Awkward.
2011
Original language: English
- comedy
- drama
The story
An irreverent look at the conflict, chaos and humor that defines teenage life through the eyes of 15-year-old Jenna Hamilton whose life begins to change when a simple accident becomes an epic misunderstanding and is blown way out of proportion. Narration in the first-person voice of Jenna's blog posts captures the humor within the struggles and experiences everyone can relate to from their formative years.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated suburban daylight and the glossy, slightly overlit look of late-2000s American cable comedy, with fast handheld-leaning cuts, quick zooms onto a character's stunned face, and split-second reaction shots that land like punchlines. Jenna's first-person video-diary narration sits over nearly every scene, so the show feels like someone talking directly to a webcam in a teenager's bedroom: confessional, self-mocking, quick to deflate its own drama. The sound is pop-leaning and upbeat, with comic stingers and needle-drop bursts that puncture awkward silences. Vibe: bubbly, cringe-sweet, sharp-edged teen comedy with a steady undertow of hurt. It suits a lighthearted binge on a weeknight, a comfort rewatch, or something to put on while folding laundry. The pacing is brisk and episodic, the tone mostly playful, with the emotional arc centred on a girl learning to laugh at her own mistakes and figure out who she can trust. Intensity is low to moderate: bullying, humiliating social set-pieces, and teen romance and sexual innuendo, but no graphic violence or gore, and the cruelty stays verbal and social. Made for people who enjoy high-school comedy with a confessional, teasing voice and don't mind a little cringe.
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