EVERYTHING NOW on Netflix is a new YA Drama Comedy hybrid. It’s a coming-of-age story that deals with several serious topics. Sophie Wilde stars in the all-important lead role and she’s perfect. Read our Everything Now season 1 review here!
EVERYTHING NOW is a new Netflix series. This is a British YA dramedy [drama comedy hybrid] with 45-minute episodes and a total of eight episodes in season 1. It could easily be compared to other brilliant YA series on Netflix such as Sex Education or Heartstopper, but it does go much darker.
In that particular sense, a series like Euphoria will probably come to mind for many. However, the new Netflix dramedy isn’t that dark. It’s more of a coming-of-age story with both sweet and cringe moments while also touching on more serious topics. For this particular story, mental illness and eating disorders in particular.
Continue reading our Everything Now season 1 review below. Find all eight episodes on Netflix from October 5, 2023.
What is normal?!
In Everything Now, we follow Mia as she tries to find her way back to a “normal life”. In a very teen-typical attempt to rebuild her life – following a seven-month stay at a hospital from disordered eating— she creates a bucket list of experiences that both thrill and terrify her.
It’s all very innocent for the most part, and we hear Mia’s thoughts as she takes on the various challenges of returning to her old life. The way people keep talking about her looking and being “healthy” and her active fear of mirrors are just two of the obvious issues she’s constantly confronted with.
Having been away for seven months during High School feels like a decade. All of her friends’ lives have continued to evolve while she was in rehab, so she needs to do everything now (see what I did there?!) to get up to speed. At least that’s Mia’s take on everything.
And Mia does have amazing friends, who have been trying to protect her when visiting her in the hospital. Once she returns to her old school, the changes are coming at her full force, which is – obviously – a lot.
Inspired by real-life
Although Everything Now tackles the very delicate subject matters of eating disorders and mental health, creator Ripley Parker made a point of having a balance. Constantly keeping a focus on both the dark and the light of Mia’s life. Or life in general.
Fortunately, this comes across in the storytelling. Making Everything Now as a dramedy is the perfect way to ensure that much-needed balance.
And yes, Everything Now is something that evolved out of creator Ripley Parker’s own experience as an adolescent. So it’s not that the series is based directly on her own life, but it was certainly inspired by it. Again, I feel this comes across clearly as it’s very honest.
Both in the darker parts of the story and the lighter moments that give hope.
Sophie Wilde is perfectly imperfect
The role of Mia is portrayed by Sophie Wilde who also starred in the horror movie mega-hit of the summer: Talk to Me. She was brilliant in that horror movie and she is brilliant in Everything Now. And yes, there are some things the two characters from the horror movie and this Netflix dramedy have in common.
Not only are they both named Mia but they also both deal with mental health issues and have good and solid friendships. However, this is also where the similarities stop rather quickly. Especially due to the genre and nature of each storyline.
In Everything Now, Sophie Wilde perfectly portrays a character who is as imperfect as anyone. She tries things, goes out on a limb, and makes mistakes. Like anyone does growing up – and this is very much a coming-of-age story.
As her brother, we see Alex Reuben, while the parents of Mia are portrayed by Vivienne Acheampong (The Sandman) and Alex Hassell (Violent Night). With Vivienne Acheampong, we see a mother who comes across as cold and distant, while Alex Hassell as her father is the warm and always available parent.
I love seeing these loving fathers getting more screen time and focus.
The doctor in charge of Mia’s care and recovery is portrayed by the iconic Stephen Fry. An actor who has been very outspoken about mental health, which makes this perfect casting for me.
Noah Thomas, Lauryn Ajufo (Accused, Luther: The Fallen Sun), and Harry Cadby (Red Rose) anchor the series along with Sophie Wilde as the group of Mia’s best friends; William, Becca, and Cam. Other key characters at their school are portrayed by Niamh McCormack (Willow), Robert Akodoto, and TikTok star Jessie Mae Alonzo.
Every single one of these amazing and complex characters benefits from truly perfect casting.
Watch season 1 of Everything Now on Netflix!
The new British YA Netflix dramedy was created by Ripley Parker, who is just 22 years old. Or was at the time of creating this amazing series. And yes, Ripley Parker is a London-based writer which is always a good thing. Write what you know and all that.
The parents of this amazing young writer are no strangers to creating brilliant productions – including one of my favorite movies of all time. However, I won’t name them here because the whole “Nepo baby” issue has gotten completely out of hand.
Much like a woman can’t get a job on her own merits. Instead, she has to listen to accusations that she probably got the job due to a quota or because she slept her way to the top. In that very same vein, anyone related to someone already “in the industry” is slapped with that damn nepotism label.
Fortunately for Ripley Parker, all you need to do is watch Everything Now on Netflix and it shouldn’t be an issue. Director Alyssa McClelland, who also directed episodes of Sex Education, helmed two episodes of this new Netflix series (including the series premiere). Other directors include Charlie Manton, Dionne Edwards, and Laura Steinel.
Womentainment recommendation: Watch it now!
There are plenty of LGBTQ storylines to go around, which is always something I enjoy. Both in the name of diversity and representation – the importance of either cannot be overstated.
However, with Everything Now, what drew me in and kept me engaged were all the characters. Much like Sex Education or Euphoria, we get to see beyond the surface. Everyone wears a mask of some kind, and we get to look beyond that.
With Mia (Sophie Wilde), we hear her thoughts constantly, which enables us to understand where she’s truly at. For the rest, we need to pay attention more, but the camera always lingers enough for us to keep up. When you do, you’ll want to keep watching which makes Everything Now extremely binge-worthy.
Everything Now Season 1 is on Netflix from October 5, 2023.
Creator: Ripley Parker
Directors: Dionne Edwards, Charlie Manton, Alyssa McClelland, Laura Steinel
Writers: Ripley Parker, Roanne Bardsley, Dylan Brady, Glenn Waldron
Cast: Sophie Wilde, Noah Thomas, Lauryn Ajufo, Harry Cadby, Niamh McCormack, Robert Akodoto, Jessie Mae Alonzo, Alex Hassell, Vivienne Acheampong, Sam Reuben, Stephen Fry
Official plot:
When 16-year old Mia returns home after a lengthy recovery from an eating disorder, she is thrust back into the chaotic world of sixth form only to find that her friends have moved on with teen life without her. Along with an ever-evolving bucket list, three best mates and a major new crush, Mia throws herself headfirst into a world of dating, parties and first kisses, soon discovering that not everything in life can be planned for.
