Netflix’s new YA series Crew Girl is swapping hockey sticks for oars, and one early review says the change of pace is worth your time. The show follows Teagan, a rising rowing star whose life capsizes when her father’s financial crimes send her family to a small coastal town, where she ends up coxswain for the boys’ crew team.
The series stars Miku Martineau as Teagan, with Jessica Paré as her mother Ella and Byron Lawson as her father David. The review gave it a “Stream It” verdict, meaning the critic recommends viewers give the show a chance.
A Two-Minute Idyll
Teagan starts the series at the top of her game. She is a 16-year-old rower in Los Angeles, competing in a single scull race in front of a cheering crowd that includes her parents. Her voiceover tells viewers her parents are still “madly in love.”
That idyllic setup lasts about two minutes.
Her father receives a text from an unknown number that reads, “They’re here.” He leaves mid-race, telling Ella he loves her. After Teagan wins, Ella gets a text from David saying he is sorry, and she is swiftly taken for questioning by the FBI.
The reason: David had scammed his investors out of millions of dollars. Teagan and Ella are left with nothing but Teagan’s education trust. They move into Ella’s late parents’ house in the quaint northeastern town of Eagle’s Cove.
Easton Prep and the Love Triangle
Teagan enrolls at Easton Prep, a castle-like private school where she discovers there is only a men’s crew team. Before she even makes it to class, she has a meet-cute with townie Cam Dillinger, played by Kyle Clark. Teagan rides her bike straight into his truck, launching herself into the trunk.
Cam calls her out for zooming down the sidewalk without looking where she is going, but he still helps her fix her bike. He becomes one point on her impending love triangle.
At school, Teagan runs into resident popular girl and Student Council President Britney Garner, played by Sage Linder. Britney is quick to let Teagan know she is the daughter of Senator Garner. Her sidekick Amber, played by Alaska Leigh, is the Dance Committee Chair.
Teagan flubs her way through the conversation and is saved by Juliet Morny, played by Olga Petsa. Juliet points out the preppy and pretentious Josh Regis, played by Sam Braun, along with his cousin Ryder, played by Connor Paton, and Liam, played by Aiden Howard.
Teagan locks eyes with Josh after he reads a swoon-worthy passage in English class. She has at least a little bit of interest — or disgust — in the sixth-generation Easton Prep kid, especially when she learns he is on the crew team. He is also dating Britney.
Trouble at the Boathouse
Teagan gets caught breaking into the boathouse and sneaking out onto the water to row. That earns her a trip to the principal’s office. She evades expulsion, but her punishment is helping with dock upkeep.
That punishment lets her watch the team in action, including Cam. She offers unsolicited advice to Coach Matt Hayden, played by Thomas Cadrot, suggesting he take Josh out of the highly-desired stroke seat. He takes her up on it.
While Ella seeks out a job, Teagan attends the town’s dock party with Cam. During a game of beer pong, she lies and says her father died. Britney and Amber out her family’s secret in front of the entire party.
Teagan gets her moment of redemption the morning after the party. She bests the team’s current and hungover coxswain, Liam, in a race.
“Does Crew Girl rock the boat in the YA landscape? Not necessarily. Is it still worth a watch? This critic is onboard. STREAM IT.”
Rowing as a Fresh Genre Choice
The review notes the sports YA romance genre is “getting a tad worked out.” Crew Girl does introduce a new sport outside of hockey and football, while bringing together a cast of newer, young talent who impressively learned how to row together for the series.
The show leans into YA tropes, like the prince vs. pauper-inspired love triangle. The review argues that is the point of a YA series like this one — to give people not only what they might expect, but what they want.
The series places Teagan in a position of responsibility without making her the strongest athlete in the room. She is the coxswain, the person who guides the boat and calls the shots during a race, which puts her at the center of the action even though she is not the one pulling the oars. That role is what allows a new girl to land among an established team of boys and become their leader.
Standout Performances
Martineau makes Teagan a likable leader among a dynamic team of high school boys, according to the review. Paré provides a strong foundation as her mother, and her backstory in Eagle’s Cove leaves more to be explored throughout the series.
The cast learned to row together for the series, which adds a layer of authenticity to the water scenes. The review notes that the young talent impressively picked up the skill as a group.
The supporting players fill out the world:
- Kyle Clark as Cam Dillinger, the townie who becomes one leg of the love triangle.
- Sam Braun as Josh Regis, the preppy sixth-generation Easton Prep kid who is the other leg.
- Sage Linder as Britney Garner, the senator’s daughter who outs Teagan’s family secret at the party.
- Olga Petsa as Juliet Morny, the friend who helps Teagan navigate the social landscape.
- Thomas Cadrot as Coach Matt Hayden, who takes Teagan’s advice on the stroke seat.
The Parting Shot
The final scene sets up a new conflict. Teagan finds a letter from Easton Prep on the counter, notifying her mother that her tuition payment was declined.
The family is already broke, and now her education is on the line. That leaves Teagan with a fresh problem to solve as the series continues.
Comparing Titles
The review says the title immediately screams Tall Girl, though this series boasts more of a promising premise. That comparison gives viewers a sense of what to expect in tone and style.
For a genre that has been stuck on hockey and football, a rowing romance is a welcome change. The review’s final word is simple: the critic is onboard and recommends streaming the show. The verdict is a “Stream It,” which means the series earns a recommendation for viewers looking for a new YA romance with a different athletic backdrop.
Source: decider.com
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