I AM NOT OKAY WITH THIS

Starring: Sophia Lillis, Wyatt Oleff, Sofia Bryant, Kathleen Rose Perkins, Richard Ellis
Writer: Jonathan Entwistle (Episode 1-7), Christy Hall (Episode 1-7), Liz Elverenli (Episode 3), Tripper Clancy (Episode 4-5), Jenna Westover (Episode 7)
Director: Jonathan Entwistle
Studio: 21 Laps Entertainment, Ceremony Pictures, Raindrop Valley
Based on the comic book by Charles Forsman

I once saw someone on Twitter say, “What is it with all these TV shows having an ’80s aesthetic?” Honestly, I’m not too sure, but I do know that I’m a sucker for it. Instead of having the ’80s aesthetic as other Netflix shows like Stranger Things or GLOW, I Am Not Okay With This is set in modern times, and I, again, am a sucker for it.

I Am Not Okay With This is about a girl named Sydney Novak (Syd for short) who discovers that she has the ability of telekinesis. Where lots of people nowadays would be thrilled to find out they have superhero potential (I sure would), Syd is not at all happy with this. Mainly because she can’t control it, and it only causes her trouble. It’s the last thing she needs. She’s dealing with the loss of her father, her neighbor has a romantic interest in her, and her romantic interest is her best friend. On top of that, she’s constantly arguing with her mother and her little brother is getting bullied. So you see, it’s not at all an easy life for the teenager, and having uncontrollable telekinetic outbursts only adds to the pile of struggles.

I hadn’t read the comic book prior to watching this, so I had no idea what to expect. I also didn’t realize the first season would be a short one, with episodes around 25-30 minutes each. So it was a quick binge-watch, but a fun one nonetheless.

I Am Not Okay With This did a wonderful job of portraying realistic teenager struggles with teenagers who look like teenagers. It blended in perfectly with the superhero genre (if you can call it that). I laughed a lot while watching it but also saw some relatable elements. There were moments where I couldn’t possibly have predicted the outcome and moments where facial expressions were louder than words. It was a refreshing series, mainly because the superpowers weren’t even the main issue. Syd had several questions she needed answered, and it was only until later on that she started to care more about solving the mystery around her powers. You could tell that she had an “I don’t have time for this” attitude towards her newfound abilities.

If you love the vibes of Stranger Things and The End Of The F***ing World, you’ll also love this wonderful new series.

I Am Not Okay With This is now available on Netflix.