Netflix’s I Am Not Okay With This is a genre-defying coming-of-age tale that will leave you begging for a second season.
I’ll admit that my first and only interest in I Am Not Okay With This came from Sophia Lillis’ involvement. I had recently seen her in It for the first time, and thought she had an incredibly strong presence on screen.
When I saw she’d be leading her own Netflix Original television series, I knew I had to check it out.
I was not disappointed, although I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t know what I was getting into. From the trailer, this series looked to be both an awkward coming-of-age tale and the origin story of a girl with superpowers.
I had no idea it would be so much more than that, or that it would throw caution to the wind and mix genres without fear of consequence.
First and foremost, if you’re looking for an interesting new show that doesn’t require a lot of time, I Am Not Okay With This is perfect for you. With only seven episodes running at about 20 minutes each, you can consume the entire season in less time than it would take to rewatch Avengers: Endgame.
This means the story is kept tight without the added baggage to fill out a standard 40-minute episode across 10 or 20 installments. You get just what you need to keep the mystery alive. It’s quick but memorable.
The cast of characters in I Am Not Okay With This are charming. They find a way of both leaning into and defying the tropes that come with typical teen stories.
Sydney (Lillis) is the kind of weird, quiet girl with the popular best friend who’s dating the jock. But where the two could butt heads and eventually go their separate ways, Syd and Dina (Sofia Bryant) find strength in each other’s presence. They don’t really care that they run in separate circles; they like each other for who they are.
Stanley (Wyatt Oleff) is a stoner, but instead of being the cool bad boy who gets into trouble all the time, he’s awkward AF and refreshingly confident in his weirdness. He and Sydney bond over their mutual derision for most people, but where Sydney tends to be quiet and judgmental, Stanley is carefree and — dare I say — bubbly.
The beginning of the show is by no means colorful, especially since we learn that Sydney and her family are dealing with the fallout of her father killing himself.
However, this is also the point at which the series is focused mostly on the coming-of-age tale for Sydney and her friends. There’s acne and dances and bullies. It’s about sexuality and friendship and just trying to get by in this world.
It’s also not afraid to talk about abuse and depression. Drugs and sex. While the series never solves these problems, it also doesn’t shy away from the questions. For now, I’m satisfied, though I hope a renewal may mean we get some answers, some catharsis, and some justice.
In this regard, the series passes with flying colors. It’s relatable, even if it’s been a while since you were a 17-year-old kid. And while you may roll your eyes or hide your face in your hands (secondhand embarrassment is real), you also can’t help but root for these kids.
But there’s an added element to I Am Not Okay With This, and that’s Syd’s superpowers. They complicate her life in increasingly more detrimental ways, making an already difficult time at home and school even more troubling.
A lot can be said about Syd’s powers. It’s difficult to decide whether the show is using them as a metaphor for female rage. Or puberty. Or grief. Or mental illness. If that’s not meant to be the message we take home, then it’s certainly tied up with these elements of Syd’s life.
There’s more to be said about this that delves into spoilers, so I’ll refrain from going any further. I also don’t think we have enough answers to truly understand what the show is telling us yet. Hopefully that comes with I Am Not Okay With This season 2.
What surprised me most about the series was its decent into darkness. At the beginning of the show, despite the opening, I didn’t think it would take a deep dive into the horror genre. Granted, this show isn’t scary per se, but it’s not afraid to take the story one step past where you thought it would go.
And given that ending…there’s no telling where this show will end up.
All in all, if you’ve got some time, I’d give I Am Not Okay With This a try. If you reach the end and don’t care about seeing more, I don’t think you’ll have wasted too much of your life. But once you see the final episode, you’ll understand why this show is just begging for a second season.
I wouldn’t say I’m on the edge of my seat awaiting the next installment, but I’m definitely curious as to where this series will go next. Will it finally land on a genre, or will it continue to blend them together seamlessly? How much will we delve into Syd’s powers and her father’s past? What exactly is this show trying to say?
I hope Netflix grants us the opportunity to find out.