Every coming of age TV show or movie follows a similar plot. The guy gets the girl, the nerdy one becomes popular. While these types of media are sometimes interesting to watch, it’s always nice to get a new take. This fresh perspective of a coming of age story is represented in Netflix’s new series, I Am Not Okay With This.

Sydney Novak (Sophia Lillis) seems to be a normal teenager. She is growing into herself and figuring out her sexuality, all while dealing with the loss of her father weighing on her. Growing up causes innocent kids to grow into teens with endless angst. Sydney has a problem with her anger, however these strong feelings lead her to find out she has telekinetic powers that allow her to move things with her mind. Her quirky neighbor, Stanley Barber (Wyatt Oleff) helps her navigate her abilities and possibly control them, all while trying to keep it a secret from Sydney’s best friend, Dina (Sofia Bryant). These powers bring more issues than Sydney wants in her life and play into the main conflict of the story.

Aesthetically pleasing shows are more enjoyable to watch. The way this series is filmed and the way the people behind it use colors within the scenes creates a common theme in each episode. It was very well thought out, from the costume choices to the camera angles to the filming locations. This show was easy on the eyes and made me more inclined to continue watching.

This series emphasizes the loyalty between friends in many ways. The relationships between the three main characters are a strong foundation for the rest of the series to build off of. This is likely due to the actors within the show having incredible chemistry. When actors aren’t in the same place and don’t feed off each other, a series is really hard to watch. The casting of I Am Not Okay With This was nearly perfect, as the people in it seemed to be connected in real life.

While the series had many dark themes, it is labeled as a comedy drama. Shows that are genred this way are a hit or miss. It is difficult to balance the up and down storylines with comedic moments. In this series, they balance the two pretty well. It covers Sydney dealing with her powers and the loss of her father while bringing comedic relief in Stanley’s weird antics each episode. Keeping it as a dramedy was a plus for this series, as it made me feel a range of emotions while watching.

Another captivating aspect of this show was the power Sydney possesses. I am always excited to see different types of supernatural abilities and how they work. Her telekinetic abilities bring forth conflict. She can’t control her powers and when they are used. Extreme feelings cause them to come out, which I thought was an interesting way to portray her powers. She typically used them when getting bullied by Dina’s boyfriend, Brad Lewis, as he always had something awful to say about Sydney. Her struggle to control her abilities and the way Brad treats her lead to a shocking series of events and a jaw dropping conclusion to this season.

The plot of this series was engaging, as it built up and mentioned parts that suggested another season. There were unanswered questions left at the end of the series that left me wanting more. The series itself ended in a complete cliffhanger, and the events of the last episode were completely unexpected. While a second season is not confirmed, it is looking to be very possible. It is on Netflix’s top ten list in the United States, sitting at number five. People are clearly loving this series, so season two doesn’t seem too far fetched.

I Am Not Okay With This is a perfect blend of drama and comedy while still incorporating mystical features. Everyone behind this show did an admirable job bringing the story to life. I am highly anticipating a second season if it gets renewed for loose ends to be tied and questions to be answered. It was very binge worthy with only seven episodes, each being about 20 minutes long. The story of a teen figuring out who he or she is can be very relatable to young people, but I guarantee anyone who watches this show will be very okay with this.

4.5/5