I really wanted to like the show I Am Not Okay With This, I did! Yet, here I am writing an article expressing just how ‘eh’ I felt about it.
The new Netflix show is about a girl, Sydney, who is dealing with the loss of her father and the obstacles of high school while hiding some newly formed superpowers. An interesting premise, I’ll give them that – a new age Carrie if you will. I Am Not Okay With This features the stars of It: Sophia Lillis and Wyatt Olef. While they are wonderful actors, even their undeniable chemistry and friendship couldn’t save this show for me.
I had some really high expectations for this show, as it seemed to incorporate some of my favorite things: 80’s romcoms and Pittsburgh. I love Pittsburgh. I was born here, I grew up here, I go to college here. I love the people and the city and the sports. So, I was thrilled to hear that this was filmed right here in Steel City itself; not just filmed in the parts of Pittsburgh that everyone knows, like Heinz field or Cathedral of Learning, but filmed in the less idolized side of Pittsburgh, the real Pittsburgh.
This show was made by the same people who created The End of the F****ing World, which I thoroughly enjoyed. They seemed to incorporate the dark and angsty humor of that show and mixed it with the 80’s supernatural components of the Netflix fan favorite Stranger Things. The idea is golden – take two great things that work and put them together, like peanut butter and jelly. But in this case, it is more like cheese and cereal, two things that people love but just don’t quite work together. Don’t get me wrong, the costuming was nice, the soundtrack was indie and nostalgic and the actors all seem to genuinely love the show that they are making. So why, oh why, couldn’t I get into this show?
Now maybe, just maybe, this show wasn’t meant for me. At the ripe old age of 20 I think I may be aging out of high school drama shows. My biggest worries are applying to grad school and paying rent, while Sydney’s biggest worries are controlling her newfound superpowers… and the crush she may or may not have on her best friend. If our lives were put on a Venn-diagram, our circles would definitely not be overlapping. But, you can bet that 13-year-old Katy would have loved this show. A quirky, edgy and angsty high schooler that loves picking fights with their Mom and hates their hometown? Sign baby Katy up!
I can best sum up this show as something similar an inside joke you have between you and your friends. You guys thinks it is hilarious, quality comedy, but when anyone from the outside hears it, it just doesn’t quite work right. No matter how much you explain it or try to get them to understand, there is always a bit of disconnect. That’s how I felt watching this show. I got what they were trying to do, but I just couldn’t quite buy into it.
