Partner Track is the best new show on Netflix in a long time. It’s a bold statement, but it’s how we feel. It’s one we’ll stand behind. Netflix puts out a lot of great shows, but Partner Track is what we didn’t know we needed, but we needed it. Netflix knows.
Look, critics aren’t always kind, but in our opinion, shows like Partner Track aren’t made for the critics, they are made for the masses. They are made for people who want to remove themselves from the world and live in the escape.
Partner Track is strong and fierce, bold and brazen, and a romantic dramedy. We loved each and every moment. It’s not without its frustrating moments and TBH somethings need to change. BUT, we still loved it and think that We’re breaking down what we felt in our season review.
OVERALL IMPRESSION
Sometimes we wonder how Netflix chooses which shows that they are going to push over others, because you have shows like Partner Track, which they should have tossed more PR and money behind. It’s a great show – smart, dramatic, fun, and captivating. They’ve managed to put together an excellent cast that has you invested in each and every one of them. They make you want to get to know the characters, you find yourself invested in their stories.
There are sometimes that scenes felt rushed, storylines felt rushed, but it didn’t take away from the experience. If anything it would have just added more to the story.
We found ourselves watching every episode, paying attention to everything. After all, this is a show about lawyers, and even though it is a romantic drama, details are always key in shows like this.
And we love the details. Especially the whispered ones.
CAST
- Arden Cho as Ingrid Yun
- Bradley Gibson as Tyler Robinson
- Alexandra Turshen as Rachel Friedman
- Rob Heaps as Nick Laren
- Dominic Sherwood as Jeff Murphy
- Nolan Gerard Funk as Dan Fallon
- Roby Attal as Justin
- Matthew Rauch as Marty Adler
- Desmond Chiam as Zi-Xin “Z” Min
WHAT WORKED
Arden Cho
Arden Cho is a leading lady. She always has been. When we’ve seen her in other shows, it’s never showcased her the way she deserves. She’s been a lot of supporting characters, but what she’s always been is someone who is a lead. In this show, her character Ingrid is bold, brilliant, and driven. As you get to know Ingrid, you know that no one could pull off Ingrid the way that Arden does. She was meant to play this role. She is a star and if you didn’t know that, you will after watching this.
Murphy & His Accent
Look, a lot of people think that we don’t like Dominic Sherwood, because of all of our comments on Shadowhunters. The truth is we’ve never had anything against him – he’s a talented actor. Him in this show, we forgot all of the teen focused projects he’s done and we are like yes, he’s all man. Lord, he’s a thirst trap and a half.
Him and his accent and his charm radiated off the screen and we could see why he was cast. Arden Cho and Dominic Sherwood have a ton of on screen chemistry and seeing them together – we applaud.
You’ll appreciate him whispering the words “I remember everything” – just trust.
The Friendships
One of the things that this show does so well is writing relationships of any kind. We get to see all different aspects of relationships, friendships, and the best thing is that they are not all the same. Too often we watch a show and everything looks and seems the same, but personalities are different. The way people react is different.
The best thing in Partner Track is the friendship between Rachel, Ingrid, and Tyler. They shined. They made everything better in this show.The characters are all very dimensional and they all add something to the story. Their friendship makes you think about your friendships and how you can protect them. And how you can be a better friend.
It also reminds you to check in on your friends always.
While the other people in the firm were there, but they didn’t shine. We’re hoping that there is more development there.
The Suncorp Storyline
Do we know law? Well some of us actually are lawyers (not me), but those of us who aren’t do know that they work A LOT.
Securing a big client that is going to do things for a persons firm, and so having them score Suncorp as a client was a huge thing. Though somethings were unbelievable (according to our lawyer people) but then again, we’re fine with it. Why? BECAUSE IT WORKED.
It was a catalyst for people to come together and fall apart. They were able to tie it into most everything, which was able to sustain a storyline. But ALSO set up a storyline for the next season.
And it was dramatic AF and that’s what makes a good, captivating show.
WHAT DIDN’T WORK
The Rushed Moments
Some moments feel rushed, and we really would have liked to have more time on certain storylines (Nick and all he does, Ingrids sister and the earrings, Nick and Ingrid), and felt that they would have added more to the story.
It’s perfectly normal for a television show to have ups and downs and moments that are slow and moments that are fast.
