Prime Video's comedy series Overcompensating is a hilarious, drug-fueled, queer romp that takes us back to college in the best and cringiest ways. Created by internet star and comedian Benito Skinner, the eight-episode show follows Benny (Skinner), an Idaho golden boy who's deep in the closet, as he begins his freshman year at the fictional Yates University. As Benny grapples with his sexuality and societal expectations fueled by frat-boy masculinity, he's surrounded by an excellent ensemble, including his platonic soulmate Carmen (Wally Baram), his harsh older sister Grace (Mary Beth Barone), and Grace's alpha-male boyfriend Peter (The White Lotus's Adam DiMarco).
Season 1 of Overcompensating, which hit streaming on Prime Video on May 15, 2025, follows Benny, Carmen, and the Yates kids over a tumultuous fall semester. Since its viral debut, fans have been clamoring for any news of when the coed comedy will return after a major cliffhanger threatened Benny's biggest secret. Below, we're keeping track of everything we know about Overcompensating's future so far.
Is 'Overcompensating' renewed for season 2?
Prime Video has not revealed whether Overcompensating will return for a second season. The streamer will likely wait to decide for another few weeks, as streamers typically like to see a month of viewership ratings before making a renewal decision.
However, Skinner and his castmates have been clear that the series already has big plans for a continuation. In a cast interview with Variety from May 18, DiMarco told the outlet, "I know what Benny has planned for season 2 if we get one, and it’s insane, it’s so good. I wish I could tell you. I don’t really know what to say other than it’s just more unhinged and more insane than this season."
Skinner added of a possible season 2 renewal, "I really hope we do. I am ready to go. I think I know what I want to do, and there’s so much more we wanna say. There will be backslide, and that’s what that finale is. This journey of becoming yourself and overcompensating, it’s a rollercoaster, and at times I think college can be so selfish, and you can be like, it’s every man for himself. It’s drugs and alcohol and feelings, and we didn’t want to stray from that, and we want to continue it."
When would 'Overcompensating' season 2 come out?
While any release date prediction depends on when the renewal announcement comes, we can at least guess that Overcompensating could make a speedy return. The show's debut season was officially greenlit in February 2024, with filming reportedly taking place from July to October at the University of Toronto, and then episodes premiered in spring 2025. With such a quick turnaround, season 2 could arrive by fall 2026.
Which cast members would return for 'Overcompensating' season 2?
The main cast of Overcompensating is expected to return in a possible season 2, including Benito Skinner (Benny), Wally Baram (Carmen), Mary Beth Barone (Grace), Adam DiMarco (Peter), Holmes (Hailee), Rish Shah (Miles), and Owen Thiele (George).
While some recurring cast members are more likely to return, such as Connie Britton and Kyle MacLachlan as Benny and Grace's parents, the fate of the series's A-list guest stars like Lukas Gage (Sammy), Kaia Gerber (Esther), Megan Fox (as herself), and James Van Der Beek (Charlie) are more up in the air.
What would 'Overcompensating' season 2 be about?
Overcompensating's season 1 finale left viewers with some major questions about Benny's future. Though he did finally quit Flesh & Gold and leave part of his bro image behind, Benny had only come out to three people over the semester: Carmen, George, and Sammy. But that changes at a post-finals party, when Benny catches Carmen kissing Miles, and Carmen accidentally outs Benny in the ensuing fight.
Both Grace and Miles seem to have heard the outburst, so season 2 will likely depict the aftermath as Benny either tries to stay in the closet or gets more comfortable revealing his true self. There's also still a chance that Benny and Miles could end up together, as the show has never confirmed whether Miles is attracted to men. (If not, there's always Sammy.)
In a May 23 interview with Deadline, Skinner hinted that all of the characters will be forced out of their comfort zones in season 2. "What's interesting to me about this idea of 'overcompensation' with these characters is that at no point do you stop doing that completely. I'm really inspired by the thought that if anyone has a comfort in it, or a comfort blanket, we take it away," he told the outlet. "I want to see them start over in a lot of ways, and I think that's what that ending tells you might happen. Now some truths are out there, but I don't think you stop overcompensating even when the truth is [out] there, too."
Barone also told Variety that she's looking forward to seeing Grace "exploring more of that leadership role in her life and not trying to conform to what other people expect of her."
"I do hope that Benny and Grace are able to finally be honest with each other about who they are and how they make each other feel and how their parents make them feel about each other," she continued. "I think we can have a really beautiful friendship there that could blossom in adulthood. But it’s important for Grace to understand why Benny leans into being the golden boy so much and why he feels like his parents’ validation is such a driving force, and it’s because he’s hiding such a huge part of his identity. So I think by stripping that back, they can truly grow close, because when someone doesn’t feel like they can reveal that to you, obviously, you don’t really know them at all. So that’s going to be, I think, a breakthrough moment for their relationship."
