If you’re anything like me, as mid-December rolls around, thoughts of summer fill your head. You feel a sense of longing to replace the end-of-semester stress with the relaxation of a beach day, or replace the cold winter air with a hot shower after getting a tan. One important part of my summer routine was to binge-watch The Summer I Turned Pretty (TSITP) when its second season was released this year, and if this was how you ended your summer days as well, you may be in luck. Finals week is now behind us, holiday vacations are around the corner, and there’s a new Netflix series that may just be our perfect winter replacement for TSITP.
My Life With the Walter Boys (MLWTWB) hit Netflix on Dec. 7 as an adaptation of Ali Novak’s book series, which was first published as a Wattpad story. The 10-episode series follows 15-year-old Jackie who, after the tragic loss of her parents and sister, is uprooted from her life in Manhattan and made to join her new guardians in rural Colorado. The Walter family, whom she moves in with, houses 10 boys, creating a bit more chaos and even a love triangle in Jackie’s life.
Many people are now drawing comparisons between My Life With the Walter Boys and The Summer I Turned Pretty because of the shared love triangle involving a teenage girl and two brothers. Team Conrad girls have found a resemblance to Cole in MLWTWB, and those who are on Team Jeremiah are taking a liking to Alex. After all, both shows share a narrative for the mysterious older brother versus sweet younger brother roles. Some fans have even gone so far as to point out that both shows stem from the original dynamic of The Vampire Diaries, with its characters Damon and Stefan. Okay sure, this trope may not be super original… but who doesn’t love it?
Similar to TSITP and The Vampire Diaries, MLWTWB fans have taken to social media to debate which boy they feel Jackie should end up with. In fact, they’ve already asked the question of whether or not a second season is in the works, to which there’s no answer yet.
While MLWTWB may not replicate the same summer vibes that everybody loved so much about TSITP, Netflix is offering us a country twist, swapping out the beach for the mountains. This change in scenery offers a fresh perspective to the series and sets it apart from its predecessors. Whether it be the horses, the special wilderness locations, or the Walters’ wrap-around porch, this small town has an endearing charm.
My Life with the Walter Boys might just be the romance drama fix we need to survive this winter season. The timing is perfect for a holiday break binge-watch. If you have free time this break and catch yourself wondering how to fill the summer void, this show may be worth checking out.
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