‘Overcompensating’ Review: Benito Skinner’s Basic College Comedy Works Well Enough Where It Counts

Every generation gets their own raucous college comedy, and whether yours is “Animal House” (1978) or “Van Wilder” (2002), “School Daze” (1988) or “22 Jump Street” (2014), “Legally Blonde” (2001) or “Everybody Wants Some!” (released 2016 but set in 1980), you’ll recognize plenty of each in Benito Skinner’s Amazon Prime Video series, “Overcompensating.”
Although it’s unclear what generation the 31-year-old Skinner is meant to be representing when his modern-day freshmen profuse their love for decade-old pop culture like “Glee” (2009-2015), the “Twilight” films (2008-2012), and Nicki Minaj’s 2011 banger, “Super Bass” — while still selling their souls for to see Charli Xcx (an executive producer on the series) — the first season’s emphasis on universal elements, like hormone-induced comic hysteria and early-adult edification, prove endearing enough to overcome nagging failures of overfamiliarity and nostalgic imprecision.
At his Idaho high school, Benny (Skinner) is the golden boy: star quarterback on the football team, class valedictorian, and Homecoming king.
Although it’s unclear what generation the 31-year-old Skinner is meant to be representing when his modern-day freshmen profuse their love for decade-old pop culture like “Glee” (2009-2015), the “Twilight” films (2008-2012), and Nicki Minaj’s 2011 banger, “Super Bass” — while still selling their souls for to see Charli Xcx (an executive producer on the series) — the first season’s emphasis on universal elements, like hormone-induced comic hysteria and early-adult edification, prove endearing enough to overcome nagging failures of overfamiliarity and nostalgic imprecision.
At his Idaho high school, Benny (Skinner) is the golden boy: star quarterback on the football team, class valedictorian, and Homecoming king.
- 5/15/2025
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
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