New series on Netflix is a really refreshing story, and suitable for all audiences despite teenager theme.
Therefore, we meet Otis (Asa Butterfield) and his mother Jean (Gillian Anderson). Jean is a sex therapist who has no boundaries and cannot accept her boy is growing up and needs independence. On the other hand, she has a house full of sex toys and pictures, and she is very openly bringing various men to the house for sex only, talks about sex with her son, etc. This has an impact on Otis who has difficulties in keeping up with his mates clearly obsessed with sex, and Otis also has an issue with approaching girls. Thus in the series, we follow his struggles to develop a meaningful love and sex love, as well as fighting for boundaries with his mother.
The series also nicely addresses multiculturality for several characters are black or of minority origin. In addition, the series normalises LGBT identity and tackles homophobia in a good way. In addition, the series also tackles parental issues with a too strict upbringing. The latter is portrayed through headmaster’s son Adam who experiences very strict parenting and lack of love and support, which in turn results with bad grades and lack of engagement with school. Nevertheless, Adam is suppressing his own feelings and sexual identity out of fear of being sent to military school and severe punishments.
Overall, the series is different than any other teenager series and if we embrace a view that these series also create views of what is acceptable among youth then this series is certainly the best programme for young people. In addition, this series does not have a bitchy Barbie girl everyone adores. Instead, the bitchy girl has brown hair and she is not a central character. Thus, this series also move away from otherwise predominant patriarchal series fostering a view that popular girls are always blond duck faces and that looks is all that matters, but instead tackles real issues such as parenting and identity. Nevertheless, the series also focuses a lot on Otis’ mother and her life, which brings some diversity from other teenager series.
I would definitely recommend this.
Thank you for reading.