I couldn’t stop watching Netflix’s ‘amazingly bad’ new top 10 drama

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video By now, I’ve accepted my fate as a lover of trashy teen dramas, but Netflix’s latest offering really takes the biscuit. Whether it’s Amazon Prime’s The Summer I Turned Pretty and Sterling Point or Netflix’s XO, Kitty – if a streaming platform has released it, I’ve likely watched it (or it’s high up on my TBR list). There’s something about the absurd storylines, often ridiculous dialogue, and unbelievable romances played out by a bunch of fictional 17-year-olds that manages to utterly charm me. So, when I decided to click on Netflix’s new show Crew Girl (which steadily climbed the top 10 chart throughout September), the sceptical part of me was quickly overpowered by the one ready to surrender to the chaos. For those who haven’t watched it yet, drop what you’re doing and whack it on right now. But if you can’t, then let me give you a quick rundown. Meet Teagan (Miku Martineau), a fiercely talented rower whose life falls apart when her dad goes on the run after being accused of financial fraud. Oopsie daisy! Crew Girl on Netflix is not prestige TV, but I don’t care (Picture: Craig Minielly/Netflix) She starts again in her mum’s childhood town, where she’s enrolled on a boarding school that only recently started accepting women and is a far cry from establishing a women’s rowing team. Alas, this means if she wants to pursue her passion, she’ll have to settle for coxswaining for the boys’ team. Only one problem: they don’t take her seriously… except as a love interest, of course. It wouldn’t be a YA drama without a love triangle, and Teagan soon finds she has far bigger problems than how fast she can stick an oar into the water. Does she go for the kind-hearted scholarship kid from humble beginnings Cam (Kyle Clark) or the sixth-generation blonde toff who has unexpected layers, Josh (Samuel Braun)? Truly, the one-million-dollar question. If you love teen dramas you should watch these next XO, Kitty A spin-off from the iconic To All The Boys I Loved Before movie franchise, XO, Kitty follows Lara-Jean’s younger sister who moves to Seoul for school on a quest to reconnect with her late mother. And just maybe she’ll fall into her own screenworthy romance along the way Young Royals This endearing Swedish teen drama follows Prince Wilhelm, who joins a boarding school that will turn his life upside down. With a gay romance at the heart of it, the series is especially perfect for lovers of shows like Heartstopper and Heated Rivalry. My Life with the Walter Boys Netflix’s answer to Amazon Prime’s megahit is My Life with the Walter Boys. The show follows a teen who moves from the big city to a small town where she goes on a journey of self-discovery before stumbling into… you guessed it… a love triangle. All three are available to stream on Netflix now. It’s got a wild love triangle that led me to unexpected places (Picture: Netflix) To my absolute shock and horror, by the middle of the season I found myself rooting for Josh, which only goes to show the twists and turns this series takes you on – and not just on the water. Predictably, the slightly cringey show has received its fair share of bad reviews, with viewers calling it ‘amazingly bad’ and ‘the worst’ YA show they had seen in a long time. ‘Badly done’, ‘a bore’ and ‘extremely hard to finish’ were just some of the brutal verdicts flung about on Reddit. But I can’t help but rise up and defend it. It does pretty much what it says on the tin and is the easiest watch I’ve had in a long while. Seriously, by hour eight of my self-inflicted isolation in order to devour this show, I felt like I was on some sort of spiritual pilgrimage – committed to the end. Thank god we’re getting a season two (Picture: Netflix) I’ll be the first to admit I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that it had been renewed for a second season. It may not have reached the heights of some teen dramas, but it puts in a mighty effort. I won’t be satisfied until Josh completes his transformation into a knight in shining armour and Teagan is on track for the Olympics. Also, I don’t want to give too much away, but we’re left on a heart surgery cliffhanger I must see through. So, if you want my advice, ignore the naysayers and sink your teeth into this one. It may be rubbish, but it’s worth it anyway. Crew Girl is streaming on Netflix now. Arrow MORE: Netflix’s Matthew Perry documentary looks even more heartbreaking than we imagined Arrow MORE: ‘Hidden gem’ affair drama starring Helen McCrory and Callum Turner jumps up Netflix top 10 Arrow MORE: Netflix bosses planning fourth Inbetweeners movie before the third’s even released TV Newsletter Sign up and tell us which TV shows you love to watch to get personalised updates every morning.