If you’ve finished Sex Education – the show, that is – and you’re looking for a new Netflix series favorite, we’ve found just the thing. Everything Now is perfect for fans of Sex Education and Heartstopper, and mixes dark humor and stellar performances to deliver a show with real heart.
Everything Now focuses on 16-year-old Mia, who’s returning home after recovery for an eating disorder. Her time away means her friends have moved on without her, and so she tries to make up for lost time by throwing herself head-first into a world of partying, dating and first kisses. The Telegraph – the UK paper for furious boomers – absolutely hated it, which sounds like a good reason to check it out. That and the glowing reviews from younger critics and viewers. On Rotten Tomatoes, the show has 80% from the critics and 88% from viewers.
The show is set in North London, where Mia is trying to get her life back after a long recovery. She decides to write a bucket list of things she needs to do, and enlists her best friends to help her tick everything off. Cue a rollercoaster ride through the many horrors and hilarities of approaching adulthood.
Why Everything Now is worth watching
Mashable's review sets the tone: the show is "raw, authentic and surprisingly hilarious", with a superb performance by Sophie Wilde as Mia. Her eating disorder is part of her but it doesn't define her, so what could have been a worthy but dull show in the wrong hands is vibrant, fun and funny because people are vibrant, fun and funny. Credit for that goes to Ripley Parker, the show's 22-year-old creator: the reason it feels so realistic in its portrayal of young adult life is because it's written by someone who's living that life, not trying to remember it years or decades later.
I have to admit that when I saw that the show featured a lead character with an eating disorder I was worried. It's not an easy thing to portray well. For example, Netflix's series To The Bone was criticised as being potentially triggering for people with or recovering from eating disorders. But from the reviews and social media chat I've seen, Everything Now appears to do it realistically and respectfully. Nevertheless the show does feature trigger warnings and links to Netflix's Want To Talk About It mental health portal so viewer discretion is advised.
Messier than Never Have I Ever and Heartstopper, lighter than Euphoria or Skins, it looks like Netflix has a hit on its hands. Everything Now is streaming on the best streaming service everywhere now.
You might also like
