodies in the back of the closet. It’s especially evident by the fact that the first few installments don’t give us the revelations of Never Say Never, like Biebs shooting hoops with his friends or begging for chicken nuggets.

Instead, Seasons focuses (a lot) on Bieber’s producer/mixer/engineer Josh Gudwin and their relationship, as well as with longtime collaborator Poo Bear. Much of the first few episodes are dedicated to showing Bieber’s perfectionist (and borderline OCD) tendencies while recording his upcoming album. There’s still dashes of humor and light, fun, gifable moments spread throughout, but his maturity and calmness is undeniable. And not that is’ not fascinating to watch the way those around him interact with him now that he’s an adult and can no longer bank on the precociousness that launched his career.

And while, if it’s not already clear, I’m a big fan of Bieber as an artist, the most fascinating moments of the series are watching him interact with wife Hailey, who proves to be more well-spoken and wiser than casual observers of their relationship may expect. Now, I wouldn’t want to be in the room when they’re all kissing and hugging on each other (which they do a lot) but it is pretty cute to watch on-screen. The docuseries sheds a lot of light on her involvement in his new songs, from the way she’s inspired many to the way she hangs around the studio while he records (until he gets too nervous, aww). The fourth episode of the series is already a highlight of the project, showing the exact moment the two met over a decade ago to the two of them now…playing a game where they throw a tennis ball across the room, and even a moment where Hailey zips her hubs into his…hyperbaric oxygen chamber.

It is at once fascinating to watch Bieber evolve into the adult artist he wants to be while also realizing… Justin Bieber might be kinda boring? Ultimately, Beliebers (I decided I’m still going to call myself one) will find a lot to enjoy here, with the only downside being that we can’t watch the whole doc at once. When Braun says, “I missed hearing his voice,” well, we all felt that.

Where to stream Justin Bieber: Seasons