Sorry, "Riverdale": The '90s Nostalgia of “Everything Sucks!” Makes It Netflix's Newest Essential Show

As a millennial, I get nostalgic seeing clips and memorable scenes from those ‘90s and early ‘00s family favourites like Friends and Gilmore Girls.

It was a time before smartphones and social media, filled with then-timely pop-culture references and on-point fashion.

Now, more than ever, we crave that throwback experience, so we can relive our younger years. With shows like Stranger Things already reviving the ultimate ‘80s era of epic tunes, hair products, and sci-fi, it is about time someone brought the ‘90s back into our lives.

So, millennials, say hello to Everything Sucks! This new series dropped on Netflix a few weeks ago and is already being compared to the Drake-starring classic Degrassi. Centred on the typical American high school experience in Boring, Oregon (literally the name of the town), the plot follows freshman Luke O’Neil (Jahi Di’Allo Winston) and his determination to get the attention of the principal’s daughter, Kate Messner (Peyton Kennedy).

Aside from the stereotypical first-year crush, the story also diverges into parent and teacher relationships, particularly between Luke’s mother and Principal Messner. Like Strangers Things, the series includes a geeky AV-club and plenty of bicycles, but alternatively focuses more on the curiosity of teenagers and sexuality, rather than the Upside Down.

Although I personally did not attend school during the ‘90s, I can still connect with the familiar experiences and quirkiness of fitting in during high school. There’s also something about the ‘90s more laidback era I find so compelling; maybe it’s that the evolving technology of the time did not yet consume our lives. Sure, there are various shows documenting teens and their ‘transition’ from children to adults, like the dramatic events of Riverdale, or the high-end world of Gossip Girl; but really, in the end, most of us just want our ‘coming of age’ TV shows to remind us of our realistic experiences.

My name is Kate, I was a Sophmore in 1996, I always wore awkward jeans with my dad’s plaid shirts, tori Amos was MY FAVORITE and my first cd was Definitely Maybe. I wasn’t into girls but I did take an AV class. @EverythingSuxTV is like rewatching my life. Wow.

— Rock23L (@Rock23L) 19 February 2018

#EverythingSucks is very Freaks and Geeks meet Stranger Things. It has a killer soundtrack. I can dig it!

— Leslie Knope (@MegBeeee) February 19, 2018

Alright, I can hear you booing me for my betrayal of Riverdale and Gossip Girl, but can you honestly relate to shows that turn the high school experience from a journey of learning into a fight against murderous villains or a lifestyle driven by scandal?

Everything Sucks! may have its flaws, but didn’t we all back then?

The complete first season of Everything Sucks! is now streaming on Netflix.

Candice Wilson is one of Student Edge’s student contributors. See more student contributions here.

Photo: Netflix