Season 1 recap
I must honestly say - and certainly in terms of consistency - S1 really slapped! I mean, most people skip the first season when watching a remake and I'm here to say: don't. When I binged the episodes, I noticed more and more things that intrigued me.
A few examples:
Jens and Jana's relationship was honestly really toxic. Both did their share of emotional manipulation ("would you stop smoking weed for me"), but there was a lot of gaslighting on Jens' part as well. I understand why he might pull the stuff he did, he is an emotional teen after all, but their relationship wasn't healthy. It was really best that they broke up, tbh.
All the hints they dropped with Robbe's sexuality. I mean, it's way more subtle than Amber's eating disorder hints, but they are there. The lingering gazes, the way he laughs with Jens, the jealousy, the almost coming-out. It all makes sense when the conclusion dropped, like "why the hell didn't I see that before?"
The influence they have on each other. Amber's insecurity and neglect makes Jana feel that way about Jens too, Zoë's feminist statements helps the other girls with their own ideas and selfworth (and educates Senne later on), one of boys being an asshat reflect on the others - making them act like that too. It's a typical teen thing to follow along with what your friends do or say. That's so accurate!
The consistency. Not only in the clothing (because Jens surely has a favorite shirt and he wears it in S3 as well - Britt her jacket is something she can't seem to miss through out the seasons either), but also the decorations, what brands they eat or drink, the accurate interface/time on cellphones or computers, even frikking FreeFest posters on the lockers 😂 Not even mentioned: the writing.
Writing the foundation. I mean, the characterization from S2 and S3, can all be brought back to this season. Why was Britt such a bitch in S3? Look at what kind of past she had and issues she developed due to the Jens-Jana drama. Why did Robbe have so much internalized homophobia? Well, have you seen how much 'jokes' around his sexuality was given? Why does he keep apologizing and act like a wallflower who doesn't want to do anything wrong? Can all be traced back to his abandonment issues: thank you papa Ijzermans.
In conclusion: watch S1, people. It might not be the most spectacular, dramatic storyline, but it does its work as the start of it all!
And now...
The level-up of season 2
Not only did season 2 get a way higher budget for the development of the series, as seen by the quality of the shots, the hits on the soundtrack and the improved acting, but also a way bigger team with even more dedicated crew members. However, that’s not the thing I wanted to talk about.
It’s the offline-online strength!
During the entire broadcast of S2 from April until June, they had the most elaborate off- as well as online presence I’ve seen. Because they took the series and put the real-time aspect to higher ground. And this payed off, because this is exactly how the show gained popularity in the age bracket they needed to have and let it organically grow for S2 and S3.
Don’t know what I’m talking about? Let me elaborate with a few examples:
Before the start of season 2, they filled high schools hallways and locker rooms with tiny sport backpacks decorated with quotes from S1. This stunt really gained attention of multiple students at the time.
Right before the drop of the very first clip, a Belgian influencer made an insta story where he ‘randomly’ spotted the actors drinking something in the same spot of the first clip, namely the ‘Wasbar’. He even tagged the characters in it and acted all excited about meeting them ‘in real life at that time'.
When Zoë and Jana mentioned they were going to go to the ‘Vegan street festival’ in Antwerp in E1, the actors were actually there. Multiple fans saw them at the location.
Jens had put on his Instagram that he lost his bike during a heavy night out. His telephone number was attached to this lost item though. A fan found this bike, ringed the number and the actor portraying Jens showed up to claim it. They even took a pic together to celebrate.
When Zoë was watching a tv show with her roommate Lisa, it was ‘Temptation Island’, the exact episode that aired that night. So the actual one that the viewers saw too.
At the party, Senne pushes out a person called ‘Matis’. He is a Belgian influencer, who had insta stories of this party that he dropped in the same night as the real time clips.
Somewhere during the season, Jana and Zoë went to a concert, which they put on their respective insta story. Eye witnesses claim that the actors were really there that night.
The actor playing Milan went to a clothing drive his character mentioned for ‘De Collectie. He promoted the event as well as made stories on his character’s insta.
During the exam period, Luca and Amber made tiny exam motivational quotes, which were spread out all over Antwerp. Fans of them found them all around and made pics of it.
At the ending party of S2 were a ton of influencers, who made multiple insta stories of being there at the same time that the clip dropped.
... And so on and so forth.
So to say that their social media game was killing it that season? That’s an understatement!