"You guys ready to jack some loot?" - John B
Creators: Shannon Burke, Jonas Pete, Josh Pete
Release Date: April 15th, 2020
Where Available: Netflix
Summary:
A group of teenagers from the wrong side of the tracks stumble upon a treasure map that unearths a long buried secret.
Review:
At the time of writing this review, the new teen drama Outer Banks is #3 on the Top 10 in the US Today on Netflix. So, if you don't believe me when I say this show is amazing, then listen to the Netflix charts!
At the beginning of this very lengthy quarantine, me and my friends discovered Netflix Party. It is a Google Chrome extension that allows you to stream any Netflix show with multiple people at the same time. Everyone can have control over the screen or there can be one designated controller. It also includes a chat bar where you can constantly message each other at any point during the show. I know a large part of my enjoyment watching Outer Banks was that I was able to fangirl over the characters and rant about the drama at the exact same time my friend was watching. I really do recommend downloading this extension for you and your friends!
Outer Banks follows a group of teens called the Pogues who are about to have the best summer of their lives, or so they think. In North Carolina's Outer Banks (OBX), John B and his friends JJ, Kiara, and Pope go on a massive treasure hunt after hearing a rumor about John B's dad's disappearance on a ship called the Royal Merchant. When it sank, it supposedly went down with $400 million in British gold. With a little help from some new friends along the way, the Pogues test the strength of trust, love, and family in the search for the treasure of a lifetime.
John B, played by Chase Stokes: John Booker Rutledge is the epic teenage heartthrob, and I think you could call him the "hero" of this story. I have never seen so much physical running from one single character in my entire life. He outruns cops, psycho men with massive guns, friends, giant metal hooks, boats, and an entire hurricane. Another thing to mention is his absolutely stunning hair and the fact that he almost never has his shirt buttoned all the way. Can't complain there! Daddy issues seem to be a common trait for the majority of the characters in this show, and John B is almost forced into foster care because of it. Teen drama script writers may be milking it a little too much, but it seems to be working. The one thing I do know is that I am Team John B all the way, and I can't wait to see where they take this character in Season 2!
Sarah Cameron, played by Madelyn Cline: It took me till the 4th or 5th episode to really warm up to Sarah. At the surface, she has the "I'm a rich girl who hates being rich" personality, which is something we have all seen before. She so desperately wants to get away from the "Bubble Wrap" of the Figure 8 side of the Island, and what a more perfect way to do that than go on a treasure hunt, and maybe fall in love along the way. After a few stargazing cliches, you learn that Sarah is more than what everyone makes her out to be. She fights a battle between her real family and the family she created for herself, and it's extremely beautiful to watch that unfold.
JJ, played by Rudy Pankow: JJ is our neighborhood surfer boy, future "klepto", and John B's best friend. JJ is neck and neck with John B for the winner of the "Biggest Daddy Issues" trophy. There are points in the show where you might get close to having a heart attack because of JJ's thoughtless actions, but the show wouldn't be the same without him. He does get beat up quite a bit for a 16 year old boy, and you could probably fill up a pool with all his tears from this season. But whether it's his bromance with Pope or his iconic party crasher scenes, JJ's love for his friends and extreme determination to become filthy rich one day make him the perfect teenage treasure hunter.
Kiara, played by Madison Bailey: Kiara is technically a Kook, but feels more at home with the Pogues than anywhere else. She is 25% animal lover, 25% treasure hunter, and 50% best friend in the entire world. I love Ki because she doesn't listen to what anyone says about her and surrounds herself with the people she loves the most. The friendship that develops between Ki and Sarah will surely make your heart glow. In the end, Ki might not end up where you expected her to be at the beginning of the season, but she definitely had the best summer of her life.
Pope, played by Jonathan Daviss: Pope is by far the brains of the group. he can be a weirdo sometimes, but is one of the reasons the Pogues are always one step ahead of all the other groups in the search for the Royal Merchant. The one event he is looking forward to this summer is his Merit Scholarship Interview, and it is always at the front of his mind on this adventure. Pope eventually has to decide between the future of his education and the safety of his friends, and that choice will make all the difference.
Topper, played by Austin North: Topper is a real pain in the ass. There were multiple instances in the show where every fiber of my being wanter to rip Topper limb from limb. He is the classic overprotective boyfriend and will stop at nothing to keep Sarah by his side. Him and Rafe, Sarah's brother, are a package deal when it comes to completely ruining the lives of the Pogues. Neither of them really get the memo that everyone hates them, but I promise, you won't hate Topper as much as you hate Rafe by the end of the show.
There are a few other characters like Rafe (played by Drew Starkey) and Ward Cameron (played by Charles Esten) that I could speak on, but I might spoil too much if I do. You will just have to watch the show to see where they end up!
Netflix has been pumping out so much content that I was almost worried Outer Banks was just going to be another series I would watch one episode of, but it proved me wrong. I'm practically glued to either my desk chair or my bed in the current situation, and yet, this show made me feel like I was out in the world having the best summer of my life.
One thing me and my friend kept mentioning as we watched together was how spectacular the camera work was. So, I give a big thanks to the camera crew and production team for making the show not only entertaining but visually appealing. I don't want to spoil the details of too many scenes, but keep an eye out for the beautiful camera work. It makes all the difference.
I would also like to add that the soundtrack for the show was amazing. Go back and search the lyrics for some of the songs and I promise you will have the best playlist for summer 2020!
The only real element I could see being a problem with a lot of adult reviewers and watchers is the age of the characters. Most shows these days depict teens to be much more mature and developed than that of teens in real life, mostly because they are played by much older actors. This often leads to the target audience of teenagers believing that these characters are the norm and that they should look and act the same. Although the characters in Outer Banks are between 16-19 being played by 20 + year olds, I didn't mind the ages as much as I thought I was going too. The writers make a point to show the audience that the characters they created are just as flawed as the rest of us.
It's crazy how attached you can become to a set of characters that you truly want to know and meet in real life. That is the beauty of the entertainment business. No matter what situation you are in or what place you are in your life, there is always something to watch that you can relate too. Something that makes us feel at home. Whether it's a rom com, a war movie, a sci-fi, a horror, a documentary, or a show about a bunch of teenagers hunting for treasure in North Carolina, we are never out of options.
I absolutely loved Outer Banks because it took me out of the world we are living in right now and put me in the middle of a great big adventure. Thank you Sarah, JJ, Kiara, Pope, and especially John B for showing me how incredible one summer can be. The show sets itself up perfectly for a season 2, and I can't wait for the adventure to continue!
Outer Banks is truly Paradise On Earth:)
"You guys ready to jack some loot?" - John B
Comentarios