Of Internet Stars, Sounds, and Scenes

Overcompensating was created and written by Benito Skinner and distributed by Prime Video in collaboration with A24 Studio. Desiree Akhavan and Daniel Gray Longino each directed four of the eight episodes of the first season. Skinner, who blew up on the internet with comedy and pop culture sketches, plays the starring role and brings many of his internet alumni for the ride. There are a multitude of internet celebrities who make cameos throughout the show that make it feel like a game of Where’s Waldo, trying to spot each little appearance. One person steals the spotlight, though: Carmen’s roommate, Hailee (Holmes). The fan-favorite character is comedy gold and showcases that talent isn’t purely dictated by acclaim or followers. At times, this can create a disjointed feeling. Actors play much younger characters, and some dialogue decisions are jarring, but these make the show feel more authentic. The production took a huge leap of faith to focus on more “unknown” talent, but the decision paid off handsomely. 

The show definitely isn’t perfect by any means, but feels modern in a way that evokes nostalgia. There is a strange comfort in the cringeyness of the constant referencing and obscene jokes. It feels like sitting at a table and eavesdropping on another conversation; it’s embarrassingly relatable and feels wrong in all the right ways. 

Similarly, music in Overcompensating captures this strange comfort with a mix of both the new and old tunes. According to Variety, Music producer Joe Weisberg said that the music was built into the script, which blends the music perfectly into the story. The pop culture giant Charli XCX, who was the executive music producer, also played herself in the show and helped in securing the rights to cult classics that each episode is named after. These include hits Brittany Spears’ “Lucky,” Lady Gaga’s “Edge Of Glory,” or even XCX’s own song “Boom Clap.” The music is integral to not only Skinner’s own story, but also to Benny’s, allowing for the score to grow and change along with the characters. 

The cinematography also is beautifully realistic. The scenes aren’t over the top like the rest of the show and create an atmosphere that grounds viewers from the eccentricity of the rest of the production. The show takes place mostly on the college campus, but the monotony of the setting is broken by gorgeous lighting and visuals. This allows for each setting that may have been used before to feel completely new and unique. Combining the score and the understated visuals, Overcompensating establishes itself as a story that feels real. 

Compensating For The Closet

Overcompensating is a story about identity and self-acceptance wrapped up in a beer keg at some dingy frat house. It creates a sensationalized vision of college, but is also frustratingly sincere in a way that is hard to pin down. It is difficult to truly put a show as brazen as Overcompensating into words, but it is definitely the one thing that matters: fun. 

Stream Overcompensating on Prime Video today.