Change Your Image
MrKinsm
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Lists
An error has ocurred. Please try againReviews
Outer Banks (2020)
An average show deserves an average rating
I don't expect this series to bring home any Emmy Awards, but that does not mean that Outer Banks is unworthy of watching - especially during a quarantine.
If you're looking for something new to binge, I would recommend it.
In other words - go into it with the knowledge that it's not going to be like; Breaking Bad, GoT, True Detective, Ozark, The Mandalorian, Mad Men, Altered Carbon, Mrs. Maisel, or even Sex Education. It doesn't have a huge budget nor does it have well known actors and actresses, so don't expect it to be that type of show.
First and foremost, let's get out of the way what this show gets wrong.
The actors/actresses, why couldn't Netflix find teenagers to play teenage roles? They are supposed to be 16 years old yet the youngest actor on the show is 21, most are in their mid 20's...the lead is 27. There is a huge difference between those ages, not just physically but mentally as well. Every time one of them says their age in the show (or mentions juvenile detention) it made me grimace.
Location; it would have been nice had they filmed it in the Outer Banks. The limited scenery in this series (and it is limited) shows that they could have filmed this pretty much anywhere in the SE or even the Gulf for that matter. As most films do, I'm sure it was cheaper for tax purposes to film in South Carolina.
Now, onto what the show gets right.
The socioeconomic injustice comparisons; how the 1% and the bottom 10% survive, yet live among one another in society. I don't necessarily agree with the way they portrayed everyone from the one group as smug and everyone from the other group as shady and always in trouble. But, they did accurately show the struggles of starting life with a foot up on the competition IMHO, for most of society that simple fact has cascading effects on one's life.
The acting, the one benefit of having mid 20 year olds as actors portraying teens is that they are clearly practiced at their art. I haven't looked at their resumes, but I would imagine they're all quite experienced. They all do a fine job with the parts they were given.
The plot, every good show needs to have an entertaining plot that flows - Outer Banks doesn't get bogged down - it stays on course. That's a huge plus in my book.
*Clearly the show is targeted towards young adults, but I'm a 40 year old man making this review, for what it's worth. If I can find it entertaining, so can you.