Pen15 Explained

Opentheme:"Demirep"
by Bikini Kill
Composer:Leo Birenberg
Country:United States
Language:English
Num Seasons:2
Num Episodes:25
Cinematography:Andy Rydzewski
Network:Hulu

Pen15 is an American comedy television series, created by Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle, and Sam Zvibleman, that premiered on February 8, 2019, on Hulu. The series stars Erskine and Konkle, who also serve as executive producers alongside Zvibleman, Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, Becky Sloviter, Marc Provissiero, Brooke Pobjoy, Debbie Liebling, and Gabe Liedman.

In May 2019, Hulu renewed the series for a second season of fourteen episodes, the first half of which premiered on September 18, 2020. In November 2021, it was reported that the series' second season would be its last.

Pen15 is described as "middle school as it really happened". Erskine and Konkle – who were both 31 years old at the start of season one – "play versions of themselves as 13-year-old social outcasts in the year 2000, surrounded by actual 13-year-olds, where the best day of your life can turn into your worst with the stroke of a gel pen." The show takes its name from a school prank involving tricking someone in to writing the word "PEN15" (which looks like the word “penis”) on their hands, by asking if they want to join the "Pen 15 Club".[1] [2]

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

Guest

Episodes

Season 2 (2020–21)

Production

On April 19, 2018, Hulu announced that it had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of ten episodes.[2] Erskine and Konkle were also expected to write for the series and Zvibleman was set to direct multiple episodes. Production companies involved with the series were slated to consist of The Lonely Island, Party Over Here, Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment, and AwesomenessTV.[3] [4] [5] On November 19, 2018, it was announced that the series would premiere on February 8, 2019.[6] Alongside the announcement of the series order, it was confirmed that Erskine and Konkle would star in the series as well.[2] Erskine and Konkle also served as co-showrunners;[7] Zvibleman and Gabe Liedman were also co-showrunners for the first season. On May 1, 2019, it was reported that Hulu renewed the series for a second season, of which the first seven episodes were released on September 18, 2020.[8] [9] The first episode from the second set of seven episodes premiered on August 27, 2021. Originally intended to run for three seasons, the filming of the second season was severely delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and by the conclusion both Erskine and Konkle had new acting roles, as well as parental responsibilities. On November 29, 2021, it was reported that the series' second season would be its final season.[10]

The show is based on the childhood experiences of creators Erskine and Konkle, although in real life they did not meet until they were in college. Erskine, Konkle and Zvibleman originally wanted other teenage characters to be played by adult characters as well, but it was decided that Maya and Anna would be the only ones, as it "just further made [them] like aliens".[11] In sexual scenes, underage actors are switched out with adult stunt doubles.[12]

To reflect the year the show was set in, production designer Grace Alie and set decorator Ali Rubinfeld took inspiration from their own childhoods, using details from their own and their siblings' childhood bedrooms.[13] Inspiration was also taken from old magazines at a library in downtown Los Angeles, along with TV shows from the early 2000s, such as Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Lizzie McGuire.[14] Many items and props were bought from thrift stores in Los Angeles and Palm Springs, and some items, such as Teen Beat magazines and a vintage Unisonic phone, were bought on eBay. The rooms of Anna and Maya were deliberately made to reflect the characters; Maya's room was more messy due to her being "more out-there and experimenting with what is going on inside of her", and the rest of the house "is indicative of a homey and harmonious partnership". Anna's house was designed to reflect her parents slowly getting a divorce, while her room "became, by design, a safe haven".

Budget restraints during season one were "the biggest challenge" according to Alie, who said they "had to be really resourceful and crafty with how we spent our money", while for season two, "we had more money and we got to build all these amazing sets on stage". Location scouting was thus also a challenge due to the budget restraints. When filming scenes in the middle school, whiteboards were replaced with chalkboards.

Release

On November 19, 2018, a video was released announcing the premiere date of the series.[6] On December 20, 2018, a teaser trailer for the series was released.[15] On January 18, 2019, an official trailer and poster were released.[16] The first season was released on Hulu on February 8, 2019, and the first seven episodes of the second season were released on September 18, 2020. The eighth episode of the season was released on August 27, 2021, and the rest premiered on December 3, 2021.

