Culture

Hathaway recaps popular Netflix show My Life with the Walter Boys

by Quinn Hathaway

Media Production

After a two-year hiatus, Netflix dropped the sophomore season of the teenage-centered Netflix show My Life  with the Walter Boys on Aug. 28. Based on the best-selling novel by Ali Novak, the Netflix adaptation of My Life with the Walter Boys features a stellar cast, including Nikki Rodriguez, Noah LaLonde, and Ashby Gentry as the golden trio. Although the cast features mostly novice actors, season one was a hit, and season two is sure to bring more drama to the screen.

The show follows sixteen-year-old protagonist Jackie Howard as she navigates a move from New York City to rural Colorado. Jackie’s mother, father, and sister all passed away in a car accident, leading her to move in with her mother’s best friend and her family in Silver Falls, Colorado. Living with nine kids proves difficult for Jackie, and challenges arise with every turn, including in the form of two boys. Cole Walter, ex-quarterback and town golden boy, contrasts with Alex Walter, an introverted and equestrian-centered teen. Small town life proves never boring for the Walter family, filled with football games, drama, and relationships.

Season one left off on a cliffhanger, with Jackie saying, “I spent all summer spiraling about how and why I left,” referring to her messy romantic entanglements with both Alex and Cole Walter that ultimately triggered her temporary move back to New York. In an interview with Teen Vogue, Rodriguez commented, “With Alex, he’s so kind and loving and makes [Jackie] feel safe in this new place where she doesn’t feel like she belongs. With Cole, he challenges her, and he’s passionate — and a little bit like the person you feel you shouldn’t really love, so there’s always that. They’re very different, but it’s so layered, and that’s why I think it’s a hard choice for Jackie. It’s complicated.” 

The first episode of season two brings Jackie back to Silver Falls and the lives of the sprawling Walter family. Everyone appears changed from their summers apart, with Cole spending his summer in school, Jackie at an internship in New York, and Alex at an equestrian camp. While the original cast is largely intact, several members have been added. In total, five new characters joined for the second season, but the three most prominent are Natalie Sharp, Carson MacCormac, and Janet Kidder. The trio has the opportunity to stir things up in Silver Falls, for better or worse.

This new season is sure to both expand on the problems left over from season one and introduce new issues to all members of the Walter family. Although the season is only ten episodes long, it’s been renewed for a third season, set to release sometime in 2026. Tune in for more small-town quarrels and romance under the stars in the new season, available on Netflix starting Aug. 28.

(Sources: Netflix, People, Teen Vogue)

 

Categories: Culture, Lifestyle

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