REVIEW: 'My Life With The Walter Boys' Season 2 Goes Full Speed Ahead With Teen Drama, Leaving The Family Behind
- Moriba Forde
- 9 hours ago
- 5 min read
My Life with the Walter Boys is back with another round of teen drama in an unconventional family. Season two is comfortable with charming leads, dancing in the love triangle trope we all know too well. Unfortunately, the story and character development become stagnant as a result of that comfort.
Based on Ali Novak's YA novel of the same name, My Life with the Walter Boys is Netflix's resident teen drama series about a girl hit by tragedy, living under the same roof with two boys vying for her heart. The show revolves around Jackie Howard, the daughter of a famous fashion designer, as she moves in with her guardian, Katherine's, family, the Walters, following the tragic deaths of her parents. She soon finds herself embroiled in a love triangle with two of the Walter Boys, Alex and Cole, at the worst time of her life. While her head wants to figure out a way for her to move forward, her heart has other plans.
At the end of the first season, Jackie attempts to break free from the messiness of Alex and Cole by spending the summer in New York. When this new chapter begins with Katherine convincing her to return to her newfound family, Jackie seizes the opportunity to mend a broken heart and find her place in her new home. As she discovers how much things have changed, she realizes that her resolve is easier said than done. Ironically, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
The Tangled Web
Assuming you're familiar with the expression, "We plan, God laughs", you know how things never seem to go our way all too well. My Life with the Walter Boys continues to explore the hand fate dealt to the characters. Well, they tried to, at least. While Jackie continues to grieve the loss of her parents, her plans to fit in or make her mark on the town end up going awry. She is not the only one facing setbacks. The Walter parents, Katherine and George, are fighting an uphill battle to protect their home, as they face opposition from every direction. Cole is still struggling to figure out what to do with his life after losing his chance at a promising career playing football. The writers face setbacks, as every other character is involved in a love triangle; some of the characters are even part of multiple love triangles.
The various love triangle subplots are unevenly executed, coming at the expense of character development. It's one thing to have fans choose between "Team Alex" and "Team Cole". It's another having multiple teams all over the place for various characters. The overlapping love triangles not only make it difficult to keep track of who likes whom, but they also stifle the story progression and leave half of the Walter family behind. The main trio, of course, is the exception to this. If you are familiar with the story, you already know who has Jackie's heart.
Glimmer of Hope
The redemption lies in the performances of the main characters. Nikki Rodriguez commands the series with grace and quiet confidence, fueled by sorrow. Sympathizing with her character, Jackie, comes naturally as she deals with feeling like a pariah while grieving the loss of her parents. Despite all the hurt she feels, she puts one foot in front of the other and presses on in a way that compels viewers to root for her. Her chemistry with the leading males, Ashby Gentry (Alex), and Noah LaLonde (Cole), lights the spark in love triangle prime.
Gentry and LaLonde hold their own as the leading men vying for her heart, while providing different layers of Alex and Cole. Emotionally speaking, they are both in worse places than they were in last season, but the way they adapt leads them to become different people, giving Jackie more stress to deal with, and adding flavor to the series.
Life Watching My Life With The Walter Boys
The new season of My Life with the Walter Boys juggles too many relationship ideas all at once, creating a disorientating viewing experience that makes it hard to appreciate the story. The only love triangle that needs to be prominent is the big three: Jackie, Alex & Cole. Just look at the show's title: they are the leads. Some subplots try to highlight family conflict, small-town politics, and young love for one couple, not involved in any triangle or shape of any kind. Those subplots quickly become forgettable as they fade away for love-triangle mania to consume the spotlight.
The performances of Nikki Rodriguez, Ashby Gentry, and Noah LaLonde, along with the dynamics between their characters, are the best aspects of the season. They went as far as they could to save the show, but sadly, it was not enough.
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
About My Life With The Walter Boys Season 2
Premiere Date:Â August 28, 2025
Episode Count:Â 10
Executive Producer/Showrunner: Melanie Haisall
Executive Producers: Ed Glauser, Becky Hartman Edwards
Writers: Melanie Halsall, Jesikah Suggs, Jordan Ross Schindler, Liz Maccie, Tawnya Bhattacharya, Ali Laventhol, Jonathon Roessler, Kelsey Barry
Director: Jason Priestley, Audrey Cummings, Monica Mitchell
Production:Â Sony Pictures Television, International Production, iGeneration Studios
Distribution:Â Netflix
Cast: Nikki Rodriguez, Sarah Rafferty, Marc Blucas, Noah LaLonde, Ashby Gentry, Connor Stanhope, Johnny Link, Corey Fogelmanis, Jaylan Evans, Zoë Soul, Isaac Arellanes, Myles Perez, Alex Quijano, Ashley Tavares, Dean Petriw, Alix West Lefler, Lennix James, Alisha Newton, Ellie O’Brien, Kolton Stewart, Mya Lowe, Gabrielle Jacinto, Jesse Lipscombe, Nathaniel Arcand, Natalie Sharp, Carson MacCormac, Janet Kidder, Riele Downs, Jake Manley
Based on the Novel: My Life with the Walter Boys by Ali Novak
Synopsis: After leaving Silver Falls following Alex’s love confession and her kiss with Cole, Jackie Howard spent the summer in New York City. When Katherine convinces her to return to Colorado, Jackie is determined to make amends with Alex and set boundaries with Cole while finding her place within the Walter family. But fitting back in isn’t that easy. Alex – who changed a lot over the summer – isn’t too thrilled about Jackie’s attempts to reconnect, as he’s focused on training for a risky rodeo event (and enjoying all of the new attention he’s getting). Meanwhile, Cole takes on a new role at school, but when that doesn't quite fill the void left by not playing football, his old ways creep back in and cause drama. As Jackie gains acceptance in Silver Falls while trying to hold onto her Howard identity, she’s forced to make a choice that could destroy everything she’s worked to rebuild.