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Tom's Guide
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Prime Video's new No. 1 show is a charming comedy-drama — and it's pure binge-worthy fun
Prime Video's latest original series 'Overcompensating' landed just last week (on Thursday, May 15), and — within days — this comedy-drama shot straight to the top of the platform's most-watched list. Created by and starring Benito Skinner, 'Overcompensating' follows a former high school football star and homecoming king who's trying to figure himself out in college while still pretending he already has it all together. The show captures that awkward in-between phase of life with chaotic humor and some moments that will have you covering your eyes and cackling at the same time. And viewers are clearly eating it up, because 'Overcompensating' has already claimed the No. 1 spot on Prime Video less than a week after release (snatching first place from 'Reacher'). With only eight episodes, it's a quick watch, but the kind that leaves you wishing you had more the second it ends. Here's everything to know about 'Overcompensating' before adding it to your watchlist. 'Overcompensating' follows Benny (Benito Skinner), a former high school football star and homecoming king who's now a freshman at Yates University. Though he seems like the picture of confidence, Benny is secretly struggling to come to terms with who he really is. When he meets Carmen (Wally Baram), a fellow freshman determined to leave her outsider past behind, the two form an unlikely and chaotic friendship. Together, they navigate the ups and downs of college life, including hook-ups, parties, bad decisions, and worse hangovers, all while trying to figure out who they want to be. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. As Benny tries to maintain the image he built back home, things get increasingly complicated with new friends, unexpected feelings, and awkward situations that force him out of his comfort zone. 'Overcompensating' isn't exactly a new formula in the world of comedies. College misadventures, identity crises, chaotic friendships are all familiar territory. But the show's charm isn't in trying to do something radically new. It's in how confidently it leans into the absurdity of early adulthood, and how sharp, self-aware, and funny it is while doing it. From the first episode, the series embraces messiness in all forms: emotional, sexual, and social. It thrives in the kind of secondhand embarrassment that comes from watching a character try so hard to hold it all together while everything around them spins out. Whether it's Benny dodging honest conversations or Carmen going all-in on her rebrand, the show nails the chaotic energy of freshman year. One of the smartest things 'Overcompensating' does is keep its episodes short and snappy since most clock in at around 30 minutes, which makes it dangerously easy to fly through the entire season in one sitting. Some side plots are stronger than others, and the tone occasionally wobbles between heartfelt and outright farce. The pacing never drags, and the humor, while broad at times, rarely feels forced. There's also a nice rhythm to the way the show builds its world: campus legends, unconventional side characters, chaotic parties — they all weave together to make Yates University feel like a place you've either lived through or wish you hadn't. That said, it's not a perfect show. Some side plots are stronger than others, and the tone occasionally wobbles between heartfelt and outright farce. But for the most part, 'Overcompensating' hits where it counts, especially in the lead performances from Skinner and Baram, whose characters become best friends and form one of the show's central emotional anchors. I'm not alone in my praise either because 'Overcompensating' has a solid rating of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, with audiences scoring it 79%. The site's critics consensus reads: 'As ribald as any self-respecting campus comedy but with a disarmingly sweet core, Overcompensating has nothing to make up for as it proves creator-star Benito Skinner to be the real deal.' So, should you stream 'Overcompensating' on Prime Video? If you're in the mood for a fast-paced, funny binge-watch that doesn't take itself too seriously but still has something to say, then absolutely. It's a fun ride and a refreshingly honest one. For more streaming recommendations, see what's new on Prime Video in May 2025. Stream "Overcompensating" on Prime Video now.
