Overcompensating Nails The Messy and Campy Energy Of Your First Year Of College
From creator Benito Skinner comes Prime Video’s new series Overcompensating. It finds Skinner as Benny as he arrives at Yates University as a closeted high school football player and homecoming king. During his first year in college, he meets outsider Carmen (Wally Baram) and the duo are inseparable as they navigate the chaos of fitting in. From humiliating hazing rituals to many drunken nights, everyone is on a journey to figure out who they really are.
From the start, the series sets up a great premiere introducing us to Benny and Carmen and their respective family relationships. They’re both struggling to fit in, but have found comfort in each other after their orientation meeting. Skinner is such a great lead as an awkward freshman with every line delivery and action feeling authentically him. This is partly due to Skinner using his own experiences to convey this hilarious journey in life and I enjoyed every moment. His friendship with Carmen is adorable to see, especially when he finally earns enough courage to tell her he’s gay and she does everything she can to be an ally. On the same note, Baram is a delight with her vulnerable moments and witty humor. There’s a solid finale scene where both her and Skinner’s character admit they’re bad friends to each other, but love each other anyway.
The series balances humor, raunchy dialogue, and sweet moments in a perfect way that is very reminiscent of The Sex Lives Of College Girls. Fans of the show can find comfort in this one in the same way with a slew of characters to love including Benny’s sister Grace (Mary Beth Barone), her douchey frat bro boyfriend Peter (Adam DiMarco), and Carmen’s roommate Hailee (Holmes). They’re all so funny to watch, especially Hailee who is a hot mess but also the most girl’s girl you’ll ever encounter. From the very first episode, she just seemed like the best roommate you could ever have and I loved any time she popped up in a scene. Even recurring gag characters who have little to no dialogue are hilarious to watch, like a crying neck-brace student who’s always breaking down and taking drugs, a kissing couple in the background, and a nerdy guy with suspenders. Every actor is a star and shows out in their respective characters, from Benny and Grace’s parents to Benny’s crush Miles (Rish Shah).
Given that the series’ executive producer is none other than Charli XCX herself — who also makes a cameo in one episode — it should come to no surprise that the series’ soundtrack is full of bangers, from Charli’s “party 4 u” to Kreayshawn's “Gucci Gucci.” Although it is kind of hard to tell what year these characters are supposed to be in within the series. It’s clearly 2010s coded, but there's a mix of pop culture references like Twilight which came out in 2008 and Spotify Wrapped which launched in 2016. The series could benefit from grounding itself in a specific year this is all taking place, but it does do a great job at encapsulating this era of college. It’s campy, it’s fun, it’s unhinged, and I loved it all! The season ends with *spoiler alert* Carmen accidentally outing Benny and both his sister and Miles overhearing it. I hope this ending means that we’re getting another season because I really needed a new show to watch that was going to make me laugh non-stop and this one delivered! I am crossing my fingers for more episodes.
Overcompensating captures the messy, emotional, and hilarious journey of self-discovery and friendship through Skinner and Baram, who shine in their roles. Their charming, authentic chemistry anchors the show, with a supporting cast that adds depth and comedy. Though the show’s timeline is a bit ambiguous, its nostalgic, early-2010s college atmosphere is spot on and enjoyable to watch at every moment.
Overcompensating is out now on Prime Video.
