PEN15

I've only watched a couple episodes, but it is so dead on so far from my experience. Set in 2000, I would have been the older brother. My sister is literally named Maya, was into Sylvanian animals, etc. She once cut her hair stupid and I laughed and my mom cut it into an embarrassing way. my ojiichan died some years before but we were told he would watch over us at all times. So yeah, masturbating? Is he judging us? It's so wild to see such a specific character I can relate to that I have never seen in any tv show or movie.

A wonderful exploration of going through the most awkward years of your life in the 2000s. It's SO nostalgic as anyone who grew up in that era experienced these exact things! AIM episode on point. Now, to address the big issue people have, the fact that 30-year-olds are playing 13 year-olds. Get over it. Have you watched Wet Hot American Summer on Netflix? It's the same deal. And yes, I get that it can be weird to think of them pretending to have these relationships with these teenagers, BUT hear me out. 1, they have body doubles for anything necessary because obviously. 2, would you feel MORE comfortable watching an ACTUAL 13-year-old girl discovering masturbation or shaking her bare ass sexually in a thong in the mirror? HELL NO. You would be disgusted. It's far more inappropriate than their approach. So take a seat, and enjoy the nostalgia of awkward teen years, especially if you went to middle school in the early 2000s. It's a hilarious and wonderful period piece.

This is such an odd series but I have to say "truthful" and due to that -- hysterical. Personally I was kind of put off by the first couple of episodes but after a while you will be drawn in. For me this was even more on the nose as my long time best middle school and high school friend was Korean and I think most modern shows might not think of that dynamic with girls.

The show is unique in that they have thirtysomething year old women playing their 7th grade selves along with real life 13 year olds. To my shock, it works well. I suspect they did so because no modern little kid could really capture the creators of this show at 12. Also, some of the plots are very grown up and that might not be fully available to real kids.

Definitely worth watching.

Some of the things that happened on this show were exactly my experience as a tween. So thankful for the girls' perspective and being spared the typical trite portrayal of what is accurately demonstrated here as a brutally painful, awkward, and hilarious (in hindsight) time in life. Writing and acting really encapsulates what it's like to lose your childlike innocence as a young girl. Binged it in a day aka when's season 2??

Everyone who complains about the age difference clearly isn't getting the joke. Remember body doubles exist and are used! The whole mentality of growing up at that time is there. They captured it. I'm 14 again watching this. Good stuff!