The Review Geek
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Review Geek
Overcompensating – Season 1 Episode 8 Recap, Review & Ending Explained
Crown on the Ground The final episode of Overcompensating season 1 starts with the students at Yates University in study mood for the finals. Benny shows Carmen his short clip for the finals of introduction to film studies. Carmen does not like the video, but she does not tell Benny that right away. What happens to Peter? Benny meets up with the dean after finishing his exams. He thinks that the dean will expel him and ban the Flesh & Gold society. The turn of events is different because the dean praises Peter for putting the school on the map. Since the leak, the dean has been getting calls from famous news outlets, and the news even made it to magazines and newspapers. Peter feels like everything is looking up. He makes a bold move and visits Charlie at Hawksworth Bank. He pleads his case confidently, and Charlie thinks he belongs at the bank. He promises to talk to the rest of the team and asks Peter to stop by later to get introduced to the team. Peter heads back to school and goes looking for Grace to share the good news. However, Grace has already made a firm decision to break up with Peter. He also loses his friendship with Benny. What happens to Grace? Grace has been in a dilemma, wondering whether she is good enough to find someone better than Peter. She has been thinking about the text she saw from Tatiana, but has no idea who she is or what happened between her and Peter. Grace and Carmen have become close, and in one of those moments together, Hailee calls Carmen by her video game name, Tatiana Del Rey. Grace knows that Peter had sex with Carmen and walks away, hurt. Later, she becomes friends again with Mimi and plans to join the show Mimi hosts the next semester. When Peter shows up at the party, Grace ends things with him. She hates that she had to change a lot about herself for Peter, who is not good enough for her. When Peter brags about getting the job, Grace reminds her that working in a bank involves maths and calling Peter dumb. She will not be around to do his assignments, so good luck surviving. Grace is disappointed in Carmen for what she did and in Benny for hiding it from her. Do Benny and Miles become friends again? Benny has not talked to Miles since he learned that he is straight. Miles tries to find out what happened between them from Benny, but Benny keeps avoiding him. Miles opens up to Carmen about it, and the first time she suggests talking to Benny instead of texting, which does not work. The second time Miles talks to Carmen at the party after the finals, they end up kissing, and Benny catches them. What happens to Benny and Carmen? Benny is now being a little more himself and has a good friendship with George. However, he is still afraid of people finding out he is gay. He also is like in a long-distance relationship with Sammy. He talks about the relationship with George. However, when the F&G guys find him hanging out at the supermarket, Benny panics and blows off George. Benny also lies to Carmen about quitting the F&G society. Peter makes him Caesar, who is like the freshman alpha. Since the Dean likes F&G, Peter changes the Caesar crowning ceremony to be done in public. Carmen finds out from Miles that Benny never quit the club, so she shows up at the crowning ceremony. Benny freaks out when he sees Carmen in the crowd and finds the courage to quit F&G. Benny and Carmen have an honest conversation. He confesses that he is still scared and feels the need to keep trying to fit in. Benny admits that he is unable to keep the facade in front of Carmen and apologises for lying. They make up and promise to continue being each other's awful best friends. Carmen asks Ben to try and lie a little less in the future. How does Overcompensating season 1 end? Benny catches Carmen and Miles kissing. Carmen chases after Benny, and they get into an argument. The episode ends with Carmen accidentally outing Benny to Grace, Miles, and Hailee. The Episode Review OMG! Carmen didn't just out Benny like that! Damn! I guess the secret is out of the bag and that was diabolical. No one saw the Miles-Carmen kiss coming or the aftermath of it. Understandably, Benny must be hurt as Carmen shouldn't have kissed Miles back. What happened to loyalty? Simultaneously, Benny should at least have given his sister a heads up on the Peter-Carmen situation. Carmen and Benny are right – they are bad friends. They have been a bit selfish and thought only about their problems. Season 1 has certainly left us hanging, and I can't wait for season 2. This show balances the messy, real and chaotic energy so well. Of course, it won't hit with everyone, but it is a fun LGBTQ show. Benito Skinner knew what he was doing when he wrote the show and cast himself as the hot, closeted gay lead. Give us season two ASAP!
