"Budding sexuality" usually means being gay, but it could mean "Becoming a Man By Having Sex with the Girl of His Dreams." I'm going to need a lot more research before I commit.
1. The Netflix Trailer.
An androgynous, rather dumpy boy is walking down a small-town street. A car pulls up, and Smiling Boy -- obviously a boyfriend, or soon-to-be-boyfriend -- asks if he is heading to school.
Wait -- the person has a high voice. Are they supposed to be a boy, a girl, or nonbinary?
Whoa, talk about a boring trailer! A nonbinary person gets a ride to school. In the gripping second episode, they study algebra!
2. IMDB
The Internet Movie Database tells me that the nonbinary person is actually a girl named Syd (Sophia Lills, who often looks like a boy or plays a boy in her performances).
Its trailer begins with a person -- maybe Syd, I'm not sure -- running down a deserted street splattered with blood a la Carrie. Then she gets mad at her horrible factory town and develops telekinetic powers, a la Carrie. Smiling Boy is thrilled by her new abilities. She also flirts with a girl and a boy (who takes his shirt off).
3. Back to Netflix.
A new blurb specifying that it's a girl. Apparently they fixed their original error.
4. Wikipedia
The minimal article says that the series is based on a graphic novel by Charles Forsman, and it's filmed in Pittsburgh. And it's a "comedy-drama," which means "drama with an occasional joke."
Next, Amazon, which tells me about the original graphic novel. Syd looks like a teenage version of E.C. Segar's Olive Oyl.
It's about "sexual confusion." Sid is in love with her best friend Dina, who is dating the homophobic jerk Brad. Apparently the paranormal powers result in violence.
"Sexual confusion" sounds rather homophobic. Is Syd a lesbian, or is she "confused" and getting a boyfriend to "straighten her out"? Maybe Smiling Boy.
The reviews of the graphic novel are mostly negative: it doesn't end well. Depending on how homophobic the reviewer is, that could mean "Syd comes out as a lesbian" or "Syd kills her entire class at the prom."
6. A review of the graphic novel on NPR
Syd has sex with a boy but doesn't like it. She gets vengeance on the homophobic boyfriend of her crush. There's "a body count." Sounds awful.
7. IMDB Again, and Instagram
To see if there is any beefcake on the cast list:
Dina (Sofia Bryant) must be the best friend who Syd has a crush on.
Brad (Richard Ellis, left) is the boy who takes his shirt off. He seems to be the homophobic jerk who's dating Dina. No physique photos.
Liam (Aiden Wojtak-Hissong) is Syd's little brother. He looks around 10.
Stanley (Wyatt Oleff, left) is the Smiling Boy. I'm guessing he becomes the confidant who converts Syd from lesbian to straight. No physique photos.
Ricky (Nickelodeon boy Zachary T. Williams, top photo) ,may be the boy who converts Syd, or else maybe he's gay and hooks up with Stanley. He's the only one with physique photos available.
That's all the cast who appear in half or more of the episodes. later down the cast list are: Bloodwitch Singer, Mr. Whitaker, Stan's Dad, Popular Guy, Cashier, Teacher, Precision Driver, Customer, Diner Patron, and Waitress.
Wait -- Bloodwitch Singer?
Watch it or not?
Doubtful. I am not ok with teen angst with no beefcake, homophobic "sexual confusion," no gay characters, and a body count.
Stanley (Wyatt Oleff) has several excellent shirtless scenes in this mini-series.
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't watched it, you're missing out!
ReplyDeleteI completely forgot about it, and now I don't have Netflix anymore. If I get it back, I'll look up the series.
Delete