When you're launching a raunchy college comedy on a streaming service, it can take some doing to stand out from the crowd. After all, there are countless platforms out there, and even the best streaming services can sometimes feel overcrowded regardless of your favourite genre.
Overcompensating is doing a pretty good job of making its own case, though – not least because its first trailer packs in a couple of absolutely baffling cameos. More on those in a second, though. Overcompensating is the creation of Benito Skinner, who also stars as main character (also Benito).
He's heading to college amid a total identity crisis, led mostly (but not solely) by questions about his own sexuality. Of course, college is the perfect place to figure out things like that, and it's clear that he'll have some messy situations on the way to getting some internal clarity.
Along for the ride will be Carmen (Wally Baram), who's desperate to reboot herself as a cool, or at least normal member of society. After a brief fumble with the idea of being romantic together, they realise that doesn't suit either of them and set about conquering college life together.
Let's not beat around the bush any more, though. The header image for this article shows off one of two huge cameos in the trailer – current queen of pop Charli XCX, who clearly plays an in-show gig and also delivers some furious lines to camera. Quite how the show roped her in is anyone's guess, but she's clearly going to be great fun for however long she appears.
Also popping up is Megan Fox, in the form of a poster on Benito's wall (a classic example of the masculine overcompensation the title talks about). She comes to life to give him a brief boost of affirmation, and leaves me with the very same question – how?!
Still, good cameos are a great place to start, and it'll be fascinating to see how Overcompensating does when it arrives on 15 May. It's not a huge-budget action movie or a star-led drama, but I'm hoping there's a place for it in the world of streaming hits.