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Overcompensating' cast raves about Benito Skinner as 'relentless,' 'charged,' 'electric' and trusting leader
Benito Skinner, also known as Benny Drama, has given us the most fulfilling version of college humour with the release of the show Overcompensating on Prime Video. From coming-of-age awkwardness to booze-fueled parties, diarrhea comedy and the oddities of college secret societies, Overcompensating is laughs from start to finish. While Skinner has infectious energy as the show's lead, the full cast, which includes Wally Baram, Mary Beth Barone, Adam DiMarco, Rish Shah, Homles, Corteon Moore, Owen Thiele and Nell Verlaque, is magical. It has that great ensemble chemistry we crave on TV shows. For Canadian viewers of Overcompensating, take a close look and you'll likely notice that the show was filmed in Toronto. A semi-autobiographical story for Skinner, in the show he plays Benny who is navigating his first year at Yates University, while also trying to hide that he's gay. But that gets complicated when he instantly develops a crush on his classmate Miles (Rish Shah). "Him and I, from the jump, when I first met him, we just clicked instantly," Shah told Yahoo Canada. "And he's so easy to get on with." "He's, like ... the Duracell bunny. He's relentless. He's charged. He's electric. So he can have chemistry with a brick wall. ... I feel honoured to have been opposite him and hopefully bring some sparks and some heat." While the focus is largely on Benny's story, a significant element of Overcompensating is the relationship Benny develops with Carmen (Wally Baram), after a failed attempt at hooking up turns into an important friendship. "She's not very good at being anything but herself, which is, I think, why Benny's drawn to her, and they kind of have this symbiotic relationship that I really love how it played out in the show," Baram said. While the scripts for each episode were incredibly well crafted and tight, Baram, who is also a producer on the show, highlighted that there was a lot of space for people to bring their ideas to the table. "I feel so fortunate that [Daniel Gray Longino] our director, and Benny, and Desiree [Akhavan] our other director, really let me bring as much as I wanted to the character," Baram said. "If I had ideas for lines, there was definitely a lot of room to improv." "One thing I really admired about [Benny] as a leader on the set is that he was really willing to delegate and trust the people around him, and I felt like they trusted me as both a writer and an actor, and a creative being on set in those moments." That sentiment was echoed by other actors in Overcompensating as well, including Homles who plays Hailee, Carmen's roommate and easily the most outrageously funny character in the show. "Honestly, the scripts were so incredible that a lot of the funny things you hear are from the script," Holmes shared. "And then at the same time, I was really, really lucky to be on a set that let me improvise. So I won't lie, I did improvise a lot." "What's cool is sometimes you improvise a lot on a set and it doesn't stay in. ... It is fun to be able to watch it back and be like, I didn't remember saying that, and it made it in. ... For example, ... when I come out of the bar really drunk with Nell [Verlaque], that was really, really fun and a lot of that I did improvise. ... She comes out of the bar and vomits, but because I had a really fun scene partner, Nell would play with anything I gave, I was able to add more improv." But the improv was so good, sometimes it even fooled the crew, specifically in a moment where Hailee takes a tumble in the bar scene in Episode 2. "Our first AD [Assistant Director], who's so sweet, ... she almost stopped the scene," Holmes said. "But it was really just a blast. ... There's sometimes people you work with or play with who don't feel comfortable with improvising, who are still incredible actors. So I felt really lucky that this cast has not only amazing actors, but ... incredible comedians too." Celebrating the show's exceptional physical comedy, there's no better example than Carmen. The character starts the season getting pink eye and then, in one of the most brilliant moments in the show, the lactose intolerant character gets diarrhea at a Charli XCX show after eating dairy, while Benny is in nearby bathroom stall barfing after eating live beta fish, part of a secret society initiation, so his crush Miles, who's vegetarian, didn't have to eat them. "I loved the physical comedy element. I love the gross element," Baram said. "I love a poop your pants story." "Especially that scene, the bathroom scene, was so fun to play. And even with the eye, ... it was challenging when I had to deliver more somber emotions, because I didn't have much function over that eye, but it was really a hoot and a holler. I