A private high school, a troublesome heir, an ambitious, but penniless young girl… Mona Kasten’s Save Me becomes Maxton Hall : the word between us in this Dutch adaptation by Prime video. The tv-show is a breath of fresh air in these trouble waters where good productions of the genre are as scarce as a sea dragon. Let’s deep dive into what makes this show so good, without spoilers, of course !
What is it about ?
Two types of people study at Maxton Hall : aristocrats like James Beaufort (Damian Hardung, How to sell drugs online fast) and scholarship student like Ruby Bell (Harriet Herbig-Matten, Der Usedom-Krimi). Studious and (very) discreet, she has only one goal : get into Oxford, her dream school. But when she unwillingly witnesses an explosive secret, she quickly finds herself in trouble. Her admittance in Oxford is threatened and she draws the attention of James Beaufort, an arrogant student who wants to make sure she stays silent. While Ruby tries to find a solution to her problem, a bad pleasantry from James will soon force them to work together. For the worse and, of course, the best.
Never judge a tv-show by its trailer (my new moto)
The characters
Maxton Hall’s characters have checked all the boxes which make them great ones. They have actual depth and the various relationships are quite well depicted : fraternal for some, friendly or loving for others ! Not only that the actors were very convincing in their role, but the dialogue did not fall into the trap of cringe territories— thank God. Indeed, every scene and every reaction, even the most discreet one, are played in the smallest details. Plus they match the temperament of each character and their relationship with others.
Ruby
Ruby Bell is not your average girl : she’s pretty, kind, humble, hard working, smart and ambitious. Yes, I know, she sounds too perfect, and, to be honest, I was afraid at the beginning that her character would be too polished and bland. I was, however, pleasantly surprised to discover that her character has a lot more depth. Indeed, Ruby’s is depicted as a realistic character ; as episodes go on, you discover that she is just a teenage girl with her own insecurities; she can be impulsive and on the defensive (but she always self reflect on herself afterward), she hates being the center of attention and she focuses too much on school. So, sure, she has a lot of quality to praise, but she also bear flaws and a trauma which make her character so imperfectly perfect and perfect, paired with a hot head like James.
Finally, Harriette Herbig-Matten brought the complete touch to Ruby’s character, her acting made her so much more real —more rough, endearing and relatable.
James : better than you average bad boy
Maxton Hall’s trailer and first episode did not made James Beaufort justice.
I’m not going to lie, I was really skeptical about James character in the beginning, expecting that typical bad boy energy : rich, partying all day and annoying. My bad, I must say that I was traumatized with the misinterpret good-girl/bad boy trope…
Past the first episode, though, James is an incredible character, not only define by his look and cold, entitled and confident labels, which are only an act to the rest of the world. When finally James opens up to Ruby, you finally understand that he is a kind, caring and protective soul who, unfortunately, has to build world around him to match the description of James M. Beaufort, the person everyone wants him to become.
Lydia : the misunderstood one
Lydia is James’ twin sister and, let’s say that she is as damage as his brother. At first (like a lot of characters, actually) Lydia can seem capricious and entitled, but, in fact, was forced to become a strong, calculating and cold person. Enough to prove herself as not just a “sensitive girl”, but as worthy as James in the eyes of their father. But even though she is sometime clearly not favored, Lydia maintains an exceptional and fusional relationship with her brother, refusing to let the false completion —neither of them wants in the first place— ruin their love for each other.
Alistair and Lin : the good friends
Alistair and Line respectively James and Ruby’s best friend. Although they have enough on their plate and their own problems to resolve, they are always there to support their friends. Lin’s character is less developed in term of storyline but Alistair has a short one you’ll follow at the same time as James and Ruby. Even if they’re both secondary characters, Alistair and Lin have enough potential to have more screen time to focus on their feelings. I hope that future seasons will make them justice !
Mortimer
To be honest, I would probably need to look at others analysis to understand Mortimer’s character. James and Lydia’s father is a cold, vicious and definitely the villain of the story. The only good thing about Mortimer is the fact that his problematic figure add the needed drama to the show…
However, I refuse to believe that a character can be purely mean and cold heart without a reason. Mortimer might have more to tell and I hope that the show will explore more his character and not choose to portrays him continually as a bad person without a relevant backstory.
A well written love story
The main plot does not fall out from nowhere. Indeed, the romance between James and Ruby evolves little by little to the point where the slightest scene of rapprochement will (nearly) charm you more than any kisses or intercourses. In fact, you will not see as many of those as one might expect. It was refreshing to seem them get closer to each other, slowly and without a rush. The slow burn as it best !
The enemies to lovers trope is also very well executed and, let me reassure you, does not imply any bullying. There is a reason why James goes after Ruby (circumstances and personality, you know) and once the misunderstanding is cleared, the evolution of their relationship is worth the watch. First ennemies, we watch them successively passed from hating each other, to friends and finally to lovers (although, it is only implied).
Finally, the background of James and Ruby’s relationship is full of important themes. Mental health, trauma, or complex family relationship are situations many characters try to overcome all along the show. Indeed, the romance does not overshadow the characters issues. Even if they have very different family dynamics, both Ruby and James faces their own issues and demons. Sure, there is this invisible thread, pulling them to each other, they cannot yet understand, but also the challenges they’re facing in their life drawing them together. They both care so much for each others that they become mutual therapist. Ruby, with her patience and calmness, James with his boldness and fire.
Bonus : the cinematography and the incredible playlist
📻 Go solo – Zwette feat. Tom Rosenthal
The lightning (darker, warmer or lighter) and the music chosen emphasize perfectly the importance of every scene and every emotion. And above all, make the show even more enjoyable to watch. You know what to do, then : open your eyes and listen carefully !
To finish
If you’re a fan of teen romance, Maxton Hall will not disappoint you. The characters are endearing (in particularly James, Ruby and Lydia) and don’t make me even talk about the chemistry !
The show has a great potential, and a season 2 (releasing in novembre 2025) and 3 (already annunced !) could really put the spotlight on some interesting secondary characters, while correcting other embarrassing details concerning a certain relationship… But no spoilers, you will have to find out by yourself !
