Spoiler warning: Spoilers for Season 1 of My Life With The Walter Boys follow. The internet can’t seem to stop talking about Netflix’s brand new series, My Life With The Walter Boys. The coming-of-age show follows NYC native Jackie Howard as she moves to Silver Falls, Colorado, after losing both her parents and her sister in a tragic car accident. As she adjusts to a new high school and living with the Walter family, which consists of 10 boys, she finds herself in a love triangle with two of the Walter brothers. A lot is covered in the show’s 10 episodes and TBH, I’m still trying to process a lot of it — especially the series finale. The show’s ending was a lot — not to mention, it left off on a cliffhanger.
Much of the show focuses on Jackie’s budding relationship with Alex Walter, a shy, bookish character who helps make her transition easier as he shows her the ropes of being a Walter kid. But viewers soon learn that Jackie eventually looked at Alex as a “safe” choice, as compared to the mysterious, cocky former football player Cole Walter.
The first few episodes feature a lot of cute moments between Jackie and Alex, such as him introducing her to the loft and the horses.
When he showed her Manhattanege, a small area in Colorado that reminded her of home, that seemed to win her heart over. The couple made it official in Episode 5 when they kiss in the barn. However, as time went on, things weren’t looking too good for Jackie and Alex’s relationship. During Will (the eldest Walter brother) and Hayley’s wedding, Alex confesses his love for Jackie but she doesn’t say it back.
After Jackie and Cole share several heart-to-hearts throughout the series, these two find that they have a lot in common. It’s clear by the end of the series that thoughtful gestures are the key to Jackie’s heart — after all, that’s what drew her to Alex. Once she notices that Cole fixed the teapot her late sister gave her, Jackie’s feelings for him develop even more.
Many fans are pointing out that Jackie and Cole seemed to be meant for each other all along, but there’s just one problem. Jackie and Alex hadn’t technically called it quits yet before she kissed Cole in Episode 10. Furthermore, she flies back to NYC with seemingly no warning, except for a note that just said “I’m sorry.”
Oh, and Jackie, Cole, and Alex’s love triangle isn’t the only one that plays out at the wedding — the bride and groom themselves have something to talk about. After some issues regarding the wedding’s finances and the couple’s communication, Will and Hayley called off their engagement and then got back together later on in the series. During the wedding, Hayley receives a text from someone named Morgan, which she ignores. If Morgan was Hayley’s new boo when she and Will were broken up, that wouldn’t be cheating, but it is still something that the newlywed couple might want to talk about before any issues arise.
And let’s not forget that Tara has to choose between Nick and Jackie’s Uncle Richard.
On the bright side, Jackie’s selfless and caring side shows throughout the show, despite her perfectionism and Type A personality. For one, she helps Danny Walter follow his dreams of attending Julliard for theater, despite his lack of privacy when he’s practicing and his family’s financial struggles.
Perhaps even more significantly, Jackie manages to bury the hatchet with Erin — the queen bee who seemed jealous of Jackie’s relationship with Cole and kept calling her “Orphan Annie” because of her family’s death. That’s not to say that Jackie and Erin became friends, but they had a candid exchange where they validated each other’s struggles, and Jackie invited her to spend Thanksgiving with the Walters.
Though Season 1 was enjoyable to watch, the downside was how the season ended. Since Jackie left without a word, Alex and Cole will definitely be fighting over how things played out with her. And if she ever returns to Colorado, it’ll be messy. On the bright side, the ending perfectly sets up for a second season, so I’m keeping the hope alive that we’ll get it soon!