PEN15 has been out for over a month and a half on Hulu and we hope, at this point, that you’ve binged the series out of an immediate love for Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle’s ride-or-die friendship. We got so invested them being BFFs that we truly felt anxious whenever they inevitably end up fighting.

Its heightened (though only slightly) portrayal of middle school falls perfectly in line with this wave of great coming-of-age dramedy (that includes Eighth Grade, Big Mouth, and Ladybird) that’s been really hitting hard over the last few years and Maya, co-creator Sam Zvibleman, and Anna really nail it. The attention to detail of the unique time right before 9/11 has just the right touch without feeling nostalgically manipulative. 

Also, it can’t be stressed enough how much they both convincingly pull off playing 7th graders amongst age appropriate actors. Seriously, their performances should put them in Emmy consideration immediately. 

It’s truly a beautiful show and you ought to give it a watch (or watch it again) ASAP.