There is a reason that I watch one episode at a time and then take a break to write the review before watching the next episode – I want my emotions and thoughts not to change because of what happens next. With My Life With The Walter Boys, Season 2, Episode 8 – I am glad that I do it that way. Why? Because feelings change as the story evolves. It’s a reminder that we shouldn’t pass judgments (even though I am sure I will again) until we know the whole story.
I think that when it comes to the characters in My Life With The Walter Boys, the evolution of both the adult characters and the teenage ones has been interesting to watch. I am not sure that I understand where it is going, but I do love that I am invested in seeing where it goes.
You see, I am invested in the characters. I know right now the world seems invested in some of the actors’ personal lives, but I couldn’t care less. I care about the characters, the story, and where it’s going and where they will be. What will the cliffhanger be? Cause you know there will be one.
But that is the great thing about a show like this. You look forward to the cliffhanger. You look forward to the drama.
I LOVE YOU…
Poor Alex Walter. Like, for real, I feel bad for him. I feel bad for him because he really wants Jackie to be his, and he doesn’t seem to see the complications with that. He doesn’t see that what he’s doing when he’s asking her to sneak around.
Yes, I know that she’s agreeing and she’s making choices. She’s feeling safe there in Silver Falls, and she seems to feel as though it is becoming home. I love that for her.
But, the pressure of what life is – well, that’s a lot. And here we are with Alex staking everything on his feelings for Jackie so quickly. But as he says I love you to her, you can tell that he wants her to say it back, and she’s not ready.
It’s weighing on her mind that he wants that. But when she tells Grace, she makes a great point – this is different, for Alex, he means it. It feels more real, especially after everything that has happened.
COLLEGE FAIRS
College Fairs are a right of passage in high school. Figuring out where you want to go and who you want to be? That’s a journey, one that everyone needs to go on. See, the future is what we make of it, and what I loved about the college fair angle was that it made everyone feel hope.
I think that sometimes there is this overwhelming pressure that comes with trying to find your future. Kids have to go through a lot.
Jackie putting together the fair was another thing to keep her in control of her life. She doesn’t know how to let go and has her sights set on Princeton. Everything she does is for her future.
Her devotion to her future feels as though she is putting some sort of pressure on herself. Richard, being in town, he’s looking to spend time with Jackie, but she’s so focused that even he is missing her.
I think that Jackie is so focused on not letting anyone down or stopping to breathe because she feels like if she does, then she’s not honoring her parents and her sister. I think, though, that she needs to remember that they would want her to live and not just go through the motions.
She doesn’t have to be completely in control of everything.
What killed me at the fair was the way that Nathan is going to be hurt. Turns out that Zach broke him and Skylar up to get Skylar’s attention. It wasn’t about liking Nathan. It was about making Skylar pay for breaking up with him before.
Skylar and he were previously together, and Skylar broke things off with Zach because he wanted to be with someone who was out. This was his way of getting Skylar’s attention – but Nathan didn’t deserve this crap.
This broke my heart for Skylar and Nathan. They didn’t deserve this on their hearts.
We all hate Zach and forever will.
TEXAS
Cole is a different man, and I get that. He really feels a future for the first time. That both scares him and makes him happy.
He’s prepared for the college fair, and when he gets there, seeing that Texas didn’t make it, you can see that he is disappointed. Jackie tries to help calm Cole, and so does the guidance counselor. The rep had car trouble and broke down on the side of he road.
What I loved, and I know would never happen in real life, is that the guidance counselor suggests that he go help him with his car. When Cole doesn’t have a car, she gives him hers.
Cole Walter is afraid of failing, and that’s a big change for him. Fear of failure can be crippling, and it is for him. Jackie is able to calm him down, but what I was shocked by was that Jackie agreed to drive with him to where the Texas rep is broken down.
And that’s when I felt for the first time that for Cole, this is love. He doesn’t look at her the way that he looks at others. He wants her to be his. She makes him believe in himself and see that he’s not just his screwups.
