My Life with the Walter Boys Season 3 Fails to Stand Out
In a space where there’s an abundance of teen dramas, My Life with the Walter Boys Season 3 fails to stand out.
The major issues from Season 3 stem from a lack of narrative structure and the show’s inability to foster believable friendships among its core group of teens.
While past seasons of the show aren’t the epitome of teen drama excellence, they have a narrower focus on their stories. In doing so, there’s a cohesive throughline that relates to the development of the characters in a natural way.
My Life with the Walter Boys revolves around the narrative device of a love triangle.
Typically, a love triangle can elicit tension and internal struggles between those who are involved. In the earlier seasons, this method works because we see how Cole and Alex’s brotherly relationship is affected, as well as digging into their own individual insecurities.
The dynamic between Jackie, Cole, and Alex feels honest in the first two seasons because of Jackie’s approach to both characters. She feels drawn to both of them, and it soon becomes clear her love for Cole runs deeper in a way it never has for Alex.
A love triangle needs to have a purpose, and the show forgets that in Season 3.
Jackie and Cole officially get together on My Life with the Walter Boys Season 3 Episode 1, “Homecoming.” However, their relationship seems to spiral out from there, and the season ends with them once again not together.
It’s lazy writing to have the conflict between Jackie and Cole revolve around Eliot — Jackie’s childhood boyfriend. He has no real purpose beyond driving a wedge between Jackie and Cole.
It’s also a little unrealistic for Cole to be so threatened by Eliot. Of course, as a teenager, it’s normal to be insecure, and Cole can feel those feelings. However, Jackie has shown and told Cole how much he means to her on multiple occasions.
On My Life with the Walter Boys Season 3 Episode 7, “Washout,” Jackie creates an elaborate romantic setup that undoubtedly illustrates her love for Cole. How does Cole respond? He opts to be self-destructive and lashes out in front of Jackie and tells her he’s “bored,” and she’s “too much.”
Cole’s behavior doesn’t make sense narratively. Why does the conflict and drama have to come in the form of separating Jackie and Cole again?
Season 3 shows us multiple instances where Jackie and Cole effectively communicate with one another. What makes this time different? Cole’s decision to conceal his struggles with self-worth doesn’t necessarily tell us something new about the character.
Cole isn’t really a changed character between the time when his insecurities consume him and when he decides enough is enough on My Life with the Walter Boys Season 3 Episode 10, “The Beautiful and the Damned.”
It seems like it happens for plot convenience and a dramatic ending.
Jackie’s character is also confusing this season. Yes, she’s hurt by Cole’s words, but for her to kiss Eliot feels misplaced. Where is her character growth from the first two seasons?
Jackie makes rash decisions, that’s for sure, but it seemed like Season 3 would let her move forward in terms of her behavior. In some ways she does. Jackie works up the courage to stand up for herself and isn’t afraid to question authority.
However, Jackie is still flimsy in the context of her romantic relationships. There’s no narrative purpose to her kissing Eliot beyond the “sensational” aspect. More than anything, it just comes off as a disservice to her character.
Alex is OK this season. He has a good scene with Cole on “Homecoming” where he tells him he doesn’t want to be with someone who doesn’t love him back. It’s honest, even if it hurts.
Truthfully, more moments like this are needed in Season 3.
For the most part, My Life with the Walter Boys is not a deeply serious show. However, it shines when its characters take a second for self-reflection and explain how certain actions impact them.
Since Season 1, it’s been obvious there would be some romantic development between Alex and Kiley. Season 3 proves the chemistry is there; though, they could’ve shared more scenes instead of the excessive amount we got with Alex and his fellow rodeo riders.
It’s clear Alex and Kiley’s relationship is heavily unresolved and will continue in Season 4.
A glaring issue of Season 3 is breaking up its core cast of teens. For example, Isaac and Lee have their own subplot with their mom, Danny and Erin are coupled off, and Nathan and Skylar are also in a weird spot.
Arguably, the strength of a teen drama comes from its romantic and platonic relationships. When the dynamics are realistic, it almost doesn’t matter what the characters are doing. There’s a level of unmatched chemistry that makes it worth watching.
This is largely lacking in Season 3. While different characters do interact with one another, it’s not consistent enough for meaningful relationships to develop.
When Jackie was still establishing herself with the family in Seasons 1 and 2, it was much more cohesive in terms of character relationships. The show put emphasis on Jackie’s interactions with the Walter siblings, and this should have continued in Season 3.
On My Life with the Walter Boys Season 3 Episode 5, “The Jackie and Cole Effect,” there’s a moment that feels reminiscent of the earlier seasons. It involves Jackie, Cole, and Alex sitting in the back of a cop car.
The scene is short, and the trio says little to nothing. However, it evokes the essence of a teen drama because of the consequences the three of them are facing. Furthermore, it occurs after a party, which creates an intimate and inner look into their lives as teenagers.
For Jackie especially, she is seemingly acting out of her element and what’s expected of her.
In this instance, the conflict isn’t romance-related. Instead, it involves a problem where multiple characters (that we’re connected to) must resolve together.
My Life with the Walter Boys is already confirmed for Season 4. Hopefully, next season will see a return to more consistent storytelling and realistic character relationships.
What did you think of Season 3 of My Life with the Walter Boys? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!
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My Life with the Walter Boys Season 3 is now streaming on Netflix.
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Revati Gelda
Revati Gelda is a writer and journalist whose work focuses on the arts and their importance in today’s society. Her reporting has appeared in Hudson Valley Magazine, her alma mater’s newspaper Pipe Dream, where she served as Arts & Culture Editor, and more. Currently, she is an Assistant Poetry Editor for Decolonial Passage, a literary magazine.