When I first began watching this show I wasn't sure what to expect from it. I did initially feel that they were constantly reminding the audience that the show took place in the 90's and found that a little too on the nose. BUT as the story developed and evolved, I fell absolutely in love with this show for it's nostalgia and for everyone of these characters. All I can say now is PLEASE NETFLIX...give me more!
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northernlad28 March 2018
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This show was really great. It has a lot of charm. The cast was wonderful. This show brings me back to a great time in my life. It has a lot of potential.
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This Netflix Original starts out as just another one of those ordinary school sitcoms about school life. But after a couple episodes, the show dives even deeper as we find out Kate Messner, a Sophomore at Boring High School, is lesbian, she shares her journeys as she goes through the social stigma and the complications of being lesbian in the 1990's. This is a great show and I highly recommend it anybody who is looking for a Comedy that is serious but not too seriously.
On April 6, Netflix announces 'Everything Sucks!' will not be renewed for a second season. -
panayiotis-character9 March 2018Was expecting a mediocre sitcom with lots of nostalgia and what I got was a masterpiece. A one-camera dramedy with excellent cast, great performances and the necessary nostalgia in all the right doses.
Teens played mostly by real teens (hope this becomes the new normal) with performances that professionals will envy.
Don't miss this, even if you weren't a teenager at 90s. It's one of the best shows around -
another-brick-in-the-wall4 May 2018Wonderful show. It's cancellation is further proof that Netflix is run by toddlers who are not in touch with what a very large portion of their customer base is interested in. I understand some shows under perform. I understand Netflix has numbers to hit, but damn, you couldn't have given it one more season? How expensive could this show have possibly been to produce?
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iNickR16 February 2018For the review, scroll down to paragraph five. For the added bonus of my incoherent, gonzo-esque ramblings, start reading now.
Netflix releases their original series, (usually) all episodes, at midnight pacific time. When I binge on a new series I'm up exactly when it premieres. I live on the east coast so for me, 'up' means awake at 03:00. I don't have the luxury of being apart of the secret society known as the 'Netflix Media Center'. Neither do I know their classified handshake, nor possess the diamond-encrusted-Netflix-logo-pinky-finger ring each member is issued (folklore has it that Netflix founder Reed Hastings personally casts each ring in the basement of his medieval castle). So, I'm not privy to advanced streamed screenings of Netflix shows. Ironically, Netflix premieres for me are by 'appointment TV'. Thus, my appointment is set for 3 a.m.
I'm less of a critic and more of a fan who likes to write, so I don't mind paying for my streaming services. And, let's face it, my writing skills are as questionable as my photography skills were when I was making TV magic many years ago (just ask any of the warm props I worked with). But I digress.
It's now 3:00 am. It's quiet, the kids are asleep, the wife's somewhere else. Everything Sucks! has started. Beside me is my morning mocha (an addiction I'm not fond of). On my lap sits my HP-Mini (yes, laugh it up) where I am writing this. A few feet yonder is my work laptop, sitting on a spindly table that was bought for $1.00 at a yard sale in 1995 (how fitting!), streaming the show.
So, in short, this is not a rip-off of Stranger Things (thankfully). Whatever comparisons were/have been made are just asinine. Everything Sucks! is about a group of high school kids attending Boring High School in 1996. Boring is an actual city in Oregon (twinned with 'Dull, Scotland', and not too far away from 'Happy Valley'...seriously, you can't make this stuff up), with a population hovering close to 7500. I wanted to know the town's reaction to the series, but my email to Netlfix's PR rep for the show went without a response. Contacting the Boring CPO (Community Planning Organization) didn't get me anywhere either. I guess that's the difference between being a credible journalist and a hack like me.
Anyway, the series mainly focuses on Kate and Luke. Kate (Peyton Kennedy, impressive), a sophomore, thinks she's a lesbian and is seriously crushing on a girl in her class. She struggles to fit in with pretty much everyone but not because of her (rumored) homosexuality. She's nicknamed 'Plutonium' (as in stay-away-from) because her father, Ken (Patch Darragh), is the principal. Luke (the awesome Jahi Di'Allo Winston) is a freshman and has a serious crush on Kate. He earnestly strives to gain her interest and love, even knowing that the gossip about her sexual preference may be true. 'A' for effort, Luke.
They are both in the school's AV club, along with a few other dweebs: McQuaid (Rio Mangini), wicked smart way beyond his years, sporting nerdy 90s clothes and a 90s-cool slicked-back coiffure. Tyler (Quinn Liebling), the squeaky-voiced comic relief of the group, lives with an alcoholic step father and struggles to read at a 5th grade level; and Leslie (Abi Brittle), is super religious and secretly crushing on Tyler, who can't take the hint. Overseeing the group is the mellow Mr. Stargrove (series co-creator Ben York Jones - who was born to play this role by the look of it). Clearly, he's the coolest, most unboring Boring High teacher.