They practice all of the questions that could be asked, and it helps Cole feel at ease. The rep really likes Cole, and he has found some confidence in the interview. It’s endearing.
When Jackie is going to be late for her practice driving test, Cole lets her practice. She drives them back, and what is special about that is that Jackie is put at ease. These two find solace in each other.
Alex manages to hold the Coach back from leaving so that Jackie can take the mock test. Alex and Cole are doing their best not to act as though they are jealous of each other, but they are.
Their focus is on Jackie, but really, it should be about repairing their relationship.
DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO
Erin and Danny are adorable together, but it’s kind of heartbreaking to see him fumble so badly. His first girlfriend and he believes that their future is together. First love man – can be heartbreaking.
Erin tells him that she doesn’t plan on applying to Tisch; she’s going to stay and go to community college in Silver Falls. She doesn’t want to get into a mountain full of debt, and Danny doesn’t get it. He also doesn’t get it when she doesn’t want to be an actress.
Erin has a plan. She wants to go to college and study business. She doesn’t want to act full-time. It’s just supposed to be fun, but it’s not her long-term plan. As much as she tries to tell Danny her plan, he tries to talk her out of it.
I have to admit that I was so frustrated that Danny wasn’t listening. He was not hearing that Erin wanted something else.
Even when he goes back to her later and apologizes, she finds herself in the same space. The space is the one where Danny isn’t listening to her. He really needs to adjust his attitude and really hear his girlfriend.
RICHARD’S TRUTH
I have really disliked Richard for all of the things that he’s done to George and Katherine. He’s cut them out of decisions, and that is a really shady thing to do. I don’t think that he’s all ba,d and I do believe that he wants to do everything that he can for Jackie.
When he shows up to talk to Katherine, I have to admit that I wanted her to throw him out. I didn’t think that he was doing anything but coming to try to manipulate the situation. I was wrong.
Katherine is able to figure out that Richard invested his own money. He put his apartment up as collateral to get the money for the ranch. He wanted to be there for Jackie and to make sure she felt safe.
Richard really loves his niece. I love that about him. He’s doing everything he can to make sure that she’s okay and she feels safe.
We all have misjudged Richard. He’s been letting his pride get in the way of telling the truth. He’s now gotta tell George the truth, and I think that will be hard for him. He sure isn’t going to want Jackie to find out.
But he does need to be a more communicative friend.
DRUG TESTS
Cole Walter, I am begging you not to do anything stupid. You’ve done so many things to turn your life around, and I don’t want you to make mistakes that could change your future.
The team has to participate in random drug tests, and this shouldn’t be a big deal, but it is. It is because Dylan smoked that joint at the rodeo.
So he freaks out and asks Cole to take the test for him – to switch out his test. He’s guilting Cole, and I am screaming at the television for Cole not to do it.
We’re not going to find out in this episode what Cole decides to do, but hopefully he puts his future first.
SHOULD I BE JEALOUS
Jackie goes into the barn late, and Alex is awake and thinks that everyone is asleep. Jackie walks in to talk to Alex and explain why she was late for the driving test. Alex shocked me in this moment.
He didn’t seem to care that she was with Cole and didn’t want explanations. He just wants to believe that Jackie and he are solid this time around.
However, I don’t buy it. I want to. I want to believe that Alex is no longer jealous. But what I also see is a boy who really doesn’t know how to be anything but jealous.
The hardest part was what Jackie did at that moment – she told him that she loves him too. Like, I know that she cares, but is she in love with him? No, there is no way that she is.
Things are about to be so complicated, and I don’t know who is going to rebound from this.
OTHER THOUGHTS
- It’s hard for me to write about Dylan and Kiley cause I don’t like them together
- Kiley and Dylan – I can’t. I still can’t
- Kiley deserves better
- Nathan deserves better
- Zach needs to get help
- Erin actually has a really solid plan for her future and I think that Danny needs to give her credit
- Will why are you being a traitor
- I feel like we’re underutilizing the other kids
- George is gonna burn out but what is he up to!
Season 2 of My Life With The Walter Boys is streaming now on Netflix.