We are aware though that we don’t know what editing choices are for series, and the future plans, so hey, it could work. We’ll leave it at that.
Nick Disappearing
When you break up with someone or they break up with you, chances are you aren’t going to see them again. We get it.
But this isn’t real life, this is television, and Nick was the guy that you wanted to bring home to meet the parents. He was the guy that you could imagine your life with. Yet, here we are, feeling like he was there to set up a love triangle, that wasn’t one.
Hear us out. Nick felt like he was only there to offer a way for Ingrid to figure out what she wanted and use. We didn’t get to know anything about him really, and I wish we would have. He just felt like a prop and that sucked, because we did like him.
Tyler’s Public Quitting
We know that shit happens and people react to things in different ways. But it just really felt out of character for Tyler to have such a public display. It just felt really unbelievable that he would live stream quitting.
And burn a bridge like that.
Tyler is going through a lot, we see that. Yet, him continuously sacrificing his moral compass felt like such a departure from who he is. Maybe it’s a matter of finding out who he is, but his whole public quitting just felt too much.
WHAT WE WANTED TO SEE MORE OF
Nick and Ingrid
Murphy was always our end game. We admit it. But we also loved Nick. Here’s the issue we have with Nick.
He felt like a prop.
We didn’t really get to see and understand the reasons that they fell in love, more of them living together, why she stayed so long, them really living life. We didn’t get to know Nick, which may have been strategic so that we don’t fall for him, but we did.
And that’s why we’re pissed we didn’t get more.
Ingrid’s Sister Situation
We loved getting to know Ingrids family and the pressure that is on her. We think it was something that was very important to see. But the whole sister issue storyline, though great, we would have loved to have seen a positive turn with Ingrid trying to help her sister instead of tearing her down.
We feel like they had such an opportunity here. But for instance, we don’t see anything when Ingrid’s apartment is flooded and theres a fire – and that should have been a moment.
Murphy and Ingrid
If you watch Partner Track and see them together, you’ll understand.
Ingrid and Z
Again, watch and you will understand.
Fixing the Toxic Work Situation
Sorry, not sorry that firm pissed us off so bad, that we were screaming at the TV. It was a toxic work environment on every level, but we feel like they didn’t do anything to fix it. They just swept shit under the rug. What does that do? Nothing.
They have to fix the law firm, because what we’re seeing right now is excuses as to what things happen, occur, and an old way of thinking, but no progression towards fixing issues. And their issues of racism, sexism, and homophobia need to be fixed.
WHAT WE WANTED TO SEE LESS OF
Marty Being An Abusive Fuck
Talk about the shittiest boss. Marty is abusive and care about nothing but money. If it’s not money, he doesn’t care. Yes, he loves to win, but Marty is an asshole and he, as a lawyer, should know he can’t treat people the way he does.
But Marty, in my opinion, is just as racist as Dan and has enabled a hostile work environment. He parades Ingrid around to try and act like he’s not a racist, but he is. He’s the worst.
Dan As He Is
Dan is the absolute worst and it really didn’t work for us, seeing him just continuously get away with being racist, sexist, and rude. His speech at the company retreat – for that alone he should have been fired. He’s disgusting.
We love Nolan Funk and think he’s a great actor, but we definitely don’t like the character of Dan. While the show had all the chances to take this around – where it failed was in this and the growth of this character.
The way that the firm decided to not punish him for his racist and sexist rants, I was appalled. We can’t condone that and the way they handled it. It needs to change in season two. It’s literally our biggest peeve. The sexism and the racism needs to be addressed.
Can you tell we’re mad? The show does address micro aggressions, and how to deal with them, but we feel like the reaction wasn’t always a great thing.
SEASON FINALE IMPRESSION
The season finale of Partner Track felt rushed. It felt like it needed to be two episodes, because it was a lot. Don’t blink, you will miss something. And it will be something important that will affect everything.
The last ten minutes are WOW. There is so much that happens. You may feel a little overwhelmed by it, but you can’t deny that they set up season two so perfectly.
And that ending.
Oh that ending.
Rarely has an ending made me so angry that I couldn’t see straight, but also had me begging for a season two. Like who do we have to call? Because that ending – we need to know what happens next.
Partner Track is streaming now on Netflix.