Teen dramas are major hit or miss and are always under the umbrella of being totalled missed or forgotten about. Outer Banks is one of those shows that I’ve come to realise would most likely not be noticed but this great teen drama now stands a chance because everyone is stuck at home.
Outer Banks is about a group of teenagers who live on, you guessed it, the Outer Banks in North Carolina. This group, called the Pogues, is lead by John B (Chase Stokes) whose father has recently been lost at sea after he goes on the search for a legend about a sunken ship. John B and his friends are on a mission to find the sunken treasure before dangerous criminals find it whilst also living life with their local rivals.
In the pantheon of the best teen drama shows there might one day be a place for Outer Banks, but this is season one so we’ll have to see. If you’re wondering what it’s like then think a mixture of The OC and Veronica Mars meets The Goonies or the Uncharted video games. Outer Banks is definitely a show that isn’t the same as everything else in its genre and that in itself is quite fresh to see.
In terms of main characters the main group, the Pogues, are likeable but there isn’t a lot of stand out characters rather the group works well together. Each character’s mission and purpose is well created and you easily find yourself rooting for the main group even when they make bad decisions, teen drama decisions.
It is Outer Banks’ style, production and mystery that will hopefully bring people to watch it. The reason why the main teen drama shows suceed is where they are set and how it is portrayed. The OC with Orange County, Veronica Mars with Neptune, Gossip Girl with New York, Buffy with Sunnydale, Friday Night Lights with Dillon (two creators of Outer Banks Jonas & Josh Pate directed episodes of Friday Night Lights) and well even Riverdale with Riverdale. The town and overall setting is a main character and the Outer Banks is a part of the US that hasn’t been covered by this genre and it really helps the show.
In saying that I have to mention that it isn’t actually filmed in the Outer Banks but that is due to North Carolina’s controversial transgender bathroom bill. Despite not being filmed there the show still shines because of it’s different setting and production design because of its location.
The centre of Outer Banks is its mystery and each episode does what teen dramas should do best and that is lead you into wanting to watch the next episode. Outer Banks certainly does this, the episodes are longer due to the freedom of being on Netflix but the duration of episodes fly past as each episode is filled with enough events and great character interactions to keep the viewer entertained.
While the series is well made and filled with enough mystery to keep most people watching there are some elements that won’t do it any favours. The series doesn’t have anyone to really carry the show or be a reason for people to tune in for. However, this could also mean the rise of a few newer stars and the actors deserve their moment. Outer Banks also boldly follows it’s main mystery story but places in The Pogues’ rivals The Kooks, rich kids in the Outer Banks, who can sometimes feel like filler and normal teen drama roadblocks for the main characters.
My biggest annoyance and it sounds ridiculous to even say but the design of the logo for the show and posters is all wrong. Anyone flicking through Netflix or even their social media feeds wouldn’t be laughed at for thinking Outer Banks has something to do with space and aliens. Why Netflix has chosen to create a teen drama with some fantastic production design, which includes signs with the font that is appropriate and looks great for the area but then add on a lacklustre and cheap promotional design for the show is just really sad for the show. It’ll be even worse if the show goes unnoticed because people just skip over it, I almost did.
Outer Banks is successful in being its own teen drama and not using ideas from other popular shows in its genre. Too many teen dramas simply rely on trying to constantly surprise it’s viewers or try to be something fake, what Riverdale has ended up being after it’s great first season. If Outer Banks continues it’s trajectory of great mystery, it’s location being a stunning character for the show and it’s characters remaining likeable and real then it may have a chance to be in that pantheon of great teen shows. For now Outer Banks is certainly must watch teen drama, if it gets noticed.