Sydney Novak is a 17-year-old living with her mother and younger brother, a year after her father's suicide. Sydney is deeply unhappy and frustrated. She misses her father deeply. There's never enough money at home. She's largely socially isolated at school. She and her mother never talk about her father's death. Her best - almost only - friend Dana just started dating an obnoxious jerk.
Oh, and she may be developing super-powers over which she has little to no control. So, you know, all the normal teen stuff.
Sydney's efforts to cope with everything in her life, understand what's happening to her, her entry into an awkward romance/friendship with her neighbour Stan and her increasing worry that someone knows about her powers form the basis of this seven episode series.
Based on the comic book of the same name, I Am Not Okay With This is a dark comedy comedy of age story. Despite the super-powers element providing a novel element, it is very much centred on the awkwardness of the teenage experience. Sydney's often uncomfortable life is relatable even if the specific events are not ones we would have had ourselves. The fine young cast definitely helps on this front.
Events in the series culminate - as they are wont to do in high school coming of age stories - at the homecoming dance, where Sydney will have to face the truth about herself on several different fonts.
This all culminates in a final scene that was obviously setting up for season two. Alas, these seven episodes is all we will get, as - after originally being given the green light - any further seasons were cancelled due to production delays caused by the COVID pandemic.
Which is a shame, because I definitely would have checked out a season two, given the opportunity.
No comments:
Post a Comment