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Overcompensating (TV series)

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Overcompensating
Promotional release poster
GenreComedy drama
Created byBenito Skinner
Starring
ComposerAlex Somers
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producers
  • Benito Skinner
  • Jonah Hill
  • Matt Dines
  • Ali Goodwin
  • Scott King
  • Joshua Bachove
  • Alli Reich
  • Daniel Gray Longino
  • Charli XCX
Producers
  • Jordan Mendoza
  • Pat Regan
  • Natalie Teter
Running time33-37 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkAmazon Prime Video
ReleaseMay 15, 2025 (2025-05-15) –
present

Overcompensating is an American comedy drama television series created by Benito Skinner for Amazon Prime Video. Skinner stars as Benny, a former high school jock and closeted college student navigating freshman year. The show is loosely based on Skinner's own college experience. The show premiered on May 15, 2025, on Amazon Prime Video.[1]

Premise

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Benny, a former high school football star and valedictorian from Idaho, begins his freshman year of college at the fictional Yates University, where his sister Grace is a junior. He is closeted and masks his true identity by aping the machismo of his male peers, particularly that of Peter, Grace's jock boyfriend. On his first day on campus, Benny befriends Carmen, a freshman from New Jersey who was an outsider in high school. Together, Benny and Carmen navigate their first year of college, which includes new relationships, pledging the college's secret society, and figuring out their true selves.

Cast and characters

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Main

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Recurring

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Guest

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Episodes

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No.TitleDirected byWritten by [3]Original release date
1"Lucky"Daniel Gray LonginoBenito SkinnerMay 15, 2025 (2025-05-15)
Two freshmen students from the opposite tracks of life form an unlikely friendship on their first day of college.
2"Who's That Girl"Daniel Gray LonginoBenito SkinnerMay 15, 2025 (2025-05-15)
Feeling that he's lacking in college, Benny decides to have an impromptu dorm room party in order to establish his friend group. Meanwhile, Carmen tries to score a fake ID.
3"Black and Yellow"Daniel Gray LonginoBenito Skinner & Scott KingMay 15, 2025 (2025-05-15)
To avoid his feelings for Miles, Benny begins spending extra time with Carmen. Carmen begins to struggle as the anniversary of her brother's death arrives. Grace tries to find her own identity outside of Peter.
4"Boom Clap"Desiree AkhavanMitra JouhariMay 15, 2025 (2025-05-15)
On the outs with one another, Benny and Carmen decide to focus their energy on getting into the university's exclusive group, Flesh and Gold, where they are subjected to extreme challenges in order to get in. Grace gets a chance to prove herself at a Charli XCX concert, but doesn't get the support she needs from Peter. Elsewhere, Peter gets a realization that his time as the big shot on campus is up.
5"Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites"Desiree AkhavanBenito SkinnerMay 15, 2025 (2025-05-15)
After the disastrous concert, Peter and Carmen begin to grow closer. As Halloween arrives, Benny thinks Miles is ready to be a couple, but hits a major setback. Grace tries to reconnect with a former friend.
6"The Edge of Glory"Desiree AkhavanJordan Mendoza & Benito Skinner & Scott KingMay 15, 2025 (2025-05-15)
After Benny comes out to Carmen, she decides to help him ease into gay life by setting him up on his first Grindr date. After his self-image takes a hit, Peter begins to spiral and decides to sabotage the only thing dear to him. Grace makes a discovery of her own.
7"Welcome to the Black Parade"Desiree AkhavanBenito Skinner & Scott KingMay 15, 2025 (2025-05-15)
With no plans of her own, Carmen decides to tag along with Benny and Grace for an Idaho Thanksgiving that's filled with bar fights, karaoke, and facing old demons. Meanwhile, Carmen struggles with a secret she is keeping from Grace.
8"Crown on the Ground"Daniel Gray LonginoBenito Skinner & Scott KingMay 15, 2025 (2025-05-15)
It's finals week, but the only test these students are facing is relationships. Carmen forces Benny to explain his web of lies, Peter goes to get what's his, Hailee wants to know where her performance enhancing meds are, and Miles wonders what he did wrong. Answers lead to more questions at the final Bader House party of the semester, where many shocking reveals occur.

