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Pen15 (Hulu) - Season 2 out now 9/18

lush

lush

Member
Oct 26, 2017
1,804
Knoxville, TN


The comedic story of middle school seen through the eyes of two 7th grade girls dealing with the awkwardness of being a teenager.
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This show is great. Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle play themselves as 13 year old outcasts in middle school. Some hilarious/awkward/devastating moments while hitting on a variety of themes like friendship, racism, sexuality, and bullying. The show is set in 2000 and absolutely nails everything about the middle school experience. The soundtrack is killer too. If you're looking for a heavy dose of nostalgia, check it out.

Anyone watching? I've got the AIM episode up next.
 
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TheIlliterati

TheIlliterati

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
4,782
lush said:




This show is great. Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle play themselves as 13 year old outcasts in middle school. Some hilarious/awkward/devastating moments while hitting on a variety of themes like friendship, racism, sexuality, and bullying. The show is set in 2000 and absolutely nails everything about the middle school experience. The soundtrack is killer too. If you're looking for a heavy dose of nostalgia, check it out.

Anyone watching? I've got the AIM episode up next.
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I'm absolutely loving it. I think I've watched the first three. Perfect blend of Eighth Grade, Freaks and Geeks, and a dash of Broad City. With way more swearing than all of them of course.
 
I KILL PXLS

I KILL PXLS

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,542
Binged it with the wife this weekend. Pretty damn good. Pretty damn uncomfortable but in a good way. Awesome nostalgia trip as it's pretty close to when I was in school.
 
Darkmaigle

Darkmaigle

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,525
Watched the first five last night, I love the kid that always has on the wrestling t shirts cause that was me!
 

Deleted member 8741

user requested account closure
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JeTmAn said:
Is the title supposed to read Penis
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It's an old middle school joke where you would ask people if they wanted to join the "Pen 15 club." When they said yes, you would write it on them somewhere like the title "Pen15" and tell them they had to wear it around like that the rest of the day.
 
riotous

riotous

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,341
Seattle
Octodad said:
It's an old middle school joke where you would ask people if they wanted to join the "Pen 15 club." When they said yes, you would write it on them somewhere like the title "Pen15" and tell them they had to wear it around like that the rest of the day.
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Not quite.

"Want to join my pen club?"

"Sure"

"Cool, you are member number 15, so let me write Pen 15 on your hand."
 
marrec

marrec

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
6,775
Watched the first 3 episodes with my GF and it's pretty hilarious so far. She would have been in the 7th grade in 2000 so she says it speaks to her experience pretty accurately lol
 
Dandy Crocodile

Dandy Crocodile

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Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,731
I binged the entire series in one day and LOVED it.
Pitch perfect and adorable. It was everything I wanted the film Eigth Grade to be.
 
Kmonk

Kmonk

#TeamThierry
Member
Oct 30, 2017
3,695
US
Octodad said:
It's an old middle school joke where you would ask people if they wanted to join the "Pen 15 club." When they said yes, you would write it on them somewhere like the title "Pen15" and tell them they had to wear it around like that the rest of the day.
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Just be sure to use block letters.
 
Firewithin

Firewithin

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
4,436
Orange County
these ~30 year old women sure do pull off a 13 year old quite well in how they carry themselves. sometimes you really do think they are among the age group lol
 

Deleted member 48897

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I was in middle school at this time this was set so I know this is something I'd never be able to enjoy watching.
 
Mona

Mona

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Oct 30, 2017
26,151
tTc9cKQ.gif
 
Dandy Crocodile

Dandy Crocodile

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Oct 25, 2017
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I think my favorite episode was Community Service.
The entire thong storyline was insanely perfect and nothing they ever could have captured if they had real child actors doing it.
That's really why I think having the 30 year old women playing teens works the best. They can portray things that are intimately familiar to people without children being the ones to do it.
 

Deleted member 28461

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Dandy Crocodile said:
I think my favorite episode was Community Service.
The entire thong storyline was insanely perfect and nothing they ever could have captured if they had real child actors doing it.
That's really why I think having the 30 year old women playing teens works the best. They can portray things that are intimately familiar to people without children being the ones to do it.
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Wait, they're not kids? Holy shit. I genuinely had no idea. I think I've watched 3 episodes so far.

