Why you should be watching Pen15

Pen15 is a little show that snuck up on me. I had never even heard of it until promotions for season 2 kept popping up on my social media feed. Eventually I decided to watch an episode or two on Hulu and see if it was any good.

And it was. Actually, it was better than just good, it was amazing!

Premise: Pen15 is a coming of age comedy that follows Anna and Maya - two best (and somewhat co-dependent) friends who are just beginning middle school in the year 2000.

Part of the reason why the show stood out to me was the setting. It’s weird that we’re now getting shows purposely set in the early 2000s for nostalgia, but I’m here for it. The show takes place right at the year 2000 so while I was eight at the time, I still distinctly remember becoming a teenager during that decade. In fact, a lot of their outfits were close to the ones I remember wearing back in the day.

I had my best friend since high school watch a few episodes with me after I finished the series. We reminisced about our own teenage years while watching because the show felt like mirror right down to the bowling alleys, awkward dances, and spending too much time instant messaging people online.

To be honest I originally put this show on as background noise while I stared at my phone at the end of the day. Halfway through episode one I was watching the television screen more than my phone and by episode two I felt invested.

I like how this show has a realistic portrayal of middle school especially with the actors actually being awkward, middle school kids. Meanwhile the leads are clearly two women in their 30s - a nice nod to shows that normally cast adults to play high schoolers.

This is also one of those shows that easily juggles comedy with serious moments that make you cheer on these two girls. At first I thought the show would be rather slapstick and just sort of silly. There are a lot of surreal moments that pop up (ghosts, people turning into owls, you get the point). Yet, the surreal just adds to the overall charm. And after a few laughs you’re hit with a gut punch or two. From typical mean girls at school to racism to Anna listening to her parents screaming in the other room - this show has a great emotional range.

I feel like the series does well with accurately representing the trials of growing up and mixing it with the naivety and silliness that still comes with middle school. Even with the absurdity at times, Pen15 feels down to earth and genuine moments feel very earned.

Both seasons on streaming on Hulu now in case you haven’t heard of it or have been keeping it in the back of your mind. If you grew up around the early 2000s, it will feel very nostalgic without overdoing it. Or if you enjoy buddy shows or slice of life series then I would also highly recommend this one! It has so much heart and charm and the last 10 or so minutes of the last episode of season 2 was such a defining moment of the show for me.

As you can tell, I’m already a huge fan and definitely ready for season 3!