Sydney Sweeney's Pre-Euphoria Netflix Series Did Not Suck (Despite Its Title)

Created by "Immaculate" writer/director Michael Mohan and Ben York Jones, "Everything Sucks!" only lasted a single season on Netflix, but it arrived in the same year Sydney Sweeney made waves with recurring roles in "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Sharp Objects." And while those shows were firmly in the "prestige TV" category, it was actually this quirky, heartfelt '90s throwback that first made me pay serious attention to Sweeney's work. Set in the fictional, appropriately named town of Boring, Oregon, in 1996, "Everything Sucks!" followed a group of high schoolers trying to make a movie while also navigating the messy, awkward, and often painful realities of adolescence. Jahi Di'Allo Winston leads the cast as Luke O'Neil, a freshman who joins the A/V club and quickly develops a crush on the principal's daughter, sophomore Kate Messner, played by Peyton Kennedy.

But there's a major problem for Luke. Kate comes to a pivotal realization in her sophomore year: She's a lesbian, and she has a massive crush on Emaline Addario, a junior drama club star played by Sweeney. While this love triangle set-up (it's actually more like a pentagon because two other boys also have massive crushes on Emaline) sounds like something straight out of "Euphoria," rather than presenting the scenario with an edge, the show brings a sweet sense of solemnity and pain to their emotional turmoil. It's easy to dismiss stories about teenagers as being "frivolous" since adults tend to forget how significant and life-altering it was the first time they fell in love or had their heart broken. "Everything Sucks!" was perhaps too honest for the irony-pilled audiences of the late 2010s, as it was canceled despite having great reviews. Alas, at least the show joins other one-season coming-of-age greats like "My So-Called Life" and "Freaks and Geeks."

Sydney Sweeney has been acting for much of her life, but "Euphoria" is undoubtedly the show that put her on the map. Her role as Cassie Howard will most certainly be considered by television history as one of the all-time great career-changing performances, but that's only because not enough people have seen "Everything Sucks!" After Kate realizes that she's a lesbian, she develops a crush on Emaline. Not only that but, despite the constant flow of male attention hurled her way, Emaline is also harboring the secret that she's queer. As Emaline comes to terms with the truth about herself and the budding feelings she has for Kate, she's presented with refreshing earnestness and serves as an incredible vehicle for Sweeney to show off her acting chops.

The show did stir some controversy over this subplot, mainly due to the real-life age gap between the actors. (Sweeney was 20, while Kennedy was just 14.) But Kennedy has repeatedly emphasized how safe and respected she felt on set, even during moments like her and Sweeney's on-screen kiss. In a landscape where genuine depictions of queer teen identity are still far too rare, the care and gravity that went into Emaline and Kate's story felt groundbreaking — and potentially life-changing for the young people who saw themselves reflected there. In many ways, "Everything Sucks!" is the counterpoint to shows like "Euphoria." It's less lustrous, maybe, but with a raw, unguarded heart that made it something special. It also introduced a whole crew of young talents who deserved to blow up in the way the "Stranger Things" cast did. Fortunately, Sweeney broke out into bigger projects, but the rest of the show's ensemble deserves the same level of attention and acclaim.

Honestly, "Everything Sucks!" was too pure for the world: full of vulnerability, warmth, and a sincerity that's all too rare on screen these days.