I initially checked out the show because I'm 30 and was in middle school when the show takes place. Figured it would be good for some nostalgia, and my SO would enjoy it. We ended up both really digging it. although she's definitely finding more to relate to than I can.
 
Chojin

Chojin

Member
Oct 26, 2017
2,625
Jesus Christ I was 21 in 2000. Nostalgia gaps keep getting shorter and shorter.

Still. Looks fun even though I have no idea what being an 8th grader in the 21sr century entailed.
 
Dandy Crocodile

Dandy Crocodile

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Oct 25, 2017
4,731
Jbourne said:
Wait, they're not kids? Holy shit. I genuinely had no idea. I think I've watched 3 episodes so far.

I initially checked out the show because I'm 30 and was in middle school when the show takes place. Figured it would be good for some nostalgia, and my SO would enjoy it. We ended up both really digging it. although she's definitely finding more to relate to than I can.
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TheIlliterati

TheIlliterati

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
4,782
I just wanted to note that there are scenes after/during the credits that often pretty key and funny. I didn't notice until the third episode. The fourth episode one is particularly poignant so far.
 
Qwark

Qwark

Member
Oct 27, 2017
8,030
Jbourne said:
Wait, they're not kids? Holy shit. I genuinely had no idea. I think I've watched 3 episodes so far.

I initially checked out the show because I'm 30 and was in middle school when the show takes place. Figured it would be good for some nostalgia, and my SO would enjoy it. We ended up both really digging it. although she's definitely finding more to relate to than I can.
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Really? I thought it was super obvious that they were 30-ish. I still love it, but they definitely look older than the other actors.
 
Linkura

Linkura

Member
Oct 25, 2017
19,943
They don't look 13 at all, but they could pass for older high schoolers. I guess it's not egregious as 80s B movies casting 40 year olds as high schoolers.
 

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Qwark said:
Really? I thought it was super obvious that they were 30-ish. I still love it, but they definitely look older than the other actors.
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Yeah, I had no clue. They really just look like kids to me, although maybe early high school age instead of middle school. I went into the show knowing nothing about it, and I don't believe I've seen anything else the leads have been in.

The masturbation episode was absurdly uncomfortable for me for that reason.

Linkura said:
They don't look 13 at all, but they could pass for older high schoolers. I guess it's not egregious as 80s B movies casting 40 year olds as high schoolers.
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pen15-ep-4.w700.h700.jpg


If you told me they were children, I'd believe you.
 
Linkura

Linkura

Member
Oct 25, 2017
19,943
Jbourne said:
Yeah, I had no clue. They really just look like kids to me, although maybe early high school age instead of middle school. I went into the show knowing nothing about it, and I don't believe I've seen anything else the leads have been in.

The masturbation episode was absurdly uncomfortable for me for that reason.



pen15-ep-4.w700.h700.jpg


If you told me they were children, I'd believe you.
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I'm guessing you haven't been around any actual 13 year olds lately then.
 
adamsappel

adamsappel

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Oct 27, 2017
2,503
Is this something I could recommend to my 16-year-old daughter, or is it more for older, nostalgic viewers? Obviously I wouldn't want to watch it with her, judging from the (hilarious) trailer.

I'm reminded of a BBC teleplay by Dennis Potter (The Singing Detective, Pennies from Heaven), Blue Remembered Hills, in which the roles of children are all played by adults. "When we dream of childhood," said Dennis Potter, "we take our present selves with us. It is not the adult world writ small; childhood is the adult world writ large."
 
I KILL PXLS

I KILL PXLS

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Oct 25, 2017
11,542
adamsappel said:
Is this something I could recommend to my 16-year-old daughter, or is it more for older, nostalgic viewers? Obviously I wouldn't want to watch it with her, judging from the (hilarious) trailer.
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16 is borderline, but she'll probably not be exposed to anything she hasn't seen/heard before. It mostly has strong language, not a lot of real nudity, BUT a lot of what I guess I'd describe as "sexual situations". Not like actual sex, but there is a lot of masturbation and talk of sex/sexual acts.