was so down for it." In addition to an appearance from Charli XCX, Overcompensating has the most incredibly list of stars who make shorter appearances on the show, including Kaia Gerber, Bowen Yang, Matt Rogers, James Van Der Beek. But Didi Conn, who famously played Frenchy in the 1978 movie Grease, was really a highlight. Benny's older sister Grace, played by Mary Beth Barone, is also a student at Yates, and she's part of the "adopt a grandparent" club at the school. One of those grandparents is Janet, played by Conn, and Janet and Grace have the same sarcastic, sometimes a little mean, energy. "I loved the character of Janet, because it feels like she and Grace really have this synergy and they speak the same, and they can give each other shit and just be so honest with each other," Barone highlighted. "I was just excited for those scenes before we even knew who was playing the role, and then when I found out it was Didi, I was like, 'Oh my god a living legend!'" "And she just showed up to set and she was so professional, so lovely, and so not the same vibe as the character. So when she's calling her family a bunch of like f—king idiots, it was like, 'Oh my god Didi!' But it was a dream come true. ... It was a really fun way for Grace to have a relationship that felt like they were peers, which she doesn't have a lot of at Yates." As we're all begging for a Season 2 of the show, some of the cast members of Overcompensating have ideas for where they want their characters to go in future episodes. "I want to do a scene with Mary Beth and Rish," Corteon Moore, who plays Gabe, said. "I just want to go with whatever Benny and ... the writers want to do." "I wasn't anticipating anything when I signed on. So the things that I did get to take part in were just such a pleasant surprise, and wherever it goes in Season 2, I'm down for the ride." "I want [Benny and George] to be thick as thieves," Owen Thiele added in a separate interview. "I think George, honestly, can learn a lot from Benny too. And I think that actually isn't explored in this. ... But I think that in the next season, knock on wood we get one, I think that George should learn some things from Benny." "I'd love to see her exploring female friendships more," Baram highlighted. "And I love the kind of gross physical comedy of it. I love that because she's also this character that's sexualized, so maybe more of that. Let's get gnarly with it."
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Overcompensating' cast raves about Benito Skinner as 'relentless,' 'charged,' 'electric' and trusting leader
Benito Skinner, also known as Benny Drama, has given us the most fulfilling version of college humour with the release of the show Overcompensating on Prime Video. From coming-of-age awkwardness to booze-fueled parties, diarrhea comedy and the oddities of college secret societies, Overcompensating is laughs from start to finish. While Skinner has infectious energy as the show's lead, the full cast, which includes Wally Baram, Mary Beth Barone, Adam DiMarco, Rish Shah, Homles, Corteon Moore, Owen Thiele and Nell Verlaque, is magical. It has that great ensemble chemistry we crave on TV shows. For Canadian viewers of Overcompensating, take a close look and you'll likely notice that the show was filmed in Toronto. A semi-autobiographical story for Skinner, in the show be plays Benny who is navigating his first year at Yates University, while also trying to hide that he's gay. But that gets complicated when he instantly develops a crush on his classmate Miles (Rish Shah). "Him and I, from the jump, when I first met him, we just clicked instantly," Shah told Yahoo Canada. "And he's so easy to get on with." "He's, like ... the Duracell bunny. He's relentless. He's charged. He's electric. So he can have chemistry with with a brick wall. ... I feel honoured to have been opposite him and hopefully bring some sparks and some heat." While the focus is largely on Benny's story, a significant element of Overcompensating is the relationship Benny develops with Carmen (Wally Baram), after a failed attempt at hooking up turns into an important friendship. "She's not very good at being anything but herself, which is, I think, why Benny's drawn to her, and they kind of have this symbiotic relationship that I really love how it played out in the show," Baram said. While the scripts for each episode were incredibly well crafted and tight, Baram, who is also a producer on the show, highlighted that there was a lot of space for people to bring their ideas to the table. "I feel so fortunate that [Daniel Gray Longino] our director, and Benny, and Desiree [Akhavan] our other director, really let me bring as much as I wanted to the character," Baram said. "If I had ideas for lines, there was definitely a lot of room to improv." "One thing I really admired about [Benny] as a leader on the