Friendship, Faking It, and Finding Yourself

TV SERIES REVIEW
Overcompensating
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Genre: Comedy
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 8 x 35m episodes
Creator(s): Benito Skinner
Cast: Benito Skinner, Wally Baram, Mary Beth Barone, Adam DiMarco, Rish Shah
Where to Watch: Available on Prime Video May 15, 2025

RAVING REVIEW: A unique energy comes with a story that isn’t afraid to get messy while figuring itself out. That makes OVERCOMPENSATING feel alive—it doesn’t chase perfection. Instead, it leans into its imperfections, confident that the cracks are where the most interesting parts emerge. At the center of the chaos is Benny, played by Benito Skinner, a former high school football star and homecoming king. He is a freshman navigating a college world that refuses to play by his old social rules. Benny walks onto campus carrying an image he can’t maintain and a truth he doesn’t know how to live. The accumulation of awkward interactions marks his journey, missed signals, and small revelations that slowly unravel the persona he once depended on.

The person who pushes Benny out of his shell is Carmen, brought to life by Wally Baram. Carmen’s a first-year student fueled by a need to belong and a willingness to bulldoze through any obstacle to make that happen. What starts as a bond formed out of necessity evolves into something much deeper, shaped by brutal honesty and shared vulnerability. Their relationship feels less like a conventional TV friendship and more like a slowly unfolding alliance—one built not on convenience, but on the realization that pretending to be someone else gets lonelier the longer it goes on.

The tone of their story never settles into just one mode. OVERCOMPENSATING swings from chaotic party scenes and exaggerated campus rituals to quiet, introspective moments that hit unexpectedly hard. The writing embraces those shifts, allowing the narrative to breathe. Not everything needs to be a punchline, and not every emotional beat has to be soaked in melodrama. The result is a show that feels unpredictable enough to stay engaging, even when it dips into familiar college movie cliches.

Skinner anchors the show with a performance that is carefully measured and completely exposed. As Benny, he carries the weight of a character constantly watching himself, trying to manage his perception while avoiding who he is. His delivery has restraint and a sense of constant tension bubbling beneath the surface. Baram, on the other hand, charges Carmen with unpredictability. She veers between boldness and insecurity, never quite landing in one emotional register for too long. That instability makes her fascinating to watch and gives the duo’s dynamic an edge that keeps it from feeling routine. I would argue that while Skinner’s Benny is the “lead,” Carmen takes the series and keeps it afloat.

The supporting players help shape the world around Benny and Carmen. Mary Beth Barone plays Grace, Benny’s older sister, a chaotic upperclassman who dispenses advice like a veteran of several social wars. Her presence injects humor and cynicism into the mix, but she also provides a kind of worn-in wisdom that grounds the more outlandish scenes. Grace’s boyfriend, Peter—portrayed by Adam DiMarco—is a campus “legend” who serves as a cautionary tale wrapped in charisma. He’s equal parts mentor and walking red flag, offering just enough depth to keep from becoming a parody.

Rish Shah adds quiet intrigue as Miles, a reserved film bro whose presence throws Benny into emotional disarray. Shah doesn’t overplay the role, letting silence and minimalism do much of the work. His scenes suggest a world we only glimpse, and that restraint makes his arc one of the most compelling among the supporting cast. Still, not every character is given the same space to develop.

The series succeeds in exploring overcompensation, both as a defense mechanism and as a social strategy. Every character wears a mask. Benny performs confidence, Carmen performs belonging, and Peter performs purpose. These aren’t lies in the traditional sense—they’re attempts to survive. The writing frames these performances not as flaws, but as inevitable byproducts of growing up in a world that rewards certainty and punishes ambiguity. The message here isn’t just that people pretend, but that pretending often comes before understanding who you are.

Still, the show occasionally trips over its ambition. It leans heavily on well-worn college tropes—outrageous dorm life, parties that defy logic, and actions with little purpose beyond a visual gag. These moments don’t necessarily drag the show down, but sap energy from the more intimate moments. A sharper focus on character development and fewer distractions would let the emotional arcs land more forcefully. I was hoping for something that could have given those moments more depth.

OVERCOMPENSATING isn’t interested in easy resolutions. The characters don’t exit stage left with clean slates or picture-perfect clarity. They remain flawed, uncertain, and in motion—just as they should. Resisting closure isn’t a narrative cop-out; it reflects real-life transitions, especially the messy ones that hang adulthood. It makes for a more challenging watch at times and a more rewarding one. (Here’s hoping there’s a season 2, though!)

As it stands, OVERCOMPENSATING is a portrait of self-invention, social anxiety, and emotional camouflage. It doesn’t always hit the mark, but when it does, it lands with honesty. The show isn’t trying to define a generation—it’s trying to understand it. And for anyone who’s ever performed while quietly unraveling, that’s more than enough.

@Overcompensating
@PrimeVideo
@AmazonMGMStudios

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