Should You Watch? July 2025

"Overcompensating"
Comedy
Prime
One Season
Should You Watch? Ehhh

Funny. Touching. Crazy. Over-the-top.

"Overcompensating" is about young adult Benny (Benito Skinner) who thinks escaping away to college will let him become the person he wants to be. He finds out quickly that isn’t always as easy as it seems. Benny is sometimes a loveable character and at other times you think he’s an idiot.

As we follow around Benny on Yates University, we find that he isn’t the only one attempting to figure who they are or want to be. His best friend Carmen, sister Grace, Grace’s boyfriend Peter and Benny’s new friend Miles, all struggle and stumble on their post adult journey.

 

Lies, stupidity, sexual mishaps, making up and some touching moments all occur on this wild campus ride for all our characters.

The series is reminiscent of Fast Times at Ridgemont High or the American Pie movie series.

I didn’t hate the series and in a way I kind of liked it. My only thought while watching was, “What audience would want to watch this series”? Not a show for youngsters and I’m not even certain if I’d want my high schooler who’s about to go off to college watch this.

Lot’s of sexual shenanigans and college students behaving poorly, but I did find myself laughing a lot and there were some feel good moments as well.

 

Each show is only 30 minutes so you can get through the series rather quickly since there are only 8 episodes. So, if you have time this may be a series you can give a go.

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"Straw"
Drama
Netflix
Movie
Should You Watch? No

I almost stopped watching "Straw" because our main character Janiyah (Taraji P. Henson), just couldn’t get anything going her way from the very start.

Janiyah is a single mother with a sick child who is working two jobs just to try to make ends meet all on her own. Life never throws her a bone either as one mishap after another happens to our main character causing her to completely collapse. I was thinking this woman is driving me nuts until a car accident scene in the movie kind of makes you so mad that you get on board with Janiyah and start rooting for her.

 

As the movie progresses Janiyah has multiple opportunities to take advantage of certain situations that are presented to her, but she doesn’t succumb to the temptation despite going a bit hysterical in the process. Everything she does is for her daughter, a true testament of a good mother.

 

There’s a very poignant part in the movie where Janiyah states why she is doing what she is doing and I’m sure several people can relate to her plight.

 

"Straw" is another movie that I didn’t hate, but I think it is a movie that I will forget about in the upcoming days.

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"Hacks"
Comedy / Drama
Max
3 Seasons
Should You Watch? Yes

Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) is a successful Vegas comedian who wants more out of her career. As she struggles to keep her long-standing Vegas show her agent Paul (Jimmy LuSaque Jr.) sends her an up-and-coming comedy writer Ava (Hannah Einbinder) who is also trying to find her career path.

 

The two hate each other and bicker back and forth constantly, but time and time again they know they need each other and are more than likely best friends.

 

I loved the first two seasons of "Hacks". The banter and games our two main characters play with each other are great. Paul’s assistant Kayla is annoyingly funny with her antics as well.

Season three gets a bit bumpy though as Deborah finally gets what’s she’s always wanted with the assistance of Ava. But fear drives her to stab Ava in the back. And when Ava decides to blackmail Deborah for what she wants, season 3 turns into a bitch fest instead of a comedy which was missed sorely from the previous seasons.

Hopefully if we get a season 4 we will see Deborah and Ava back on the same course together – with just a little bit of arguing between the comedy.

 

These are short 30-minute episodes you can get through quickly and I highly recommend season 1 & 2. You’ll watch season 3 for the obligation, I’m sure.

 

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View previous Should You Watch? now:

June 2025 - Andor, Companion and The Last of Us
May 2025 - Daredevil Born Again, 1923 and The White Lotus
April 2025 - Anora, American Primeval and Cobra Kai.
March 2025 - Enlighted, Loudermilk and Running Point.