The AV club is battling with the overly-dramatic Drama Club. Scott Pocket (Connor Muhl) anchors the school-televised morning announcements along with Jessica Betts (Nicole McCullough); both are a-typical divas. The real pains-in-the-butt, however, are wannabe actors, and part-time couple, prima donna biatch Emaline (Sydney Sweeney - who you will grow to love as this series plays out) and primo uomo douchebag Oliver (a cunning Elijah Stevenson), who clearly missed his calling as a professional douchebag.
Everything Sucks! starts out kind of boring (lol!), but once the jitters work themselves out, and after we finally meet the entire awkward cast towards the end of the first episode, it becomes quite enjoyable. The series is more of a drama than a comedy; I'd say maybe a 60-40 split. I grew to like and care about the characters, even the douchebag. Peyton Kennedy (as Kate) plays her role with dignity and respect and one can hope that her performance inspires real-life LGBTQ youth to be comfortable in their skin. She delivers a powerful message with confidence. The entire cast delivers in style, and if you have a history like any of the characters they portray, you will get emotional. I did.
There's a lot of 90s nostalgia, and a soundtrack that brings back fond memories. Oasis, Tori Amos, Spin Doctors, Space Hog. Each episode runs about 23 minutes, on average. It's the perfect length. I was able to sit through the entire series without getting bored - which bodes well for Netflix because I am a part of the intended demographic (just barely, I graduated high school in 91). Ugh, I feel old.
The comedy is mainly smart, thankfully no slapstick or sight gags. At times I groaned at the jokes, but only because I remember laughing at them when I was a kid. Ugh, I was lame.
The shooting style is like that of Arrested Development - handheld, but not to the point of being nauseating. Tripod-cam would just feel out of sync for this show.
There are so many unanswered questions and the final scene in the season finale leaves the door wide open for another 10 episodes. I miss the show already. -
Being that I was born in the 80's I can appropriately say this show sparked that flame of childhood reminiscence the right way. A good majority of our generation grew up with one parent in the house hold and this show managed to capture the trials and tribulations of that in two different aspects. Also being that High school is typically either one of the most cherished or hated times in a person's life the transition of turning into an adult all while dealing with your emotions, relationships, puberty and sexuality deems that the title "Everything Sucks!" being fairly true at this age. ES! managed to encapsulate all that while growing up in a extremely small town very well. We all miss the 90's, I'm just glad there are shows like this to at least make us feel like this time has yet to and will not be forgotten.
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sosotess11 April 2018This is a great, binge-worthy gem of a show ! There was close to no promo, so I stumbled upon it and I'm glad I did ! It starts slowly, but by episode 4, I was hooked ! The music is great, the characters very lovable, the 90's atmosphere fascinating, the story endearing... Luke and Kate face interesting challenges and their parents' storyline is one of the sweetest I've seen in a long time ! We're left with a cliffhanger which calls for a sequel, and boy do I want one !
Now I hope we'll get to see a season 2. The fanbase deserves it ! I only watched 13 Reasons Why because there was so much buzz around it but found it very boring and not deserving of a sequel but it's still getting one. Netflix even renewed kiddie sitcom Alexa and Katie before it was even streamed. Yet this show is not renewed ? Not fair ! -
jdodd-8564925 February 2018Heartfelt show about how complicated love and relationships can be. The show hits the mark for the most part but falls flat with the EXCRUCIATINGLY SLOW START. Nearly 5 episodes before you really start to care about the characters and the story starts to actually go somewhere. Give it a chance if you are looking for something heartfelt you just have to push past the first half.
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POIguy4 April 2020Great show that unfortunately didn't get to realize its full potential. I loved the character and their story. The 90s setting worked perfectly and was a breath of fresh air from other shows. It also left on a cliffhanger which made the cancellation even more frustrating! Really great show that should not have been cancelled.
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sonnabendsam19 February 2018This show has god awful acting from most of the cast, cringe inducing dialogue that will leave you uncomfortable, some of the characters will turn a total 180 on their established personalities, and it is frankly not that interesting at the beginning. YETTTTTTT It turned out to be very charming and heartwarming at times. It is rough to get through the beginning, but once it gets going it's not too bad. It doesn't play on nostalgia at all which is kind of nice for a change and treats it like its just like modern times. There is a great show hidden amongst this rather average Season 1 with room to grow for sure. It is average, but it won me over by the end somehow. Kind of looking forward to season two. THis show is not for everyone and I do understand if you give up on it and you wont miss out on much, but its worth a chance.