It's weird because this show and something like Big Mouth, though obviously made for adults, would probably benefit the age group their portraying way more if they saw it. By not sugar coating it to be "appropriate" for kids, they manage to be the most real depictions of what kids that age are going through.
 
Hampig

Hampig

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,704
Isn't this show somehow connected to the Lonely Island bunch? I thought I read that somewhere.
 
Jerm

Jerm

The Fallen
Oct 31, 2017
5,775
This show seems really really good based on an episode I caught at a friend's house and I think the name does it no favors.
 
Strike

Strike

Member
Oct 25, 2017
27,361
Watched the first three episodes last night after watching the trailer. Really cringeworthy and hilarious stuff. I'm going to stick around for the rest of the season.
 
z e r t

z e r t

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Oct 27, 2017
994
Binged it last week. One of the funniest shows I have seen recently. Go watch it if you haven't already.
 
gutterboy44

gutterboy44

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Oct 27, 2017
1,592
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God damn this show was funny. Maya is amazing. One of my favorite new characters. Can't wait for more seasons.
 
JaseC64

JaseC64

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Oct 25, 2017
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I can sort of relate as 7 and 8th grade were so much fun in a sense. This was when there were "Jr high schools" still and only these 2 grades were there at a time. Once you were an 8th grader, you felt so much "power".

Not sure it was the year 2000 but close to there and can relate to the theme so far. Saw episode 1 yesterday. Was hilarious when shug teaches his sister how to verbally fight back.
 
HotHamBoy

HotHamBoy

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
16,423
adamsappel said:
Is this something I could recommend to my 16-year-old daughter, or is it more for older, nostalgic viewers? Obviously I wouldn't want to watch it with her, judging from the (hilarious) trailer.

I'm reminded of a BBC teleplay by Dennis Potter (The Singing Detective, Pennies from Heaven), Blue Remembered Hills, in which the roles of children are all played by adults. "When we dream of childhood," said Dennis Potter, "we take our present selves with us. It is not the adult world writ small; childhood is the adult world writ large."
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I KILL PXLS said:
16 is borderline, but she'll probably not be exposed to anything she hasn't seen/heard before. It mostly has strong language, not a lot of real nudity, BUT a lot of what I guess I'd describe as "sexual situations". Not like actual sex, but there is a lot of masturbation and talk of sex/sexual acts.

It's weird because this show and something like Big Mouth, though obviously made for adults, would probably benefit the age group their portraying way more if they saw it. By not sugar coating it to be "appropriate" for kids, they manage to be the most real depictions of what kids that age are going through.
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After watching 4 episodes of this show I would say it comes down to that funny thing where growing up is vulgar. If you're going to do an honest exploration of it then there's going to be objectionable content because life is full of objectionable content.

In short, i would let a teenager watch this because the stories they are telling are so relatable and full of thoughtful perspective. The messaging is earnest.

Episode 3 really demonstrates why the leads had to be played by obviously adult women, aside from it just being funny. It's a kind of personal story that needs to be told more often but is real dicey when your characters are 13.

BTW, 16 is plenty old enough to watch just about anything when presented in the right context. Context is everything. And even if you don't approve of some media they are definitely exposed to it already.
 
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NervousXtian

NervousXtian

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,503
This show is pretty good. I get that the leads are like 31 or something, and they very much look that age in a lot of the show. The picture above makes them look way younger.. but yeah it's a bit weird at first.. but you get used to it.
 
Rellodex

Rellodex

Member
Oct 29, 2017
2,169
I get tired of these period specific shows leaning on brand name props so much. Oh yeah remember Surge soda? Look there's a Tamagatchi on the table! Woah Limp Bizkit and Korn t-shirts!

But otherwise I just finished watching the season and actually specifically came here to see if anyone was talking about it.

I really enjoyed it. The episode about masturbation felt taboo to me as a male viewer, but the show sort of expects that reaction and sucker punches you with the whole "guys talk about it all the time but for us it's dirty because we're girls" conversation. There's been about 500,000 comedies that feature scenes of adolescent male masturbation.

A lot of the material in the show was utterly alien to me. It just made me realize how often coming of age comedies focus on male characters.

The other thing I really appreciate the show for is that the characters actually talk to each other and express their feelings like actual humans.
 
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