Outer Banks

Bibliographic Information:

• Title: Outer Banks
• Network: Netflix
• Creators: Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, Shannon Burke
• Release Date: April 15, 2020
• Seasons/Episodes: 1 season. 10 episodes

Genre: Action-Adventure/Mystery

Format: TV Series

Rating/Interest Level: Rated TV-MA, Recommended for ages 15 and up (Commonsensemedia.org, 2020)

Awards: Winner- People’s Choice Awards: The Bingeworthy Show of 2020 (Wikipedia, 2021). Nominated- People’s Choice Awards The Show of 2020, The Drama Show of 2020, The Male TV Star of 2020 (Chase Stokes), The Drama TV Star of 2020 (Chase Stokes).

Quality of Media: The cinematography in Outer Banks is above par. The viewer really gets a feel for being on the island. The hurricane scene and devastation after were very realistic. The sound quality and sound track are excellent. The acting is average- teenagers will probably think it is really good.

Plot- First Episode: Outer Banks is set on the Outer Banks Islands off the coast of North Carolina. The island is basically composed of two groups of people; the working class locals, known as Pogues, and the wealthy Summer residents, known as Kooks. There is a great rivalry between the two groups, especially the teenagers. The main characters in the story are a group of teenage Pogues- John B., Kiara, Pope, and JJ. John B., whose father has been lost at sea for the past nine months, is living by himself. The Department of Family Services (DFS) is trying to place him in foster care, but John B. refuses to go. Meanwhile, a hurricane hits the island causing major upheaval. There is a lot of damage to properties, boats, and businesses, and most of the island is left without electricity. John B. and his friends go fishing in a marsh and discover a boat that sunk during the hurricane. On the boat, they find a motel room key, and decide to check it out. In the safe in the motel room, John B. and JJ discover thousands of dollars and a gun. They steal some of the money and the gun and narrowly miss being caught by the police. That night, the four friends throw a keg party on the beach. Pogues, Kooks, and tourists show up. John B gets into a fight with his rival, Topper, who is a Kook. Later, John B. and his friends decide they want to explore the sunken boat. They “borrow” SCUBA gear from John B.’s employer. On the boat, they find John B.’s father’s old compass. John B. takes this is a sign that his father is still alive.

Reaction/Interest: On Common Sense Media (2020), most teens rated Outer Banks 4 or 5 stars out of a possible 5. Teens like the plot which contains mystery, action, romance, and some comedy. There is a small amount of swearing, sex, drugs, and underage drinking but most teens do not describe it as inappropriate. Teens like the character development. Many describe the show as being too violent. On Rotten Tomatoes (2020), the audience rated Outer Banks 85%, while critics rated it 71%. The audience likes the suspense, character development, plot twist (in later episodes), and romance.

Critical Evaluation: Outer Banks is a fast-paced, action/adventure drama with humor mixed in. The plot is full of twists and turns and cliff-hangers that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. The setting/scenery is beautiful and the viewer really gets a feel for the location. The acting is good, not great, but the actors and actresses are all incredibly attractive. I felt that the characters could have been a little bit better developed but teens would probably disagree. The show is like watching a YA novel. Teens will love this! The energy and adrenaline of the plot and the lovable characters will keep them hooked!

Speed-Round TV Talk: Are you ready for an “edge of your seat” adventure? Then this show is for you! When John B. and his friends discover a sunken boat left in the wake of a hurricane, one clue leads to another and they begin the treasure hunt of a life time! Watch Outer Banks to find out if the group can find the missing treasure. Just a warning- be prepared to binge watch this one!

Creative Use for a Library Program: Spoiler Alert! Since Outer Banks is about a group of teens looking for treasure on a shipwreck, I would have a treasure hunt at the library or at a local park. Teens could work in groups using a treasure map that would lead them to a series of clues that they would need to solve in order to find the “treasure” at the end. The first group to find the treasure would receive a prize.

Potential Challenge Issues and Defense: Parents could object to Outer Banks since it contains violence, sex, drugs, and underage drinking. The show features a teenage boy living on his own, who along with his friends, make a lot of bad choices in this show. However, Outer Banks is rated TV-MA and recommended for ages 15 and up. Most 15 years old have been exposed to much worse on TV and in movies these days.

Reason for Inclusion: Outer Banks is a fun, exciting thriller that teens will love. It got good reviews from most viewers, especially teens. Teens will enjoy the fast moving story, the lovable characters, and the cliff-hanger endings. This show is definitely one to binge-watch!

References:

Common Sense Media. (2020). Outer Banks. Retrieved from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/outer-banks

Netflix. (2020, May 9). Outer Banks hilarious bloopers. . YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_x_gTugVs0&ab_channel=Netflix

Rotten Tomatoes. (2020). Outer Banks. Retrieved from https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/outer_banks

Rotten Tomatoes TV. (2020, March 31). Outer Banks season one trailer. . YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfY3j-3uQhk&ab_channel=RottenTomatoesTV

Wikipedia. (2021, March 14). Outer Banks (tv series). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outer_Banks_(TV_series)