I watched season 2 of My Life with the Walter Boys to tide me over as I wait for the last few episodes of season 3’s The Summer I Turned Pretty. Now I wish I didn’t because it was utterly frustrating. The show needs to decide on a direction and what kind of show it wants to be – is it a family drama or a teen drama? Considering how much attention is given to the side plots, it’s more of a family drama, but the reason why most of us tune is the love triangle. So when that’s barely given enough attention, and we’re supposed to follow all these other meaningless relationships with unlikeable characters, it can be grating.
Last season, Jackie (Nikki Rodriguez) left the Walter family after she kissed Cole (Noah LaLonde) while being in a relationship with his brother Alex (Ashby Gentry). Katherine (Sarah Rafferty) heads to New York to convince her to come back and rejoin the family, but not everyone’s happy that Jackie’s back. Alex is obviously unhappy she left suddenly after he told her he loved her, while other members of the family are still upset about her departure. Even though it would be understandable for Cole to also be angry with her, he isn’t. He actually misses her and when she asks for space, he obliges and doesn’t pressure her into any decisions. Cole is the most developed character in season 2, even beyond Jackie, which is surprising as she’s supposed to be the protagonist of the show.
After his struggles last season, Cole shows tremendous growth in season 2 and LaLonde does a wonderful job with the character. Can you imagine how unbelievably heartbreaking it is to have your future yanked from under you so suddenly, and the dangerous destructive spiral it can lead you to? Cole’s intent on turning things around; he even joined the football team as a coach despite how hard it would be to watch his former teammates living out his dream. Cole and Jackie’s interactions are really the best parts of the show, but they’re barely given enough space. It’s like the show wants to focus on everything else but Cole and Jackie. Most of the show exists for me like background fodder, with these brief Jackie/Cole moments pulling me in like a magnet only for me to be repelled the next minute because they’re talking about some ranch stuff and I don’t care.
The show telegraphs Jackie’s need for control – her constant involvement in school activities, her preppy outfits and restrained ponytails – she does all this as a way to keep from having to deal with her grief. However, she’s not given enough space in the show for us to understand her struggles and who she is. She ends up in the same narrative arc she had in season 1, and so it’s another season wasted on her stuck in the same place. Rodriguez and Gentry have no romantic chemistry, there’s no tension or yearning in their scenes together, just boredom. Alex’s whole arc with his bronc riding coach Blake is also a snoozefest.
This brings us to a whole bunch of relationships that are poorly developed. Nathan (Corey Fogelmanis) and Skylar (Jaylan Evans) were so cute last season, but this season their relationship is toxic and messy. Danny (Connor Stanhope) and Erin (Alisha Newton) are adorable and I really like them as a couple, but the show seems to prefer to have them apart more than together. Will (Johnny Link) and Haley (Zoë Soul) spent the whole season apart, which I’m thankful for since I didn’t need to see more of their toxic coupling. Katherine and George (Marc Blucas) are alright, but it does feel unrealistic that they’re so united all the time and so on top of their parenting game. With that many children under their roof and so many responsibilities, it’s impossible that they’re so organised and always there for every single child.
The reason why none of these couplings are compelling is because the show doesn’t lay the groundwork to help us understand why they’re drawn to each other. Take Dylan (Kolton Stewart) and Kiley (Mya Lowe) for instance. Does he like her because she doesn’t fawn over him like most of the female population? It’s hard to know or care. And when Kiley looks at him with such distaste, it’s head-scratching stuff when it becomes clear that they’re about to end up together. It’s like the show writers are throwing dice to decide who ends up with who in the interim while they build towards obvious endgames.
Since the show has been renewed for a season 3, my advice is this: lean into the teen drama, build up Jackie and Cole’s relationship arc, let us see Jackie properly grieve and heal. Give us more of the Walter family beyond their romantic relationships. Also, more of Cole with his James Dean look – you gotta give the people what they want.
REVIEW SCORE: 2.5/5
