Now, if you watch vertical series, like anything, you are drawn to certain actors’ work. The actor who is making a lot of people talk online is Joseph Purcell. It’s not because of who his father is or how his stepsister is one of the biggest musical stars in the world. Joseph Purcell is making a name for himself in acting by starring in verticals. And we’re not talking the cheesy ones where he’s a mafia don (though I do love those).
Joseph Purcell is starring in a lot of coming-of-age shows – ones that viewers can relate to. He plays characters that are perceived as bad, but hey, bad boys have a heart of gold. So it’s no surprise to me that he’s playing that character that we’re used to, just different.
The series synopsis, “Skylar fake dates her best friend Jessie, while harboring a secret crush on him, to help make his ex jealous. Unfortunately for her, Jessie’s roommate, the notorious bad boy Reign, sees through their farce and won’t leave her alone.” Seems simple and it is, but that’s part of the fun of some verticals – they are stories that we are used to just in a different format.
Purcell plays Reign – the bad boy who everyone thinks is an arsonist, but isn’t. He’s misunderstood. He’s also worked extremely hard to make people believe that he doesn’t care what anyone thinks. Only, he does. He actually cares too much about what people think.
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He especially cares what Skylar thinks. Makenna Barrett, who plays Skylar, is not bad in her role, but at times does come across a little dry. At times, she has range, and at times, when it feels as though I am supposed to care about her character, I am annoyed by her. Skylar has a superiority complex – one that seems to take over every aspect of her life. Type A tendencies tend to shine through, and it is those tendencies that hinder her life.
Skylar and Reign strive for the same thing – to be loved. Both are approaching it in different ways. The two have more in common than they want to admit.
Candy Jar TV seems more selective with its development than other vertical platforms. It is programming such as The Bad Boy Wants Me that works because it feels real and as if the viewer could be experiencing the same relationship issues or has experienced them.
Skylar’s best friend, Jessie, hates his roommate, Reign. At a party one night, Jessie finds that his girlfriend, Karly, has disappeared, and he finds her with Reign. Jessie, in order to act like he is in control, tells Karly that he was looking for her to dump her. He’s fallen in love with someone else – Skylar.
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And then infers that he and Skylar are sleeping together.
Whereas most of us would run away from anyone who said things like that to us, Skylar goes all in. She puts aside everything that she believes in, trying to make it all work. The only person willing to call her out was Reign, not believing a thing that she said.
Purcell does his best (and succeeds) to make his character have both vulnerable and strong sides. A character that is built to be multi-faceted and relatable is not something that all actors are able to play. But Purcell does that when playing off Barrett. He brings Reign to life and delivers a character that any person can pine over.
While relationships shuffle – both romantic and non-romantic – the viewer knows the end game. You want Skylar and Reign to end up together, and you root for them. You want them to realize that outside of the politics of high school, there is a world where “the bad boy” term won’t matter anymore. All that will matter is the love you feel and the memories that are made.
Purcell and Barrett are the strongest in the series. The other characters are forgettable, but these two you will remember. The Bad Boy Wants Me is a little over an hour of escape. Tropes are a dime a dozen, but the dimes are well spent here. You’ll be thankful for the forced proximity, enemies to lovers, secret crushes, and more.
The Bad Boy – Joseph Purcell is one to watch – you’ll enjoy every moment of watching him on the screen, even if it’s your phone screen.
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