I Will Not Be Okay Until You Watch ‘I Am Not Okay With This’

Anyone who knows me — or has at least read my Her Campus author bio — understands that I’m ridiculously into media. Movie and TV show release dates serve as bright spots in my planner amidst dreaded exams and papers, and you can already guess that Netflix’s I Am Not Okay With This was inked in on Wednesday, February 26. We’ve seen telekinetic girls in Carrie, Matilda and Stranger Things, so the concept itself isn’t exactly mind-blowing (pun intended). What makes Sydney Novak’s power so distinct is both its many sources — ranging from grief to family dysfunction to fear of falling behind — and the friendships she makes and breaks as she tries to figure it all out. With these key ingredients, yet another incredible teen dramedy is born.

Generally speaking, media about teenagers usually doesn’t reflect what we’re actually like. We end up with (admittedly entertaining) thirst-traps like Riverdale and The Kissing Booth, in which the actors are way beyond adolescence and are scripted to overuse buzzwords like “squad” and “bae.” That’s what makes shows like Netflix’s Sex Education and I Am Not Okay With This such gems: they show high school life in all of its awkward, angsty glory and actually make teenagers feel seen.

I Am Not Okay With This starts with Syd on a justifiably angsty precipice: Her father has killed himself, her mother is unsympathetic and chronically working and her best and only friend is ditching her to have ~relations~ with a jock who makes Syd’s life hell. All of this on top of the (perhaps more relatable) stresses of puberty and high school! We can hardly blame her for causing a few nosebleeds and destroying some architecture. But her unexpected solace comes from one of the show’s brightest and most enigmatic characters: Stanley Barber.

The actors who play Syd and Stan — the lovely and actually teen-aged Sophia Lillis and Wyatt Oleff — worked together on the rebooted It franchise of the late 2010s, and their on-screen chemistry is reflective of their history. Syd’s eternal grouchiness is perfectly countered by Stan’s chill, friendly and frankly startling demeanor. Not many 17-year-old boys walk around barefoot or in powder-blue suits, nor would they support teenage girls suffering from such curious afflictions as Syd’s. He is the Duckie in her Pretty in Pink life; bizarre as he may be, his tenderness is quite gripping and provides the show with unexpected heart. (Plus, he introduced us all to Bloodwitch, the greatest band of all time.)

All of Syd’s relationships can be muddled and confusing, offering a painfully accurate depiction of the turbulence of teenage life. Dina is her best friend and brings out the best in Syd, but their struggles when Dina starts dating the quarterback feel very authentic in their uncomfortable nature. Syd’s tense relationship with her mother is reflective of one that many adolescent girls face, but with the added pressure of a dead father and the silence surrounding him. Even her struggles to stand up for her little brother makes it harder for their overall positive relationship to thrive. All of this tension culminates in Syd’s telekinetic powers and, ultimately, her running away from the homecoming dance drenched in blood. (Again: Very Carrie.)

I won’t go further than that to avoid potential spoilers, but I really do implore you: Take out two and a half hours to sit down and truly enjoy Netflix’s latest teen masterpiece. It’s shorter than a Tarantino film and way more enjoyable, so skip Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and put that time to good use. You’ll laugh, you’ll scream and you’ll DM me afterward to thank you for this stellar recommendation. Go on — get to it.

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