Production

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Development

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In November 2022, it was announced Amazon Prime Video had put the project in development, with Benito Skinner writing and executive producing alongside Jonah Hill under his Strong Baby banner, and A24 producing.[4] In February 2024, the series was greenlit.[5]

Casting

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Upon the initial announcement, Skinner was set to star.[4] In July 2024, Wally Baram, Mary Beth Barone, Adam DiMarco and Rish Shah joined the cast in series regular capacity, while Holmes, Corteon Moore, Owen Thiele, and Nell Verlaque were set to recur.[6] In September, Connie Britton, Kyle MacLachlan, Kaia Gerber, Julia Shiplett, Tommy Do, Alexandra Beaton, Claire Qute, Elias Azimi and Maddie Phillips joined the cast in undisclosed capacity.[7] In October, Charli XCX and Tomaso Sanelli joined the cast in guest and recurring capacity, respectively.[8][9]

Filming

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Principal photography began on July 8, 2024, and wrapped on October 16, 2024.[10] The primary filming location was Toronto, with the University of Toronto standing in for the series' Yates University.[11]

Reception

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Critical response

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Overcompensating has an approval rating of 95% based on 38 critics' reviews. The website's critical consensus states, "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."[12] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 73 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[13]

Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "It's a confident and generally funny series-creating debut for well-regarded content creator Skinner, and the cast is packed with breakout performances from lesser-known co-stars, amusing turns from more familiar stars and cameos aplenty."[14] Emma Kiely of Collider gave the series an eight of ten, writing: "A hilarious, warm, and honest show from one of comedy's most exciting voices."[15]

Accolades

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Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
2025
 2nd Gotham TV Awards Breakthrough Comedy Series Benito Skinner, Josh Bachove, Matt Dines, Sam French, Alison Goodwin, Jonah Hill, Scott King, Daniel Gray Longino, Alli Reich and Charli XCX Pending [16]
Outstanding Performance in a Comedy Series Benito Skinner Pending

References

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  1. ^ Wang, Jessica (March 12, 2025). "Benito Skinner is a closeted college student in exclusive first look at new comedy series Overcompensating". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  2. ^ "Welcome to Yates: Prime Video Releases First-Look Images and Premiere Date for Benito Skinner's Comedy Series Overcompensating". Amazon MGM Studios Publicity. March 12, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  3. ^ "Overcompensating". Writers Guild of America West. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  4. ^ a b Petski, Denise (November 8, 2022). "'Overcompensating' Comedy From Benito Skinner, Charli XCX & Jonah Hill's Strong Baby In Works At Amazon". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  5. ^ Otterson, Joe (February 27, 2024). "Amazon Orders Benito Skinner Comedy 'Overcompensating' to Series". Variety. Archived from the original on October 5, 2024. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  6. ^ Grobar, Matt; Andreeva, Nellie (July 11, 2024). "Wally Baram, Mary Beth Barone, Adam DiMarco & Rish Shah Join Prime Video's 'Overcompensating' As Series Regulars; Four Others Aboard As Recurring". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 19, 2024. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  7. ^ Cordero, Rosy (September 23, 2024). "Connie Britton, Kyle MacLachlan & Kaia Gerber Among 9 Cast In Prime Video's 'Overcompensating'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 5, 2024. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  8. ^ Hailu, Selome (October 2, 2024). "Charli XCX Joins Benito Skinner's Amazon Comedy Series 'Overcompensating' as Guest Star". Variety. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  9. ^ Petski, Denise (October 3, 2024). "'Upload' Casts Lee Majdoub In 4th & Final Season; Tomaso Sanelli Joins 'Overcompensating'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 5, 2024. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
  10. ^ "Overcompensating filming locations: Where was the Prime Video series filmed?". www.soapcentral.com. May 19, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  11. ^ Dashottar, Eeshna (May 18, 2025). "Where was Overcompensating filmed? All filming locations explored". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  12. ^ "Overcompensating: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  13. ^ "Overcompensating: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  14. ^ Fienberg, Daniel (May 14, 2025). "'Overcompensating' Review: Benito Skinner's Amazon Coming-of-Age Comedy Delivers College Hijinks with Laughter and Heart". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  15. ^ Kiely, Emma (May 14, 2025). "'Overcompensating' Review: Benito Skinner's Must-See Coming-of-Age Comedy Series Is So Much More Than Its Charli XCX Cameo". Collider. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  16. ^ Lewis, Hilary (April 29, 2025). "Gotham TV Awards Nominations: 'Adolescence' Leads With Four Nods". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
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