Reception

Season 1

On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 94% approval rating with an average rating of 8.04 out of 10 based on 47 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Viewers willing to suspend their disbelief will find much to enjoy in Pen15, wherein Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle reprise their adolescent selves – stirring up plenty of yucks and pathos amidst the farce."[17] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the series a score of 82 out of 100 based on 17 critics.[18]

Caroline Framke from Variety praised the show for being "written for and by women", and how the show "nails the truly bizarre experience that is being a simultaneously over-confident and incredibly insecure teenage girl". She also praises how the show takes clichés, such as getting caught masturbating, that in coming of age stories are "almost always a boy" and "hands that scene over to a girl".[19] James Poniewozik from The New York Times similarly praises how the show "brashly claims the kind of horny humor that past teen comedies reserved for guys", while also noting that the show "understands that sex comedy isn’t just about sex. In this case, it’s about growing and self-definition and letting go of childhood."[20] Adrian Horton from The Guardian compared the show to "a lived-in, live-action version of Big Mouth" and also saying that though the show has a "studied commitment to the Y2K aesthetic", "plenty of the everyday conundrums of middle school ... are likely to transcend the [millenial] target audience".[21] Tim Goodman from The Hollywood Reporter saw the decision for the show to be set in middle school negatively, saying "maybe the coming-of-age stories pale in comparison to those unfolding ... in high school", comparing it to "Netflix's painfully funny Sex Education", also saying that the show's downside is the "repetitive sketch feel".[22]

Season 2

On Rotten Tomatoes, season two holds a 100% approval rating based on 52 reviews with an average rating of 8.82/10. The critical consensus reads, "An excellent showcase for Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle, and their well-cast classmates, Pen15s sophomore season goes deeper into the nuances of middle school life without losing any of its cringey charm."[23] On Metacritic, season 2 received a score of 93 out of 100 based on 11 critical reviews.[24]

Alan Sepinwall from Rolling Stone stated that "by this point in the series’ lifespan", Anna and Maya being "played by women in their early thirties ... barely even feels like a joke", praising how they had "already disappeared so deeply into their gangly, awkward younger selves". Referring to the sudden cancellation of the show, he also expressed that the "sense of finality isn’t really palpable in the new installments, other than a lovely, wistful, perfect closing scene". Sepinwall also praised the meta jokes about the actors' real age, such as a girl telling Anna "You talk like you’re 40, kind of."[25] Rebecca Nicholson from The Guardian said the show had "matured into a remarkably sensitive and beautiful series about life, friendship and growing up", and that towards the end of the season, "the series takes on a darker hue".[26]

Accolades

Award nominations for Pen15
YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)Result
2019Primetime Emmy Awards[27] Outstanding Writing for a Comedy SeriesMaya Erskine, Anna Konkle and Stacy Osei-Kuffour (for "Anna Ishii-Peters")
Gotham Awards[28] Breakthrough Series – Short FormPen15
2020Critics' Choice Television Awards[29] Best Comedy Series
Casting Society of America[30] Television Pilot & First Season – ComedyMelissa DeLizia
Writers Guild of America Awards[31] Comedy SeriesJeff Chan, Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle, Gabe Liedman, Stacy Osei-Kuffour, Andrew Rhymer, Jessica Watson and Sam Zvibleman
New Series
2021Critics' Choice Television Awards[32] Best Comedy SeriesPen15
Writers Guild of America Awards[33] Comedy SeriesAlyssa DiMari, Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle, Josh Levine, Gabe Liedman, Rachele Lynn, Vera Santamaria, Diana Tay and Sam Zvibleman
Television Critics Association Awards[34] Outstanding Achievement in ComedyPen15
Individual Achievement in ComedyMaya Erskine
Primetime Emmy Awards[35] Outstanding Comedy SeriesMaya Erskine, Anna Konkle, Sam Zvibleman, Debbie Liebling, Vera Santamaria, Marc Provissiero, Brooke Pobjoy, Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, Akiva Schaffer, Becky Sloviter, Shelley Zimmerman, Brin Lukens, Jordan Levin, Don Dunn, Scott Levine and Jeremy Reitz
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy SeriesMaya Erskine
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy AwardsOutstanding Casting for a Comedy SeriesMelissa DeLizia
2022Peabody Awards[36] EntertainmentPen15