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I was one of the lucky ones who got to experience having my first out girlfriend, in the 90s, in high school. Ironically, I was in AV and drama club, too. ;) I do not take for granted how special it is to see my teenager love story played out for all to see. I am so proud of the growth that LGBT+ representation has experienced in the last 20 years since I graduated. It is, no doubt, saving lives.
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wbuttle21 April 2020The idea is practically the same as Freaks and Geeks, two different group intertwine and how they get on, but instead of the mathletes and the stoners, it's the AV Club and the Drama kids.
I don't think I would have minded this as the idea seems to be fine, could have been interesting and I've always liked the 1990s with movies, TV, Music and fashion. -
theXone17 October 2019The story sucked. Things just happened, and characters were only subject to their unstable story. When Luke's team was about to film one of his movie's scenes in California, their production is briefly stopped by a police officer who showed up all of a sudden for they didn't have a permit, but the problem is immediately solved by putting her in the movie (and then she gets laid with the teacher), and the story moves on as though nothing happened at all. This is basically how Everything Sucks! Tells a story.
The characters sucked. They did not even have a clear goal. The relationship between Luke and Kate is awful. Once Luke finds out Kate is into girls, he starts taking her on dates and trying to make her take pity on him, maybe in order to receive a pathetic kiss (from a girl who doesn't even like boys), almost as though he was trying to turn Kate into her "prisoner girlfriend" or something. Also, he sometimes seems to be maintaining a good relationship with Kate's father, while for other moments he only yells and insults him for being on a sexual relationship with his mom. Speaking of, was the romantic story arc between Luke's mom and Kate's dad really that necessary for a teen comedy like this?
But that's not all. The show was only cool and interesting at times, yet often maculated by teen drama clichés. It's completely tension-free. Let's focus on Kate - If she hypothetically found out she's not a lesbian but bi, no character would really mind, the show would just continue. She even ends up dating Emaline, an older girl who even went as far as to writing "DYKE" in her locker. (By the way, seriously, did anyone noticed that this is a 20-year-old girl kissing and dating a 14-year-old child?) Although things eventually got better between them as the show proceeded, it's already clear enough that there's no chemistry between them for those two main reasons. Let's now focus on Luke - The story implies he loves filmmaking, but he hardly ever demonstrates it, for he's too busy talking and thinking about Kate. Does he know how to write a script? How much does he know about cinema and its history? Which are his favorite movies?
Everything Sucks! Englobes all the possible clichés from teen shows you can imagine, and you can readily notice them from the very first episode. Tough, cool students bullying the nerd ones; a straight boy having a crush on a lesbian and then becoming best friends; Family issues... The cast, the cliffhanger at the end, and the accuracy in its 90s atmosphere seem to be the only aspects in which it didn't suck, but not even these managed to save this Netflix original from being noticeably flawed. -
marah-m-j17 February 2018This show hit all the right notes for me; it's well written, it has beautifully portrayed friendships and relationships, great characters, and an amazing soundtrack! The 90s nostalgia comes not only from the beautiful sets but also from the awesome music accompanying each scene. The show portrays single parents in a great light, shows friendships/relationships in highschool in all of their hilariously dramatic glory, and has a lot of heartwarming scenes as well as funny ones. The episodes are 20 minutes long and the whole thing can be watched in one setting! I highly recommend it!
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jerrywhite-3892817 February 2018With a title like this you expect it to be about a bunch of disaffected and angry kids living in a world with clueless and mean adults But actually the kids in this story are nerdy and different, but pretty good kids after all. And the adults are pretty real too. One of the story lines is the lead female character (with great acting by Peyton Kennedy) discovering that she may be gay. I wouldn't call it the biggest plot of the show, but it's an important aspect. There are many storylines - the lead male (Jahi Di'Allo Winston) is dealing with his runaway dad. Both of these kids come from single parent homes and the parents also have an important plot line. Not to mention the big project that brings together the AV nerds and Drama kings and queens.
If I had one complaint it's with the character Emaline. She flits from persona to persona that you never really know who she is. I think she is written as a foil to enable the other characters' stories, but she doesn't really have a story of her own. Also the ensemble of backing teen characters are pretty stock.
If you can get past the first couple of episodes annoyingness, it turns into a pleasant coming of age story with plenty of tearjerker moments along the way. Thumbs up. -
ibk12260429 August 2020What a shame that it ended in a "cliff hanger". It was sad, funny and taught great life lessons.
