If you’re someone from the ‘90s/early 2000s generation who grew up feeling grossed out by your ever-changing body, felt left out because you didn’t smoke or drink like the popular kids, “PEN15” is for you. The series is an ode to the ‘90s. It hits home on experiences you can all relate to: feeling bummed out because society expected you to follow in your parents’ footsteps, zoning out in class because all you could think about was sex, or dreaming of running away from home because of your screwball siblings or parents who were constantly up in arms with you.
What makes the show an absolute gem is how well-developed and believable the characters are. “PEN15’s” primary characters Maya Isshii-Peters (Maya Erskine) and her best friend Anna ‘Na’ Kone (Anna Konkle) have their own sets of growing pains. They also have to battle it out through their messy teens. This includes navigating cultural differences they’re often shamed for by their peers, as well as unlearning youthful immaturity that often gives rise to racial micro-aggressions towards their own culture. Amidst this, they have to try to survive all that life throws at them all while coming of age.
“PEN15” hits home. Watching it, I realized how cringeworthy and anxiety-inducing my own teens could be (grades 8-12 when chemistry, math, and physics teamed up to befuddle me), and most of the scenes resonated well.
The humour of the show is a mix of juvenile, satirical, and even surrealistic humor. But ”PEN15” is not just lighthearted; it doesn’t shy away from addressing serious topics like racism—especially the impact of micro-aggressions and unconscious bias in the minds of young, naïve teens easily influenced by pop culture and peers.
Anna Konkle and Maya Erskine are the writers of the show (along with Sam Zvibleman) and deserve praise here. They pen a realistic high school comedy instead of sugarcoating everything like so many teen dramas do these days. I also appreciate the attention to detail with regards to early 2000s clothing (cargo pants and skirts for instance), to even the nostalgic soundtrack (which I confess I’m still jamming to).
I also enjoyed the girls’ interactions with the boys; be it awkward conversations or picking fights over rights to play with dolls and G.I. Joes well into their teens. The duo’s chemistry is perfect, and a large part why the series works.
Acting-wise, Erskine and Konkle crush it in the acting department; they play semi-autobiographical 13-year-old versions of themselves, and wow with their comedic timing. I lost it immediately when Maya showcased her pitch-perfect Jim Carrey/“Ace Ventura” impression in episode one. Their body language is also right on the money. They capture how rebellious and angsty teenagers can be, but also how awkward and low on self-esteem they can become.
Teen actors fill the supporting cast, and their banter with Erskine and Konkle is believable. The show also handles racier material well. A ‘Seven Minutes in Heaven’ scene between adult actors and their teen co-stars is filmed tastefully with body doubles.
In short, “PEN15” hits home and has the tendency to bring you back. It may remind you of something immature or cringeworthy you did or thought of doing in your youth. If the show brings up painful memories and instantly makes you go on a guilt trip for it, then that too is only just natural and a testament to its success.
*”PEN15″ is currently available to stream on Hulu.