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Petski. Denise. Hulu Picks Up Middle School Comedy Series 'PEN15'. Deadline Hollywood. April 19, 2018. April 20, 2018. April 19, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180419224257/http://deadline.com/2018/04/hulu-picks-up-middle-school-comedy-series-pen15-maya-erskine-anna-konkle-lonely-island-1202371234/. live.
  2. Web site: Marine. Brooke. PEN15 Creators Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle Are Unfazed By Their First AIM Screen Names. WMagazine. March 10, 2019. October 7, 2022. January 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230101180759/https://www.wmagazine.com/story/pen15-maya-erskine-anna-konkle-culture-diet. live.
  3. Web site: Nemetz. Dave. April 19, 2018. Hulu Orders Twisted, Adult-Themed Middle School Comedy PEN15. April 20, 2018. TVLine. April 19, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180419215958/http://tvline.com/2018/04/19/pen15-hulu-series-order-comedy-maya-erskine-anna-konkle/. live.
  4. Web site: Goldberg. Lesley. April 19, 2018. Hulu Picks Up Middle School-Set Adult Comedy 'PEN15' From Lonely Island (Exclusive). April 20, 2018. The Hollywood Reporter. April 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180420135904/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/hulu-picks-up-high-school-set-adult-comedy-pen15-lonely-island-1104020. live.
  5. Web site: Arthur. Kenneth. April 19, 2018. Hulu Picks Up New Comedy Produced by The Lonely Island. April 20, 2018. Splitsider. April 19, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180419214353/http://splitsider.com/2018/04/hulu-picks-up-pen15-comedy-produced-by-the-lonely-island/. dead.
  6. Web site: Franklin. Garth. November 20, 2018. Lonely Island's "PEN15" Revealed Feb 8th. December 23, 2018. Dark Horizons. December 23, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181223121106/http://www.darkhorizons.com/lonely-islands-pen15-revealed-feb-8th/. live.
  7. Web site: Patten . Dominic . 'Pen15' Co-Creator And Star Anna Konkle On Playing 13 Going On 34 In Middle School – Contenders TV: The Nominees . . . June 28, 2024 . August 14, 2021 . live.
  8. Web site: Pedersen. Erik. May 1, 2019. 'Pen15' & 'Ramy' Renewed For Season 2 On Hulu. Deadline Hollywood. May 1, 2019. August 30, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190830004928/https://deadline.com/2019/05/pen15-ramy-renewed-hulu-season-2-1202604993/. live.
  9. Web site: July 8, 2020. "Pen15" Season Two Premieres September 18th Only on Hulu. The Futon Critic. July 8, 2020. August 16, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230816160726/http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2020/07/08/pen15-season-two-premieres-september-18th-only-on-hulu-324310/20200708hulu01/. live.
  10. Web site: 'Pen15' Ending With Season 2 on Hulu. The Hollyword Reporter. Lesley. Goldberg. November 29, 2021. November 30, 2021. November 30, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211130030420/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/pen15-ending-season-2-hulu-1235054435/. live.
  11. Syme . Rachel . 2021-11-29 . The Women Behind the Thirteen-Year-Olds of "PEN15" . 2024-02-16 . . . en-US . 0028-792X.
  12. Web site: Corey Chichizola . 2020-09-21 . The Hilarious Way Pen15 Handles Those Awkward Sexual Scenes With The Young Cast . 2024-02-16 . CINEMABLEND . en.
  13. Web site: Lindsay . Benjamin . 2019-02-26 . How PEN15 Achieved Its Pitch-Perfect Early-2000s Middle-School Aesthetic . 2024-02-16 . Vulture . en.
  14. Web site: Fleming . Ryan . 2021-06-04 . How 'PEN15' Production Designer Grace Alie Turned Back The Clock To The Early 2000s: "We Had A Lot Of Trips Down Memory Lane" . 2024-02-16 . Deadline . en-US.
  15. Web site: Wright. Megh. Here's Your First Look at PEN15, Already Our Favorite Show of 2019. Vulture. December 20, 2018. December 23, 2018. December 23, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181223121118/https://www.vulture.com/2018/12/pen15-trailer-hulu-new-comedy-series.html. live.
  16. Web site: Petski. Denise. 'PEN15' Trailer: First Look At Hulu's Middle School Comedy From Lonely Island. Deadline Hollywood. January 18, 2019. January 18, 2019. January 19, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190119062526/https://deadline.com/2019/01/pen15-trailer-first-look-at-hulus-middle-school-comedy-from-lonely-island-1202537738/. live.
  17. Web site: PEN15: Season 1. Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. October 19, 2022. March 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230310081453/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/pen15/s01. live.
  18. Web site: PEN15: Season 1. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. February 14, 2019. February 13, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190213064334/https://www.metacritic.com/tv/pen15. live.
