Hulu's 'PEN15' takes on Netflix's 'Sex Education' and ends up looking like its title
On Friday, February 8, Hulu premiered one of its most scandalous, controversial, shows, ‘PEN15,’ and despite the intrigue it evoked initially, the show itself fell a little short of the brilliance we were hoping for. Teenage troubles are the flavor of the season with shows like ‘Big Mouth’ and ‘Sex Education’ making a mark on Netflix viewers world over, but despite this tried and tested formula, the execution of ‘PEN15’ was… anti-climactic.
Written by Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle about their own awkward teen years, ‘PEN15’ was expected to break stereotypes and showcase three-dimensional characters within the high school environment, and it did anything but that. As funny and awkward as the show is, it failed to represent real people with real emotions, instead settling for stereotypes and clichés.
