Can I allow you to all in on a little bit secret?
I watched the whole thing of XO, Kitty Season 2, and by the point the credit rolled, I had forgotten every part essential that had occurred.
It genuinely sucks when that occurs, but it surely’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 Collection in a Disappearing Market
One of many largest 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 collection itself.
Kitty is a cute and enjoyable teen protagonist in an age that lacks them.
Critically, to not sound like an outdated, cranky Millennial, however once I was arising, I used to be as much as my eyeballs in teen and younger grownup programming of all calibers.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 Widespread 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 beloved Dionne, and Felicity was the right sizzling mess and a collection 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, but it surely’s sorely missing in that division.
XO, Kitty Has the Bones for a Strong Teen Drama
In consequence, XO, Kitty is thrilling, and its premise must be nice. It has the bones, as Anna Cathcart is a charismatic main girl.
Kitty is likely one of the most annoying characters, but it surely’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 looks like a terrific gateway introduction to Ok-dramas and Ok-pop. It rides on the wave of that reputation, but it surely 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 collection’ detriment because it launched a zillion new characters and centered on them on the expense of those we doubtless discover extra compelling or with out growing others a lot.
Kitty’s coming to grips together 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 one of the best try at permitting Kitty to discover that attraction to girls when she’s immediately jumped to being in love together with her greatest pal 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 habits leading to a season of pressure and drama amongst Kitty, Yuri, and Juliana.
Kitty additionally needed to juggle one other household storyline that felt half-baked and didn’t have almost 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 obtained 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 shortly 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 in every of 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 complete.
I can’t truly inform you 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 very important position turns into tough.
A vibrant and genuinely alluring character like Yuri, who was one of many most interesting 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 needed to develop Juliana’s position and even admire it on some degree, however on condition 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 a good 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 properly.
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, wrestle with issues like dwelling of their older siblings’ shadows or not feeling they meet their mother and father’ expectations.
Min Ho balances this ongoing arc properly with the others he partakes in, together with helping Dae and being a terrific pal to Kitty throughout her newest household mission whereas protecting their spark alive.
The truth that Kitty and Min Ho’s connection is but once more one of the best facet of the second season reveals that the collection would do sensible to middle that and them extra transferring ahead.
My consideration was piqued throughout these closing moments of the season after they teased an journey between the 2, and I solely want your complete season had that very same power 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 collection 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 collection.
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 might be one thing really particular with correct outlines and focus. Anna Cathcart and Sang Heon Lee might put it aside at any time when the collection offers them high quality storylines and writing.
We wouldn’t must 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 fee XO, Kitty Season 2? Let’s hear all your ideas beneath.
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