On December 7th, 2023, a new tv show made its debut. This show is called My Life with the Walter Boys. It has since racked up more than 20 million views (hollywoodreporter.com). The show is available on Netflix and is actually based on a book. It is based on one of Ali Novak’s novels. It is rated TV-14 and has a total of 10 episodes so far.

The show stars Nikki Rodriguez (On My Block), Sarah Rafferty (Suits), Ashby Gentry (Are You Afraid of the Dark?), Noah Lalonde (Criminal Minds), and Corey Fogelmanis (Girl Meets World). They filmed the show in Calgary, Canada.

So, one of the cast members was a student right here at Dakota. Noah Lalonde, one of the main characters, went to Dakota about 6-7 years ago. He is said to have been a great student and liked by many, including the staff. We even have some shots of him circa 2015. He was an elf on the shelf for a sales promotion involving our marketing class/program. He seemed to be a great student and Dakota wishes him the best!

Now, let’s do a deep dive on My Life with the Walter Boys. This show has a modern take on the typical teen love triangle we’ve seen done many times before in previous tv shows.  The main character (Nikki Rodriguez), suddenly becomes an orphan after a tragedy. She must move all the way from New York to Colorado so that she will be properly taken care of. She moves in with family friends of her mother’s, who happen to have 13 children. 12 of these children are boys, which is extremely different from what Jackie is used to. While living here, Jackie falls for two of the brothers, Cole (Noah Lalonde) and Alex (Ashby Gentry). The show has subtle twists and turns throughout to create this classic teen romance story.

What do people think about this show? There are a lot of mixed reviews with showing having a total of 4 out of 5 stars on Netflix, 40% rotten tomatoes on Netflix, a 7.1/10 on Imdb, and a 3/5 on common sense media. To expand, here are a few genuine reviews of the show. All of these reviews come from the Imdb website. One user said, “The series started out strong, but turns into a preachy, unrealistic teen drama…destroyed by horrible plot lines” (Thrifty Treasure). This user gave the show 3 out of 5 stars. Another user stated, “This is a good teenager upcoming story about her life and the challenges she faces in a new town with a new family. I honestly love Cole and Jackie” (Nia Wade). This user rated the show an outstanding 5 out of 5 stars. In addition, this user said, ” My Life with the Walter Boys is one of the most amazing and captivating series I have ever watched! Jackie is such an admirable example of strength and knowing how to persevere…” (S Roux). This user also rated the sow 5 out of 5 stars. A not so satisfied user said, “1 star for effort. What?? Cringy and Creepy. The guardians were non chalant about a lot of things which was very weird, your teenage boys having girls over while in the house and your 10 other kids are there and you just move on!” (Sisanda Bhengu). Another dissatisfied user stated, “When it comes to the grief. This is so unrealistic” (Willow Bee). They rated the tv show a 1 out of 5 stars. Overall, from those few reviews, I’ve gathered what was done well and done poorly by the show. A lot of viewers seemed to like the original lay out of the plot and the character introductions. They seemed to enjoy the idea of the show more than the show itself (those who gave lower ratings). As the story went on, there were a lot of plot holes and super unrealistic story lines that bother the audience. Another thing I noticed, was the comparison to another popular tv show, The Summer I Turned Pretty. Many were saying this show was a copy or ripoff of TSITP. In contrast, many viewers loved the subtle romance of My Life with the Walter Boys and enjoyed the lessons being shared by Jackie’s strength. They enjoyed the characters ad the lie triangle created within the plot.

Now, I want to contribute my opinion as someone who has seen this show and others similar to it. My Life with the Walter Boys was a mediocre show in my opinion. The plot was generic and wasn’t anything that hasn’t been done previously by a show. The plot didn’t really have a lot of drama and ran circles often times. The acting was good, but again at times was less than average. I think if they improved on the overall plot and dramatized it, it would be much more enjoyable to watch. I also think it is comparable to the show The Summer I Turned Pretty. I personally think TSITP is crafted much better and has a lot better emotion and drama intertwined. I also believe that acting is better despite it being cringy at times. Both have similar plots and character connotations, which is why so many people compared the two in their reviews. Many people have seen and love TSITP. This is why My Life with the Walter Boys may seem incomparable to some who view it. I can see both sides of the reviews and can understand how many like the show and how many did not appreciate it.

Overall, My Life with the Walter Boys was not a bad show nor an exceptional one. It had good qualities and some downsides as well. This reflects both in the views and the ratings. However, the show has 20 million views displaying that it was a hit despite its possible downsides. I believe if the show continues, the producers and actors/actresses can grow and turn the show into something even better.