set is that he was really willing to delegate and trust the people around him, and I felt like they trusted me as both a writer and an actor, and a creative being on set in those moments." That sentiment was echoed by other actors in Overcompensating as well, including Homles who plays Hailee, Carmen's roommate and easily the most outrageously funny characters in the show. "Honestly, the scripts were so incredible that a lot of the funny things you hear are from the script," Holmes shared. "And then at the same time, I was really, really lucky to be on a set that let me improvise. So I won't lie, I did improvise a lot." "What's cool is sometimes you improvise a lot on a set and it doesn't stay in. ... It is fun to be able to watch it back and be like, I didn't remember saying that, and it made it in. ... For example, ... when I come out of the bar really drunk with Nell [Verlaque], that was really, really fun and a lot of that I did improvise. ... She comes out of the bar and vomits, but because I had a really fun scene partner, Nell would play with anything I gave, I was able to add more improv." But the improv was so good, sometimes it even fooled the crew, specifically in a moment where Hailee takes a tumble in the bar scene in Episode 2. "Our first AD [Assistant Director], who's so sweet, ... she almost stopped the scene," Holmes said. "But it was really just a blast. ... There's sometimes people you work with or play with who don't feel comfortable with improvising, who are still incredible actors. So I felt really lucky that this cast has not only amazing actors, but most of them are incredible comedians too." Celebrating the show's exceptional physical comedy, there's no better example than Carmen. The character start the season getting pink eye and then, in one of the most brilliant moments in the show, the lactose intolerant character gets diarrhea at a Charli XCX show after eating dairy, while Benny is in nearby bathroom stall barfing after eating live beta fish, part of a secret society initiation, so his crush Miles, who's vegetarian, didn't have to eat them. "I loved the physical comedy element. I love the gross element," Baram said. "I love a poop your pants story." "Especially that scene, the bathroom scene, was so fun to play. And even with the eye, ... it was challenging when I had to deliver more somber emotions, because I didn't have much function over that eye, but it was really a hoot and a holler. I was so down for it." In addition to an appearance from Charli XCX, Overcompensating has the most incredibly list of stars who make shorter appearances on the show, including Kaia Gerber, Bowen Yang, Matt Rogers, James Van Der Beek. But Didi Conn, who famously played Frenchy in the 1978 movie Grease, was really a highlight. Benny's older sister Grace, played by Mary Beth Barone, is also a student at Yates, and she's part of the "adopt a grandparent" club at the school. One of those grandparents is Janet, played by Conn, and Janet and Grace the same sarcastic, sometimes a little mean, energy. "I loved the character of Janet, because it feels like she and Grace really have this synergy and they speak the same, and they can give each other shit and just be so honest with each other," Barone highlighted. "I was just excited for those scenes before we even knew who was playing the role, and then when I found out it was Didi, I was like, 'Oh my god a living legend!'" "And she just showed up to set and she was so professional, so lovely, and so not the same vibe as the character. So when she's calling her family a bunch of like f—king idiots, it was like, 'Oh my god Didi!' But it was a dream come true. ... It was a really fun way for Grace to have a relationship that felt like they were peers, which she doesn't have a lot of at Yates." As we're all begging for a Season 2 of the show, some of the cast members of Overcompensating have some ideas for where they want their characters to go in future episodes. "I want to do a scene with Mary Beth and Rish," Corteon Moore, who plays Gabe, said. "I just want to go with whatever Benny and ... the writers want to do." "I wasn't anticipating anything when I signed on. So the things that I did get to take part in were just such a pleasant surprise, and wherever it goes in Season 2, I'm down for the ride." "I want [Benny and George] to be thick as thieves," Owen Thiele added in a separate interview. "I think George, honestly, can learn a lot from Benny too. And I think that actually isn't explored in this. ... But I think that in the next season, knock on wood we get one, I think that George should learn some things from Benny." "I'd love to see her exploring female friendships more," Baram highlighted. "And I love the kind of gross physical comedy of it. I love that because she's also this character that's sexualized, so maybe more of that. Let's get gnarly with it."
