When it comes to life, there’s only one certainty: death. It’s a subject we often see in mainstream media, however, that doesn’t necessarily mean it is handled all that well all of the time. In fact, death is often used as a ploy to elicit sadness and then all but ignored in most instances. Netflix’s limited-series Boo, Bitch takes a much different approach. It tackles death head on and brings its characters through the grieving process, all while reminding its audience to stop fearing life until death becomes a possibility. The name of the series could be off-putting for some – although it totally works for the show — but Boo, Bitch is easily one of the best young adult shows to debut in some time.
Lana Condor received her big break courtesy of Netflix’s adaptations of the To All the Boys I’ve Loved… books by Jenny Han. So, it’s not entirely surprising that the actress opted to reteam for the streamer for her next project – in which she also serves as an executive producer. That series proved she was able to headline a project and Boo, Bitch only reaffirms as much. Condor stars alongside Zoe Margaret Colletti (Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark) who holds her own against the actress. Both Condor and Colletti are fantastic and easily outshine most of the supporting cast. They manage to sell the emotional moments just as well as they sell the humorous moments, which isn’t always an easy task to do. One could only hope that their performances in Boo, Bitch will continue to open doors for them going forward as Condor and Colletti prove they’re both leading ladies with Boo, Bitch.
Boo, Bitch tells the story of two best friends in their senior year of high school as they try to make it a year to remember. Having spent most of their high school lives on the sidelines, Erika Vu (Condor) and Gia (Colletti) are eager to leave a legacy at their school and finally be “seen” by their fellow seniors. It’s a simple enough concept, except that things don’t necessarily go as planned. As the trailer teases, one of the girls ends up dying and becoming a ghost, and they’ll both seek to live their best lives before it becomes too late. It’s during this journey to live that Boo, Bitch excels in its storytelling. Sure, there are moments that are ridiculous – the shorthand used between the girls can become too much at times – but the moments are few and far between, thankfully.
One of the most satisfying bits of Boo, Bitch is that it takes on the usual stereotypes we’ve come to know in high school and somehow manages to make them work within its own story. The high-school’s resident bitch is there and incredibly important to the story, as is the school’s dreamboat. While those characters are woven into the story wonderfully, Boo, Bitch does stumble in its tackling of bullying – in that it feels like the bullying subplot is there merely to move the story along. It doesn’t really offer any true substance to the story. Even with that in mind, Boo, Bitch proves to be an exciting young adult series worthy of a watch.
Most limited-series will initially sell themselves as limited, only to leave things open for the hopes of another season. Boo, Bitch is very much a limited series with a complete storyline. Sure, if the creators wanted to, they could continue the story, but there’s no need to because the ending is satisfying. It’s a nice change of pace to have a limited series truly present itself as limited with a story that provides a true beginning, middle and end.
Given the twists and turns that take place in Boo, Bitch, this is a series it’s best to go in with little to no knowledge. The element of surprise only helps to sell the emotional aspect of the story. Overall, Boo, Bitch is a joy to watch. It’s a heartwarming dramedy sure to make us question what we’re afraid of in life and what we’re willing to do to be happy.
