A private high school, a troublesome heir, an ambitious, but penniless young girl… Mona Kasten’s Save Me become Maxton Hall : the word between us in this Dutch adaptation by Prime video. Number 1 in the world, 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. This article is spoiler-free.
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, Ruby 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.
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.
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. 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. 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 their relationship is full of important themes. Mental health, trauma, or complex family relationship are situations they try to overcome all along the show.
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 (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 !
What are your thoughts about it ?