During those bleak days when the pandemic raged like a relentless storm, the world seemed to fracture at the seams, and cultural dialogues became fragmented. TikTok had not yet exploded into a global phenomenon—it was still just a dance playground dominated by 16-year-olds. As a self-proclaimed "elder Zoomer" adrift in the digital void, I struggled to find content that satisfied my pop-culture cravings—until I discovered Benito Skinner, the comedic genius who took social media by storm under his alter ego "Benny Drama."
His bite-sized sketches on Instagram and YouTube became beacons of absurd yet razor-sharp humor, striking a chord with internet-natives everywhere. From inventing a fictional seventh Friends character—a gay man who gave Gunther oral sex—to portraying a Gen Z intern deadpanning to clients that "the Women is washing her vagina and can’t attend the meeting," Skinner’s work didn’t just capture the cultural pulse of his generation; it showcased his uncanny ability to parody celebrities like James Charles and Courtney Kardashian with surgical precision.
Now, the short-form virtuoso has stepped into the spotlight with his first full-length narrative venture—Overcompensating, an eight-episode comedy co-produced by A24 and Amazon Studios. Loosely based on Skinner’s own college years, the series explores identity, friendship, and the messy journey of growing up. The 31-year-old creator has openly shared that he didn’t come out until university, having spent years meticulously performing as the "perfect straight guy"—academic overachiever, football team captain, even pretending he wasn’t a Nicki Minaj fan. This experience of forced heterosexuality once fueled his viral sketches, but in Overcompensating, Skinner delves deeper, transforming those struggles into a poignant examination of youth.
The show follows Benny Scanlon (played by Skinner), who enters Yates College as the golden boy—handsome, charming, a high school football star with straight A’s, the pride of his parents. Yet beneath this flawless façade lies a young man hiding his sexuality behind the mask of a "macho jock." On campus, he meets Carmen (Wally Baram), an outsider grappling with family trauma and searching for his place in the world. Their initial awkward interactions evolve into an unexpected friendship—one that defies romantic expectations but becomes a lifeline. Together, they roast classmates, rap along to Nicki Minaj, and fumble through the chaotic possibilities of college life.
Surrounding them is an ensemble of equally flawed but endearing characters: Benny’s sharp-tongued yet lost sister Grace (Mary Beth Barone), who abandons her Twilight fandom and childhood friends to become the "perfect girlfriend" for campus heartthrob Peter (Adam Dimarco); Carmen’s promiscuous but tenderhearted roommate Kelly (Holmes), who appoints herself his "college slut coach" in a series of hilariously misguided lessons; Miles (Rish Shah), Benny’s secret crush; and Peter himself, who oscillates between "lost soul," "clueless jerk," and outright bully.
Like pieces of a mosaic, these characters form a vibrant, chaotic portrait of campus life—complete with sex, drugs, queer theory classes, and a Charli XCX concert that ends in projectile vomit and diarrhea. Absurd yet achingly real, messy yet full of heart, Overcompensating doesn’t just tell a story—it captures the glorious, cringe-worthy, beautiful disaster of coming into your own.