Grand Army

This was extremely intense and gritty and dark but hit topics that most shows don't, like very poor families, extreme trauma and ptsd, an actual psychopath (leila), gayness in an Indian family, Blackness in public schools, just so much but it also did not feel rushed at all, like most netflix shows, because this show chose one storyline for each main character and actually developed it throughout the entirety of the show. It's honestly only rated this low because it was one season of very few episodes. My friends said this could have been the next degrassi if it got more time, and it was already way better than next class so it kinda sucks it didn't get the seasons it deserved ://

Grand Army does a great job at capturing reality, from the characters to the themes tackled. While watching, I felt like I had met the characters in my highschool years; they weren't stereotypes, but well-rounded, real and raw... nothing like the 30 year-old hotties we've become so used to. As for the themes tackled, the series does not shy away from serious topics and approaches them from a diverse point of view, without romanticizing them or using them for melodrama. It might not be for everyone, but I do appreciate the series' effort to give all teenagers something or someone to relate to.

It starts off a little slow but picks up through the episodes. It's a good representation of teenage life, the characters actually look and act their age. The teens also wear real/normal clothes instead of couture or outfits a 25yr old would wear clubbing. The storylines are engaging. Not as gripping or as much drama as say, Euphoria but very relatable ...Teens do drugs, are mean, insecure, have sex, have crushes, have fun, party, are trying to discover themselves and find their place in the world, all the while doing stupid sh** sometimes...that's this show.

Without giving too much away I liked the way consent, impact and agency are explored, its very much real but not often shown this way on screen. We tend to be shown extremes.

Also, this show is not "BLM crap" ignore that review. Not that it should be an issue but BLM barely comes up, it's given about 5 mins of screen time - a subtle subplot that crops up occasionally alongside other storylines, but is by no means dominant or even a storyline I even noticed until trying to understand what the triggered review was about. I'd say in terms of general themes, sex and belonging dominate this show more than anything. This show is contextual, current and has varied storylines. There are a diverse range of characters of varying heritage, developing different subplots. To be honest this is what Brooklyn looks like in 2020. There are white people, black people, brown people, East Asian people, Jewish people, Muslim people, wealthy people and poorer people, and they all have problems. This show has all the diversity without the Disney style cheese, it's as real as it gets for an American high school. Enjoy it for what it is, Teens in Brooklyn growing up in 2020.

Against everything about OUR generation, this is why I'm hopefull. The whole show was a big journey. They were struggling, trying to find their way and like it or not it was a discovery. Even the dark ones. Maybe for the first time I felt like I could see it clearly. Those kids weren't perfect. They don't have to be. They just stood tall, fought for what they believe. I think the show made most of us who could judge them and think that they deserved what they had, to understand and empathize. And I think it didn't make it in a nice way. If you don't like it, probably you should get your thing together and think.

First, I would like to say the young actors and actresses in this show are definitely the future. I look forward to seeing more from all of them. Secondly, the individual plot lines are well told and are really what teens and young adults are facing today in America. Third, without giving to much away, they showed every horribly difficult situation that young adults face (rich, poor, any ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality, religion) in their young lives in a very true form.

My opinion of the show as the person I am is that it not only left me wanting another season, but left me feeling strong emotions for all of the characters. It's a show that can make you happy, sad, angry, uncomfortable, and confused. When a show can make angry at an actor or actress, that means they are connecting with you deeply. If you can feel happy and joy for a characters achievements then they are doing something right. You get all emotions in this show.

This is my first review on IMDb. I tried my best to stay unbiased. I looked at the filming, the acting, the plot lines, and the character development. I can't fault a single thing in this show. Reading other reviews that are rating it on options of disliking it for one small part of the plot is kinda frustrating. I don't think people should review a show they didn't watch till the end. There should be no bias when really reviewing a show. I tried to put mine aside and look at everything that can make a show great and rate it on that. This show gets a 10 out of 10 in every category.

My last point is on one of the plot lines. Personally, I think it was the hardest to watch and the most important thing in the show that hopefully they will continue on in the next season. Sexual assault. They showed it in a very true light. It is difficult to watch, but it is how the system is right now. It is also a very accurate depiction of what a person goes through after.

Thank you Netflix for another great show and pushing the boundaries of what people want to see into what they need to see.