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jatstar-8118 February 2018Touching stories, but misses the mark on an authentic 90's feel. It's still worth the watch, and very enjoyable. But I was disappointed that I didn't get a true 90's nostalgia feeling.
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marelpett-9240212 April 2018I love this show! It's pure, honest, quirky, relatable and quite unique. The characters are realistic, not only because the kids actually look like real high school-kids, but also because they're struggling with real problems as teenagers, like exploring your sexuality, not fitting in or dealing with a lost parent. The show has a positive representation with a black male and a gay woman in the lead so I understand if young ones, and even older people, can relate to these characters. I didn't grow up in the 90's but I do love the music and the 90's-vibe overall.
'Everything Sucks' is a well-written show with a great cast and a realistic story. The world needs more of this! -
Jackblyth813 November 2020So often we associate an adolescent tv show set predominantly in a high school with predictable and cheesy viewing, Netflix's 'Everything Sucks' offers us a different insight to growing up as a teenager. Set in Boring, Oregon in the mid 1990's, a group of outcast high school students join to create a movie in a bid to be recognised more by others. The protagonist, Luke O'Neill acts as the leader in the A/V club and takes the role of directing the film, it is evident that he struggles to come to terms with High School life after being abandoned by his father at a young age - we feel sympathy for the character because of this. Kate Messner faces problems in understanding her sexuality and shares a close relationship with her single dad, who is also the school's principal. He and Luke's mother commence a close partnership while Luke crushes on the fragile Kate. The focus point of the season is to present life without mobile phones and modern technology, emphasising the struggle people felt when it came to socialising and opening up about their feelings. The two lead characters struggle in their own personal way and relying on the friends around them, they see the making of the film as a blessing to overcome their difficulties. Setting aside stereotypes and breaking down conventions the single season entailing ten episodes is at times forced and perhaps rushed, but is certainly not the town it's set in.
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ComedyFan20104 September 2018Was curious to watch a show set in 90's and they definitely made a good job with that. All that nostalgia with slow internet, music, blockbuster, tapes etc.
In addition to that we have pretty nice characters. Not an extraordinary high school story but one that one wants to follow. Acting is lacking in some cases but Jahi Di'Allo Winston does a pretty good job.
The adults on this show were also great to watch. Actually I think I preferred them. Sherry and Ken were both very sweet characters, really well performed and it was a joy to see the both of them together. -
If you grew up in the 90s, you'll like watching this show just for the music and the fashion. I almost gave up on it, though, because the writing falls really short and there's just something totally off with the editing. It's clumsy and makes the show feel like it's stumbling over itself. It does pick up around episode 5 or so, however, and it starts to come into its own a little more. By the season finale, I was really feeling it, and I hope they continue with this momentum and make a great season 2 if it's renewed. The actors are really wonderful - I love that they casted people who are actually high school age, because it gives the show a lot more authenticity. But beyond that, they're really talented kids and give believable performances. If you can power through the first few episodes, the second half of the show has some really great moments and well-executed scenes that are worth the wait.
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austinmemery23 February 2019This show isn't perfect, it has flaws but it has so much heart you won't care. Not all the acting was Oscar worthy but in the important scenes it was extremely good especially from the main character Luke. With so many average shows on Netflix getting 2 or 3 seasons it's such a shame to see a show like this get cancelled. Personally I would love to see another season at least from this show, especially because of how season 1 ended. Would really recommend this show, another great Netflix original to add to their continuously growing list.
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siennacolucci1 September 2021When this show first came out, all i heard about was kate and emaline so of COURSE i had to give this my viewage!! They were so cute and so innocent and i just loved all the characters and how simple the storyline was. Kate was literally always nervous but that's exactly how i was in high school. It was very nostalgic and i remember being upset that it didn't get a season two, i would've loved to see what more they couldve done, especially considering sydney sweeney was part of the cast... goddess!!
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paigemaska15 March 2018I thought it started off pretty strong. But slowly declined. Super heavy on cliffhangers which is annoying (I'm talking about the whole show, not just the very end) Luke's character developed horribly. He's the main character and I went from liking him to hating him. He was an overly annoying/controlling boyfriend and a control freak to begin with, considering he's a tiny freshman. But can't confront his dad? Sure, teenage hormones and whatnot, but all of these characters have a horrible sense of confrontation. It's bad and doesn't get the story anywhere. I'm not sure how Kate and Emalines characters developed like that, but I hated it, it's not realistic.
Overall I think this was a sad attempt to try to be like Stranger Things. Only without the parallel universe and a slightly different time era. I guess shows placed in certain time eras are trending (which I think is super cool!!!!) but this show was a disappointment of that.