Netflix’s hit show Outer Banks is an adventurous treasure hunting series with many layers. The show follows five teens, John B, Kiara, Pope, Sarah, and JJ as they search for the lost treasure that John B’s father went missing looking for. As they continue the search, they encounter threats, danger, and mystery. 

The show is named, “Outer Banks,” because it takes place on the fictional island of Kildare, one of the Outer Banks islands off the coast of North Carolina. Many of the show’s themes heavily focused on the Outer Banks and North Carolinian culture. Society in Kildare suffers from a significant socioeconomic divide between the Kooks and Pogues, with the former being the upper class citizens of the island and the latter being their lower class counterparts. The divide between these classes permeates every element of the Pogues’ lives; they are poorer, targeted by police more often, and tend to be less educated. Most of the show follows this intense divide, with our protagonists being or siding with Pogues. Conversely, the antagonists of the show, who are searching for the same gold, tend to be Kooks. The protagonists of the show often find themselves at a disadvantage due to their status as Pogues and the financial circumstances that come with it. When personal motivations arise throughout the season, the Pogues lean on said motivations as their driving factor in their treasure hunting journey as opposed to the antagonists’ static motivation of getting rich. Unlike the Kooks’ methods of hiring people to carry out their dirty work, the Pouges’ undying loyalty to each other fuels their search for the treasure. This creates a realistic sort of tension between the ideals of the Kooks and Pogues which leads to believable yet exciting results as far as the treasure hunting competition goes. 

What makes the Pouges’ connection so strong and believable is the acting in the show. The actors are very talented and it is very apparent in this show. Each actor has such good chemistry with one another that the performances come almost naturally. The actors are able to make the audience care about the issues their characters are going through and the ways their relationships unfold. The main characters all play teenagers who have similar, but distinct, personalities. Each person does dumb teen things, but still have nuanced arcs throughout the season. The actors who play the antagonists of the show accomplish their goal in bringing a menacing force to the screen. Their execution of their characters really does make the show all the more believable.

The episode pacing was satisfyingly consistent and helped support the overall theme of the show. They build tension up slowly within the season, keeping the stakes high and makes the show very exciting to watch. While some plot points of the episodes in the middle of the season are a bit drawn out, it doesn’t bore the viewer. This show is a teen drama, so the themes it follows are very modern and may resonate with a lot of teens today. However, this means that sometimes the characters can make decisions that seem very juvenile, and may cause some slow spots in the pacing. We believe that the writing, character development, and action are compelling reasons to watch Outer Banks regardless of the rare drawbacks. 

Overall, we think Outer Banks: Season 1 is a strong start to the show. It’s exciting, adventurous, and it’s a lot of fun to watch, especially with friends. The show has compelling motivations and dynamics between the characters. While the story is mainly about treasure hunting, it places a heavy emphasis on the characters’ development and relationships as well, bringing a good balance to the action. If you’re looking for an entertaining, exciting watch without too much violence or gore, we would highly recommend Outer Banks.