PEN15 - Awfully titled sitcom that's actually really good.

[fucking ponderous]

One question though,

Spoiler alert

in the last episode of the second season, the scene during the play. The starved for attention girl Maura is seen in the audience flanked by, what I assume, are her parents. Both appear to be women and both are wearing masks. Can anyone explain this scene to me, I don't readily grasp symbolism on TV shows.

[close]

I think it might just be absurdism for its own sake. That whole sequence is very dreamlike, I didn't feel like I was meant to read into any one part.

[Olarrio]

I think it might just be absurdism for its own sake. That whole sequence is very dreamlike, I didn't feel like I was meant to read into any one part.

Spoiler alert

The masks were the same or at least similar to the one Maya kept seeing at the girls house. I took it to mean there was a poison or toxicity in the house, or something to that effect. Quite haunting whatever it represented

[close]

Both series have been fantastic but this one in particular has been so poignant and painfully well observed.

[Mantis Toboggan]

It's definitely more somber than the first season but that's not a bad thing as they clearly know how to write drama as well as comedy. And the more serious tone just made the more out and out surreal moments (thinking of the

Spoiler alert

breast feeding

[close]

) funnier to me, made the show feel like its own oddball thing.

The

Spoiler alert

breastfeeding

[close]

scene was absolutely hilarious. Completely absurd without any attempt to explain it. I was pissing myself.

Such a superb show all round. I'm surprised it hasn't got more acknowledgement on here.

[jofo]

Anyone else aware this had a second half of Series 2 in December?  I sure as fuck didn't.
Started seeing Tweets from Jena friedman about how "good it was this season" and was confused as only 2 series where listed online.

Currently downloading it now.

[peanutbutter]

yeah I think Hulu stuff just dies a death in general atm, it's absolutely bizarre to me that this show isn't a bigger deal than it is with people my age when it has so much going for it. Assumed Maya Erskine was going to be a big deal after this and her performance in Plus One.

Still haven't watched the new episodes but I'll binge them all one evening, like I did all the previous ones.

[frajer]

Me and mrs frajer caned Series 2.2 earlier this month and loved it. I can think of few other shows that capture just how messy, greasy and frequently awful it feels to be a teenager.

I'd probably recommend spreading out the viewing a bit, as these latest eps feel more raw and poignant than ever. Really maintains the quality but with intentionally fewer laughs. As you say, it really deserves a far wider audience.

[Better Midlands]

Anyone else aware this had a second half of Series 2 in December?  I sure as fuck didn't.
Started seeing Tweets from Jena friedman about how "good it was this season" and was confused as only 2 series where listed online.

Currently downloading it now.

Whoa, thanks

[Moribunderast]

I enjoyed the second season (or second part of the second season). It didn't seem as funny as I recalled the first season being and focused more on drama but that was fine as the tone towards the end really reminded me of Freaks and Geeks.

I've found it a tough show to recommend. Most of my mates close off the moment you mention it's adults playing young teens. It seems too gimmicky, I guess, but once you're actually watching the performances it's impossible to imagine the show working any other way.

I thought the ending was really sweet and I agree with frajer about it capturing aspects of being a teenager incredibly well. The stuff centered around coping with divorce and Maya realising her family is a bit poor really got me.

I'm intrigued to see if this pair team up for another show (if the opportunity presents) because they're great performers but it's also hard to imagine what they would do next as this was such a niche idea and also seemed like a very personal show they'd always wanted to make.

[Better Midlands]

I've found it a tough show to recommend. Most of my mates close off the moment you mention it's adults playing young teens. It seems too gimmicky, I guess, but once you're actually watching the performances it's impossible to imagine the show working any other way.

Derry Girls seem to get away with the same concept, maybe because the characters are a couple of years older.

S02.2 kept up the standard, I thought the "Yuki" episode was a nice change and worked well.

[Moribunderast]

Derry Girls seem to get away with the same concept, maybe because the characters are a couple of years older.

Yeah, I think because the characters are older and (without looking at their imdb pages) I THINK the actors are closer to the characters' age? Pen15, to an outsider, I guess may look gimmicky in a silly/stupid sense with 30-year-olds playing 13 but the entire show hinges on how good the performances are and there's plenty of funny visuals played off from it. I did have one mate who noted how weird the show would be if it were adult men playing teenage boys trying to get off with young girls and I think that's certainly fair so maybe that element makes some people uncomfortable?

[thecuriousorange]

Another show with an awful title, SMILF (meaning Single MILF) was good, so might give this a chance.

[racecar bed indy 500]

Now I'm kinda annoyed I brought up the title thing because I don't want the thread to be totally interested in that at the expense of the fact that the show is genuinely really good. I was surprised, given that it's adults pretending to be kids, surrounded by other kids, how little that actually entered my mind while watching. There are some very obvious and absurd physical jokes that come about through it (any romance scene, really) but for the most part they just really believably perform among a much younger cast. And they manage to tackle the obvious teen issues without feeling like an after-school special.

I do hope people give it a chance. If only for Maya Erskine's performance which is regularly hilarious.

don't be, everyone else would have brought it up anyway because everyone knows the instant they look at the letters pen and number 15 directly next to each other.