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Overcompensating' review: Benito Skinner proves he's far more than just TikTok funny with delightful new show
Benito Skinner, also known as Benny Drama, rose to fame for his celebrity impressions on TikTok, but his comedy skills prove to be even more impressive with the release of the Prime Video show Overcompensating (releasing May 15). Starring Skinner himself, alongside Wally Baram, Mary Beth Barone, Adam DiMarco, Rish Shah and Holmes, Overcompensating is a semi-autobiographical story about Skinner's experience coming out in college. It's funny, it's raunchy and an absolutely hysterical ride throughout eight episodes. It's your next must-see comedy show. Overcompensating release date: May 15 on Prime VideoCast: Benito Skinner Wally Baram, Mary Beth Barone, Adam DiMarco, Rish Shah, Homles, Corteon Moore, Owen Thiele, Nell Verlaque, Lukas GageNumber of episodes: 8 The series begins as Benny (Skinner), a high school football star and high-achieving student, is getting dropped off for his first day at Yates University by his parents, played by Connie Britton and Kyle MacLachlan. Benny is gay, but no one knows, and he tries to present as a heterosexual, macho jock. Things get particularly complicated for Benny when he instantly gets a crush on his new classmate Miles (Shah). While college is certainly a time of change for many, Benny isn't ready to come out. But he ends up meeting Carmen (Baram), who's trying to find her place, and Yates, awkwardly attempting to make friends as her high school boyfriend is posting pictures of his new college life. Benny and Carmen try to hook up, and they're clearly not a match, but they develop a close friendship. Benny's older sister, Grace (Barone), also goes to Yates, and she's happily put her high school self aside for her new image, including dating Peter (DiMarco), part of the school's secret society who thinks he's the ultimate golden boy. The reality is that not everyone who finds success on TikTok that can translate to a different medium. But for Skinner, Overcompensating is proof of just how tight his comedy skills are. One of the great things about this show is that all its characters are flawed, making it feel real. Everyone has faults, everyone is messing up, both their own lives and the lives of others, and that makes every character feel complex. It's particularly refreshing to see in a story that could easily feature bland and superficial characters. Baram, who is also a producer on the series, really makes Carmen a big part of the heart of the show. While we certainly want the best for Benny as the lead, we quickly understand that Carmen is such an important person in Benny's life, and we also get great a sense of her own internal struggles. You'll likely assume that Barone and Skinner will be great together on-camera, hosting the podcast "Ride with Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone" together, but it's even better than you imagined. Grace is always ready to hurl an insult with a lot of attitude, and it's such an appealing brother-sister dynamic. While the core cast is incredibly strong, so many characters in Overcompensating get to thrive, particularly Holmes' Hailee. She's Carmen's outgoing and over-the-top roommate who's ready to be the most beloved girl at Yates. Hailee is definitely the source of the biggest laughs throughout the season. College humour shows and movies are plentiful, and Overcompensating isn't completely revamping what we've seen before. There are lots conversations about sex and some raunchy comedy, mixed with the coming-of-age struggles, but whatOvercompensating does is perfect the formula. It has that great balance of outrageous comedy and awkward moments, with heartfelt elements that speak to the importance of friendship and honesty. Even more impressive, with appearances from Charli XCX, Kaia Gerber, Bowen Yang, Matt Rogers, James Van Der Beek and Didi Conn (Frenchy in Grease), Overcompensating doesn't just rely on these plenty celebrity surprises to make the show interesting. They just add to an already strong story. Overcompensating is a show you'll be rewatching until we (hopefully) get a second season.
