Everything’s Gonna Be Okay
Trigger warnings: scenes that show sex, sexual assault, and topics regarding suicide.
The comedy-drama television series Everything’s Gonna Be Okay (2020-2021) was created by Australian comedian Josh Thomas, who plays the protagonist Nicholas. This impactful show is a great example of representation for LGBTQIA+ individuals, in addition to showcasing multiple characters that are on the autism spectrum, and exploring relationships that are romantic, familial, or simply friendship. Despite the heartfelt pilot that is 45 minutes long, every subsequent episode is roughly only about 20 minutes and is named after a different insect as a tribute to Nicholas’ career as an entomologist.
The authentic themes in each episode present the growing pains of a close-knit family that consists of three siblings: Nicholas, who is in his mid-20s, and his two younger, half-siblings, Matilda and Genevieve. In the comedic pilot titled “Seven-Spotted Ladybug,” these three siblings learn that their loving father has terminal cancer. As Nicholas is from Australia, his plans to return home change once he learns this news because he is prompted with the task of becoming the legal guardian of his sisters once their father passes away. Although initially he is clueless on how to essentially become a parent overnight, as anyone would be in their 20s as a college student, he pursues the challenge and learns along the way.
Each character has distinct and bold personalities: Nicholas describes himself as “messy and clumsy,” yet his bright personality assists in comforting his sisters as they grieve their father together. Matilda embraces her quirky talents of public speaking, writing, and playing the piano and she is open to sharing her perspective of having ASD (autism spectrum disorder) and the difficulties of not fully understanding social cues as a high school student. Genevieve is practical, thoughtful, as well as an introvert, but she makes strides to push through her shyness to be there for support Nicholas and Matilda. Alex starts dating Nicholas around the time that he learns the news about his father and following the funeral, their relationship grows. As time passes, Alex becomes the “voice of reason” for Nicholas and his sisters as Nicholas attempts to be the fun, light, easy-going parent.An interesting thing to look out for is the room full of insects in Nicholas’ home as there are many scenes where the characters go to visit this room and observe each terrarium as a safe place to self-regulate their emotions.
The themes of this show make every episode special as they carry messages about grief, loss, tips to handle anxiety, acceptance from family and friends, inclusivity, setting boundaries, and encouraging creativity and believing in oneself. Watch this series and find out how each character adjusts during life’s important moments. Will Nicholas ever become in tune with his emotions? Will Matilda learn how to navigate a city to attend the college of her dreams? Will Genevieve come out of her shell for the sake of teenage love? Did Larry (their Saint Bernard) eat the missing blue beetle, Sapphire? Available to watch on Hulu.
The comedy-drama television series Everything’s Gonna Be Okay (2020-2021) was created by Australian comedian Josh Thomas, who plays the protagonist Nicholas. This impactful show is a great example of representation for LGBTQIA+ individuals, in addition to showcasing multiple characters that are on the autism spectrum, and exploring relationships that are romantic, familial, or simply friendship. Despite the heartfelt pilot that is 45 minutes long, every subsequent episode is roughly only about 20 minutes and is named after a different insect as a tribute to Nicholas’ career as an entomologist.The authentic themes in each episode present the growing pains of a close-knit family that consists of three siblings: Nicholas, who is in his mid-20s, and his two younger, half-siblings, Matilda and Genevieve. In the comedic pilot titled “Seven-Spotted Ladybug,” these three siblings learn that their loving father has terminal cancer. As Nicholas is from Australia, his plans to return home change once he learns this news because he is prompted with the task of becoming the legal guardian of his sisters once their father passes away. Although initially he is clueless on how to essentially become a parent overnight, as anyone would be in their 20s as a college student, he pursues the challenge and learns along the way.
Each character has distinct and bold personalities: Nicholas describes himself as “messy and clumsy,” yet his bright personality assists in comforting his sisters as they grieve their father together. Matilda embraces her quirky talents of public speaking, writing, and playing the piano and she is open to sharing her perspective of having ASD (autism spectrum disorder) and the difficulties of not fully understanding social cues as a high school student. Genevieve is practical, thoughtful, as well as an introvert, but she makes strides to push through her shyness to be there for support Nicholas and Matilda. Alex starts dating Nicholas around the time that he learns the news about his father and following the funeral, their relationship grows. As time passes, Alex becomes the “voice of reason” for Nicholas and his sisters as Nicholas attempts to be the fun, light, easy-going parent.An interesting thing to look out for is the room full of insects in Nicholas’ home as there are many scenes where the characters go to visit this room and observe each terrarium as a safe place to self-regulate their emotions.
The themes of this show make every episode special as they carry messages about grief, loss, tips to handle anxiety, acceptance from family and friends, inclusivity, setting boundaries, and encouraging creativity and believing in oneself. Watch this series and find out how each character adjusts during life’s important moments. Will Nicholas ever become in tune with his emotions? Will Matilda learn how to navigate a city to attend the college of her dreams? Will Genevieve come out of her shell for the sake of teenage love? Did Larry (their Saint Bernard) eat the missing blue beetle, Sapphire? Available to watch on Hulu.
—Kayu Brooks, TV Editor