I am okay with this

photo by Netflix

Wyatt Oleff and Sophia Willis in “I Am Not Okay With This”

From the producers of “Stranger Things,” and the creator of “The End of the F***ing World,” new Netflix comedy-drama “I Am Not Okay with This” soared to Netflix’s number two in the U.S. in just one day, and rightfully so.

Based on the graphic novels by Charles Forsman, “I Am Not Okay with This” follows teenager Sydney Novak (Sophia Lillis) as she navigates the complexity of high school, her family and her sexuality all while dealing with her new mysterious superpowers. She is not a “save the world” kind of superhero, and viewers who follow Sydney and her weird adventures feel like they are in a quirky origin story.

The story takes place in a rural town, with an ‘80s sort of vibe. It starts out like every other coming of age story, sort of unoriginal. Sydney has a bad attitude and daddy issues. Deeper development of her character is coming, but only after a couple of shallow episodes.

The overall show was enjoyable, the pilot was noth pleasantly surprising and a slight let down. The internal monologue of Sydney, who was not like other girls, was too cliche. If the episode had shown more than it told, it would have been more captivating. Expecting the episode to be a comedy-drama (as Netflix had labeled it,) the superpower was an interesting twist.

Most of the time the story was unique and quirky, with the help of some other supporting characters. Novak’s best friend Dina (Sofia Bryant) and somewhat-friend Stan (Wyatt Oleff) bring more of the comedy, and highlight the better half of the show. Both characters, however, could have used deeper development and inclusion into the show.

Stan is arguably the best character, not only because of his style and song choices, but his unconventional character just brings light to the dark vibe of the plot. As Sydney was figuring out her powers, Stan was right there with her, and in turn so was the audience. 

The characters, the realism, and the emotion were all captivating and really pull at your heart strings. Something about it is just satisfying, and the cinematography adds to this. Wide shots and cut screens bring out originality and contribute to this being one of the coolest shows Netflix has put out in a while.

In another weird twist, most of the shows’ weakest points were also its strongest. Sydney’s internal monologue was an interesting way to narrate the show, but at times it got a little too ambiguous. Knowing her thoughts gave us insight into how she was dealing with her family issues, while really evoking emotion and allowing many in the audience to relate to her teenage struggles. It was a good touch that matched the eeriness, yet it would have been better if the feel of Sydney’s thoughts stayed more consistent.

The shortness of the episodes may be a perceived fault of the show, but the length keeps your eyes glued to the screen, and though there would be no objection if they were longer, it is not necessarily a bad thing.

Yes yes the rest of the episodes were cool, but nothing was as stimulating as the last episode. The beginning of episode seven was misleading, and at first disappointing, but in the last five minutes things take a turn. For a solid ten minutes you will be left flabbergasted with so many questions, a smart move of the creators, and a bonus for the viewers.

The surprise ending will leave you craving more, and with an assured season 2, it will be interesting to see what they will do to expand the characters and deepen Sydney’s story.

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