Can I allow you to all in on somewhat secret?
I watched the whole thing of XO, Kitty Season 2, and by the point the credit rolled, I had forgotten every part necessary that had occurred.
It genuinely sucks when that occurs, nevertheless it’s worse when it’s one thing that occurs with a present that genuinely has nice potential.
XO, Kitty is One of many Few Teen Sequence in a Disappearing Market
One of many greatest takeaways from XO, Kitty is that the season got here to a fast finish by the point it began to seek out its rhythm, which sums up the sequence itself.
Kitty is a cute and enjoyable teen protagonist in an age that lacks them.
Significantly, to not sound like an outdated, cranky Millennial, however once I was arising, I used to be as much as my eyeballs in teen and younger grownup programming of all calibers.
The WB section of tv had me in a chokehold, from Well-liked and Dawson’s Creek to household dramas like seventh Heaven.
I couldn’t relate to a single facet of Clueless on the floor, however I cherished Dionne, and Felicity was the right scorching mess and a sequence I couldn’t get sufficient of watching.
Boy Meets World nonetheless scratches the nostalgic a part of my mind for all issues Shawn Hunter, Angela, and Topanga.
Let me not go on a tangent about Veronica Mars, who was the right repute for us teenagers who casually grew up in households the place having burner telephones round was helpful.
There was a lot selection in younger grownup programming, starting from pre-teens to co-eds.
However now, I nonetheless get pleasure from watching that style as an grownup, nevertheless it’s sorely missing in that division.
XO, Kitty Has the Bones for a Strong Teen Drama
Consequently, XO, Kitty is thrilling, and its premise ought to be nice. It has the bones, as Anna Cathcart is a charismatic main girl.
Kitty is without doubt one of the most annoying characters, nevertheless it’s endearing and feels genuine for that stage in life.
However XO, Kitty can’t solely trip on the laurels of Cathcart and Sang Heon Lee’s charisma. Or, in the event that they’re going to take action, then the present must focus extra completely on it and take full benefit.
XO, Kitty seems like an ideal gateway introduction to Ok-dramas and Ok-pop. It rides on the wave of that recognition, nevertheless it doesn’t essentially do all of the work to totally embrace it, making this weird, unplaceable Korean-American hybrid.
The second season uncovered this to the sequence’ detriment because it launched a zillion new characters and centered on them on the expense of those we possible discover extra compelling or with out growing others a lot.
Kitty’s coming to grips along with her bisexuality was a defining second within the first season, and the second season doesn’t know what to do with it.
Kitty’s Bisexuality Exploration Missed the Mark
XO, Kitty faces two points in tying Kitty’s newfound attraction to girls to Yuri completely.
For one, it isn’t the most effective try at permitting Kitty to discover that attraction to girls when she’s immediately jumped to being in love along with her greatest buddy and pining after her to the exclusion of different attainable love pursuits just like the cool however misused Praveena.
And it additionally dances on the road of the same old problematic tropes of bisexual people or queer relationships when it introduces an infidelity element with Yuri and Kitty’s conduct leading to a season of stress and drama amongst Kitty, Yuri, and Juliana.
Kitty additionally needed to juggle one other household storyline that felt half-baked and didn’t have practically the identical emotion or urgency as the primary season. A lot in order that it barely registered as a plot, even when it concluded with a neat bow within the finale.
However the second season teased that Kitty would spend her semester making an attempt to do and be higher and enhance, after which she largely received misplaced in plots with no “oomph.”
The season additionally fell aside as a result of she needed to spend a lot time with different characters spinning their very own tales.
XO, Kitty Doesn’t Know What to Do with Half Its Characters Whereas Specializing in New Ones
The season rapidly reveals that XO, Kitty doesn’t know what to do with characters like Dae and Q. But, they connected Eunice and Jin to them, solely one among whom ought to’ve had extra growth and had spark (Eunice).
All these characters get misplaced within the shuffle of seemingly meaningless plots that swallow them entire.
I can’t truly let you know a lot about their storylines due to the beforehand talked about forgetting them as soon as the credit rolled factor.
A lot of the season additionally hinges on Stella. Over time, investing on this new character regardless of her important function turns into tough.
A vibrant and genuinely alluring character like Yuri, who was one of many best elements of the primary season, is boring as compared and easily fades away all through the second season.
She spends a lot of her sophomore season slinking after Juliana.
I perceive why they wished to increase Juliana’s function and even admire it on some stage, however provided that it resulted in a extra muted Yuri, right here we’re.
Min Ho is the one character who survives the second season with precise character growth and an honest plot.
As soon as they positioned Alex, Professor Lee, and the household arcs surrounding Dae and Yuri within the background, Min Ho needed to carry it, and he did that effectively.
Min Ho Carries Character Growth and Constant Plot
Min Ho and Moon’s father/son relationship evolution from the beginning of the season to its finish is satisfying and genuine.
Many teenagers, particularly younger males, battle with issues like residing of their older siblings’ shadows or not feeling they meet their mother and father’ expectations.
Min Ho balances this ongoing arc effectively with the others he partakes in, together with helping Dae and being an ideal buddy to Kitty throughout her newest household mission whereas maintaining their spark alive.
The truth that Kitty and Min Ho’s connection is but once more the most effective facet of the second season reveals that the sequence would do smart to middle that and them extra shifting ahead.
My consideration was piqued throughout these ultimate moments of the season after they teased an journey between the 2, and I solely want the whole season had that very same vitality within the first place.
At XO, Kitty’s middle is Kitty herself as she grapples with id, highschool, friendship, and “discovered household.”
It’s greatest when the sequence leans into these elements of Kitty extra, grounding that focus somewhat than sending Kitty on random sidequests or going off on tangents with different, usually newer characters.
If XO, Kitty Continues, It’ll Profit in Centering Kitty and Min-Ho
Min-Ho usually walks away with the strongest and most developed story arcs, and his chemistry with Kitty carries a lot of the sequence.
XO, Kitty must restructure, focusing extra on these two characters, individually and collectively, after which increasing to different key figures as supporting characters and roles.
XO, Kitty may be one thing actually particular with correct outlines and focus. Anna Cathcart and Sang Heon Lee may reserve it at any time when the sequence offers them high quality storylines and writing.
We wouldn’t need to resort to gimmicks like random and meaningless Noah Centineo cameos meant solely to capitalize on the To All of the Boys franchise and nostalgia.
Come on, Netflix, you guys are higher than this!
How do you price XO, Kitty Season 2? Let’s hear your whole ideas under.
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