Neil Baker
Love Victor is showing now on Disney + (Star)
It seems like an eternity ago that I reported on the arrival of the much-anticipated Love, Victor on Hulu in the United States. At the time, most of us had expected Love, Victor to make a quick transition to British TV screens; however, it took a lot longer than hoped, waiting for the Disney + (Star) channel launch. But better late than never, Victor has arrived with the first two episodes available immediately, followed by a weekly schedule of releases.
I was a big fan of Love Simon on its release in 2018, with its 12a certificate a welcome step forward in the visibility of gay teenage romantic comedy in cinemas. But is Love, Victor a worthy follow-up to the story we left behind as Simon kissed Blue on the Ferris wheel? I am pleased to report the answer is yes!
READ MORE: LOVE, VICTOR SEASON TWO
Now at this point, it’s important to state that I have no intention of providing any spoilers for what is to come in Love, Victor. Therefore, this review offers nothing more than a quick overview of the story. Love, Victor, follows a very similar narrative arc to its big-screen cousin; however, here, many of the weaknesses found in Love, Simon are ironed out. For example, Victor is new to Creekwood, and his family does not carry the wealth and privilege displayed in the Spier household. Here Victor’s Puerto Rican and Colombian-American roots provide a welcome discussion on the interface between sexuality, culture and religion. Meanwhile, conversations on sexual orientation and identity also find a distinctly different voice in Love, Victor, the episodic structure allowing for a more detailed exploration of the coming out journey.
Love Victor also dispenses with the secret and anonymous gay romance, instead opting to explore the decisions, choices and hidden feelings that haunt our journey to self-acceptance. However, while commendable in its vision, Love Victor occasionally struggles to embrace the themes its raises. Here the show sometimes feels nervous and unsure, which may well be due to it being dropped by Disney + early on in favour of Hulu. Who knows! However, despite these first-date nerves, Love, Victor excels through the performances of its young cast. Here Victor (Michael Cimino), Mia (Rachel Naomi Hilson), Benji (George Sear) and Felix (Anthony Turpel) hold the show together and feel like a genuine group of high school friends.
READ MORE: BIG BOYS
The result is a delightfully engaging, if occasionally cautious, series that finds its own unique voice in the first two episodes, expanding Becky Albertalli’s universe while demonstrating how different Simon and Victor’s journey will be. And trust me, by the end of the first season, you are going to be screaming for more because this is one group of teens who have so much more to say. With season two now on the way, I only hope Love, Victor continues breaking down the barriers of visibility started here and finds more confidence in the process.
READ MORE: LOVE, VICTOR SEASON THREE
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