It’s easy to forget that My Life with the Walter Boys is a coming-of-age story.
Although the series began with the tragic premise that Jackie’s parents died in a car accident, its focus has often been on the love triangle between Alex, Jackie, and Cole.
And My Life With The Walter Boys Season 2 devoted a lot of time to the triangle, but Jackie had a much more important story that almost slipped through the cracks while everyone discussed whether they were Team Alex or Team Cole.
Jackie Learned How to Be a Leader This Season
Both seasons of My Life With The Walter Boys involved Jackie trying to figure out what her place was now that her parents had passed away and she had to move to Silver Springs.
During the sophomore season, however, a strong subplot was woven into her daily life at the high school, which wasn’t apparent until the end of the season.
At first, Jackie had ideas for how to change things for the better at the high school, but didn’t feel like challenging mean girl Paige for the junior class presidency.
Her first attempt at leadership was a disaster, as she had told Paige that she was booking a band for the Fall Formal but failed to do so; yet, it ultimately led to her deciding to run for class president after all.
Finding Her Voice in Leadership is a Necessary Arc These Days
The important thing about this story wasn’t the class election, which was full of the usual mean girl hijinks that such stories tend to be about.
It was that Jackie stopped trying to prove anything to Paige or anyone and was willing to be herself no matter what.
Even though she lost the election, she rejected Paige’s idea that she didn’t belong in Silver Springs, and afterward, she began implementing her ideas despite the loss.
In short, she lost the battle but won the war, as students realized that Jackie would have been the better choice and looked to her for leadership.
She helped set up the college fair, got an award for her community leadership, and even got a promise of becoming VP of the student council from Erin.
What a satisfying conclusion to this arc!
I love stories where young adults — especially young women — find their voices and discover they can make a difference.
We need more of that right now with everything going on in the world.
Jackie’s Story Is Also Connected To Her Grief Over Her Parents
Although it wasn’t as emphasized as I would have liked, Jackie’s positive movement toward leadership put her in conflict with her grief.
The more Jackie got involved with positive activities in Silver Falls, the more distant she felt from her old life in New York City.
She was reluctant to organize the Fall Formal because the last dance she organized occurred right before her parents’ death, and later she worried that her memories of them were fading and that she was becoming a different person.
Jackie’s attempt to move on after her parents’ death is the emotional core of My Life With The Walter Boys. The story is really about her attempt to figure out where she belongs now, and discovering her leadership abilities is an integral part of that.
This aspect of the series elevates My Life With The Walter Boys above typical teen shows about friendship and relationship drama.
Jackie’s grief and desire to figure out her identity are the real story here, and I’m glad this got some attention.
Jackie Was at Her Best When She Was Being Herself
Everything centered around Jackie being Jackie.
Even the love triangle worked better when it was about her being herself rather than about which guy she wanted to be with and her inability to make a choice.
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She encouraged Alex at the rodeo competition and helped Cole study for his SATs (and accompanied him to that side-of-the-road interview!) because at her core, she’s a person who wants the best for others and is good at encouraging them.
Those types of scenes made the love triangle more interesting because it wasn’t about doing things to get a boy’s attention.
Jackie wanted to help because she cared, and the romantic angst worked best when it stemmed directly from that.
Did You Like Jackie’s Coming Of Age Story?
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My Life With The Walter Boys Season 2 premiered on Netflix on August 28. It has been renewed for a third season.
Watch My Life with the Walter Boys Online
Do you love coming-of-age stories, love triangles, and a beautiful girl torn between two brothers? You should be watching The Summer I Turned Pretty -- we have so much insightful coverage. Or if you want to watch a classic, check out The Vampire Diaries, too.
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