Prime Video’s latest original series “Overcompensating” landed just last week (on Thursday, May 15), and — within days — this comedy-drama shot straight to the top of the platform’s most-watched list.
Created by and starring Benito Skinner, “Overcompensating” follows a former high school football star and homecoming king who’s trying to figure himself out in college while still pretending he already has it all together.
The show captures that awkward in-between phase of life with chaotic humor and some moments that will have you covering your eyes and cackling at the same time.
And viewers are clearly eating it up, because “Overcompensating” has already claimed the No. 1 spot on Prime Video less than a week after release (snatching first place from “Reacher”).
With only eight episodes, it’s a quick watch, but the kind that leaves you wishing you had more the second it ends. Here’s everything to know about “Overcompensating” before adding it to your watchlist.
What is ‘Overcompensating’ about?
“Overcompensating” follows Benny (Benito Skinner), a former high school football star and homecoming king who’s now a freshman at Yates University. Though he seems like the picture of confidence, Benny is secretly struggling to come to terms with who he really is.
When he meets Carmen (Wally Baram), a fellow freshman determined to leave her outsider past behind, the two form an unlikely and chaotic friendship. Together, they navigate the ups and downs of college life, including hook-ups, parties, bad decisions, and worse hangovers, all while trying to figure out who they want to be.
As Benny tries to maintain the image he built back home, things get increasingly complicated with new friends, unexpected feelings, and awkward situations that force him out of his comfort zone.
‘Overcompensating’ is a guaranteed mood-booster
“Overcompensating” isn’t exactly a new formula in the world of comedies. College misadventures, identity crises, chaotic friendships are all familiar territory.
But the show’s charm isn’t in trying to do something radically new. It’s in how confidently it leans into the absurdity of early adulthood, and how sharp, self-aware, and funny it is while doing it.
From the first episode, the series embraces messiness in all forms: emotional, sexual, and social. It thrives in the kind of secondhand embarrassment that comes from watching a character try so hard to hold it all together while everything around them spins out. Whether it’s Benny dodging honest conversations or Carmen going all-in on her rebrand, the show nails the chaotic energy of freshman year.
One of the smartest things “Overcompensating” does is keep its episodes short and snappy since most clock in at around 30 minutes, which makes it dangerously easy to fly through the entire season in one sitting.
The pacing never drags, and the humor, while broad at times, rarely feels forced. There’s also a nice rhythm to the way the show builds its world: campus legends, unconventional side characters, chaotic parties — they all weave together to make Yates University feel like a place you’ve either lived through or wish you hadn’t.
That said, it’s not a perfect show. Some side plots are stronger than others, and the tone occasionally wobbles between heartfelt and outright farce.
But for the most part, “Overcompensating” hits where it counts, especially in the lead performances from Skinner and Baram, whose characters become best friends and form one of the show’s central emotional anchors.
Stream ‘Overcompensating’ on Prime Video now
I’m not alone in my praise either because “Overcompensating” has a solid rating of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, with audiences scoring it 79%.
The site’s critics consensus reads: “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.”
So, should you stream “Overcompensating” on Prime Video? If you’re in the mood for a fast-paced, funny binge-watch that doesn’t take itself too seriously but still has something to say, then absolutely. It’s a fun ride and a refreshingly honest one. For more streaming recommendations, see what's new on Prime Video in May 2025.
Stream "Overcompensating" on Prime Video now.
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