**SPOILER WARNING**

Netflix has debuted its latest original T.V series on its streaming platform, Everything Sucks!. The series, which follows a rag-tag group of friends starting high school in the mid 90’s, succeeds at being both heartfelt and funny, earning it a 4 / 5.

The ten episode series primarily follows the life of freshman Luke O’Neil, who enters the A.V club in hopes that he and his friends will find their place in high school. It’s there that he first meets Kate Messner, a girl in A.V club who he falls in love with. Their relationship, along with those of their friends and classmates, take center stage as Luke sets out to create an epic sci-fi film.

The plotline of the show is heartwarming. The cast manages to perfectly capture the awkwardness that high school life entails, whether it be in 1996 or 2018. Nothing in the show feels overproduced or dramatized. It showcases the very real parts of teen life that, while less than glamorous, is a testament to how hard it can be to transition from being a kid to becoming an adult. Notable performances come from Jahi Winston (O’Neil) and Sydney Sweeney (Emaline Adaria). The two actors have created characters that feel so real and raw that the viewers hearts will go out to them as they watch two very different people try to navigate the confusing landscape of adolescence.

The series isn’t afraid of tackling hard issues. One of the major plotlines surrounds Kate as she grapples with her sexuality in a time that wasn’t too accepting of anything outside of the heterosexual norm. We see the stigma that being gay can have on a young kid, and the relief that can come from accepting that we are who we are. The journey of Kate from fear to freedom is moving to watch, and inspires viewers to look at themselves and those around them through a more honest light.

Everything Sucks! is another triumph from Netflix. The coming-of-age series encapsulates the oftentimes confusing but liberating life of a teenager. The characters are complex and each face their own struggles, with each person bringing forth a new issue for the viewers to relate to. The show is sure to be a favorite within any generation, 90’s born or not, and is a must watch for teens trying to figure out the messiness of their own high school lives.