  19. Web site: Framke . Caroline . 2019-02-08 . TV Review: Hulu's 'Pen15' . 2024-02-15 . Variety . en-US.
  20. News: Poniewozik . James . 2019-02-07 . Review: 'PEN15' Goes Crudely, Sweetly Back to School . 2024-02-15 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  21. News: Horton . Adrian . 2019-02-08 . PEN15 review – painfully funny school comedy transcends gimmick . 2024-02-15 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  22. Web site: Goodman . Tim . 2019-02-05 . 'PEN15': TV Review . 2024-02-15 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US.
  23. Web site: PEN15: Season 2. Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. October 19, 2022. September 27, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220927131535/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/pen15/s02. live.
  24. Web site: PEN15: Season 2. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. September 13, 2020. September 13, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200913023521/https://www.metacritic.com/tv/pen15/season-2. live.
  25. Sepinwall . Alan . 2021-12-02 . Farewell to 'Pen15,' the Weirdest, Sweetest, Saddest, Funniest Show About the Growing Pains of Middle School . 2024-02-15 . Rolling Stone . en-US.
  26. News: Nicholson . Rebecca . 2022-01-04 . PEN15 review – the most captivating cringe-comedy on TV bows out on a high . 2024-02-15 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  27. Web site: Nordyke. Kimberly. Emmys: HBO, 'Game of Thrones' Dominate Nominations. The Hollywood Reporter. July 16, 2019. July 22, 2019. July 16, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190716183352/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2019-emmy-nominations-list-see-all-the-nominations-1221226/item/drama-series-emmy-nominations-2019-1221237. live.
  28. Web site: 'Marriage Story' Sweeps Gotham Awards; Full Winners List. The Hollywood Reporter. December 2, 2019. December 2, 2019. December 3, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191203091732/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/gotham-award-winners-2019-list-full-1258785/. live.
  29. Web site: Turchiano. Danielle. 'When They See Us,' 'This Is Us,' 'Schitt's Creek' Lead 25th Annual Critics' Choice Awards TV Noms. Variety. December 8, 2019. December 19, 2019. December 10, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191210122133/https://variety.com/2019/tv/awards/when-they-see-us-this-is-us-schitts-creek-25th-annual-critics-choice-awards-tv-noms-1203428904/. live.
  30. Web site: Lewis. Hillary. Artios Awards: 'Succession,' 'Pose,' 'Dead to Me' Among Casting Society TV, Theater Nominees. The Hollywood Reporter. September 24, 2019. February 2, 2020. December 21, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201221004030/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/casting-society-tv-theatre-artios-awards-nominations-complete-list-1242878. live.
  31. Web site: McNary. Dave. Writers Guild Unveils 2020 TV Award Nominees. Variety. December 5, 2019. December 11, 2019. December 5, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191205190738/https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/writers-guild-awards-2020-tv-nominations-1203426148/. live.
  32. Web site: 'Ozark,' 'The Crown' and Netflix Lead 26th Annual Critics' Choice Awards TV Nominations . Schneider . Michael . January 18, 2021 . Variety . January 18, 2021 . January 18, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210118230541/https://variety.com/2021/tv/awards/ozark-the-crown-schitts-creek-26th-annual-critics-choice-awards-tv-nominations-2021-1234887254/ . live .
  33. Web site: Writers Guild Unveils 2021 TV Award Nominees . Variety . Michael . Schneider . February 3, 2021 . February 3, 2021 . February 4, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210204002238/https://variety.com/2021/tv/awards/writers-guild-awards-2021-television-nominees-1234899663/ . live .
  34. Web site: Turchiano . Danielle . 'Ted Lasso' Scores the Most 2021 TCA Awards Nominations . July 15, 2021 . . July 16, 2021 . July 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210715205118/https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/2021-tca-awards-nominations-list-ted-lasso-wandavision-1235020447/ . live .
  35. Web site: Emmys 2021: The List of Nominees. The New York Times. July 13, 2021. July 14, 2021. Peter. Libbey. July 14, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210714001441/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/13/arts/television/emmys-nominees-list-2021.html. live.
  36. Web site: 82nd Annual Peabody Nominees Announced. PeabodyAwards.com. April 13, 2022. April 14, 2022. April 13, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220413215329/https://peabodyawards.com/stories/82nd-annual-peabody-nominees-announced/. live.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Pen15".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.