‘I Am Not Okay with This’ is all about a teenage girl, Sydney, facing high school chaos, family drama and her weird superpowers. It’s set in a small Pennsylvania town. Identity, sexuality, mental health- big themes here. Plus, there’s a splash of sci-fi and horror. Based on graphic novel, it has cool performances and a storytelling style that stands out.

Meet the characters from I Am Not Okay with This

Sydney Novak

Oh man, Sydney is a complete delicious chaotic mess of sarcasm and secret power—like, she talks tough but you can tell she’s a big soft mess if you peek (don’t peek, she hates that). She’s sharp, prickly, and brilliant at turning a look into a cutting comment, and then she somehow always ends up rambling about something oddly specific like the history of denim or cereal brands. Also: telekinesis, obviously, which is wild and terrifying and kind of a metaphor? She tries to be small and invisible but keeps exploding in the worst possible ways, and honestly it’s heartbreaking and also kind of awesome.

Stanley Barber

Stanley is that oddly wholesome-yet-creepy neighbor who knows too much about everyone and yet somehow manages to be genuinely nice — he spends his free time knitting, maybe, or collecting tiny spoons, I can’t remember. He’s overly chatty in the best way, like a human encyclopedia of bad movie quotes and town gossip, and I love that he means well even when it gets weird. There’s a softness under the weirdness that makes you want to hug him but also step back, if that makes sense. He is the kind of person who will bring you canned peaches at midnight and then apologize for the can opener noise.

Dina

Dina is Sydney’s ride-or-die and the loud, fierce, fabulously messy heart of the friend duo — she says what everyone’s thinking and then some, and she is unapologetically herself (including her chaotic hair and chain wallet, I think?). Protective to a fault, competitive, probably swears in three languages, and she has this gruff exterior that hides a blindingly loyal streak; she’ll punch someone in the face and then bring them soup. She likes old rock, bad decisions and has a surprising weakness for romantic comedies (shh), and she is somehow simultaneously the coolest and the most chaotic person in any room.

Maggie Novak

Maggie is trying so hard to keep it together and failing in the most human, lovable way — single mom energy with tired eyes, lipstick smudges, and this endless well of guilt and fierce love for her kids. She’s practical, overwhelmed, and at times a little flaky (forgets doctor’s appointments but remembers obscure trivia about cartoons), and her attempts to be “normal” are both sad and oddly admirable. There’s a warmth to her that’s messy and complicated — she tries to be brave and sometimes she pretends everything is fine, and sometimes she absolutely is, in her own clumsy way. Also she probably drinks too much coffee and sings along terribly to the radio when no one’s watching.

Brad Lewis

Brad is the classic small-town jock who thinks bravado will fix everything — loud laugh, cheap cologne, big truck energy, and that bluster is basically his defense mechanism. He’s blunt, sometimes cruel, but also clearly insecure underneath because hey, someone had to be the loudest to cover up being scared. He bullies, yes, but there are weird hints of awkward sweetness too (like a secret playlist of slow songs? no, that would be ridiculous, but maybe). He makes you roll your eyes and also makes you worry a little, which is a weird combo but hey, that’s Brad.

Ricky Berry

Ricky is the quiet, slightly dangerous type with a weird soft center — broody, tattooed (maybe), but also the guy who will quietly show up when you need him and not make a big deal of it. He seems like he carries the weight of a million bad decisions but somehow stays loyal and real, which is rare and kind of hot, not that anyone asked. He likes horror movies and probably feeds stray cats, and he’s awkward with compliments but remembers small things about you that matter. There’s a mystery to him that makes you want to know more and also makes you lock your car doors, simultaneously.

Liam Novak

Liam is tiny, earnest, and unexpectedly wise — the younger brother who acts older sometimes and also melts into a puddle of kid energy other times (obsessed with comics? maybe. board games? absolutely, I think). He’s empathetic in a way that’s kind of crushingly sweet; he notices things adults miss and keeps trying to take care of people he loves, which is both adorable and too much responsibility for a kid. He says blunt things with zero filter and then apologizes like it’s an Olympic sport, and he loves stuffed animals and probably collects rocks. He’s the quiet backbone of the family and also very sassy when provoked.

Mr. File

Mr. File is the awkward, by-the-book teacher/principal type who tries so hard to be authoritative but often ends up weirdly endearing — probably wears cardigans and has pens in every pocket. He makes cringey dad jokes in faculty meetings and then frowns like he meant them to be serious; he’s officious but not evil, you know? There’s a little hidden kindness under the lecture notes and strict policies, and he might have a vintage stapler collection (okay, that’s a guess). He handles school drama like a fumbling adult trying to put together Ikea furniture — well-meaning, a bit clumsy, and oddly charming.