This Is Why Everybody Is Watching 'Outer Banks' On Netflix

We are all watching more television these days. I feel like I’ve made it my part-time job to hunt for the best television shows to entertain myself and my teenagers right now. I even find when I’m puttering around the house, having something in the background keeps me from feeling lonely since the only place I venture to is the grocery store once a week, or the occasional drive-thru trip.

Thanks to friends, social media, and Netflix recommendations I don’t have to look very far, though. A few weeks ago, a show I’d never heard of popped up in my recommendations. It was called Outer Banks, and at the time was #3 in the US.

I thought I’d give it a go, not knowing if it would pique my interest or not — but it was piqued within the first few minutes, that’s for sure. Halfway into the first episode, I knew it was the adventure I needed in my life during quarantine.

Outer Banks is the latest YA series streaming from Netflix but let me tell you, you don’t have to be a teenager to get invested in this one and this is why:

1.There aren’t a lot of shirts.

Outer Banks takes place on the waters of North Carolina and it’s apparently just too hot to wear a lot of clothes. Now, I felt a bit strange ogling at the guys who were teens on camera — but in real life, John B, played by Chase Stokes, JJ, played by Rudy Pankow, and Pope, who is played by Jonathan Daviss, are in their 20s.

Phew.

I can’t lie though. As soon as I saw Sarah Cameron’s dad, Ward, played by Charles Esten, his smoldering-dad vibes got me thinking I’m best suited with a man closer to my age. An added perk is I’ve dreamt about him exactly six times since finishing the series.

2. That view, tho.

See #1 but also, the epic scenes are what we all need right now — blue skies, bodies of water that last for days, green grass, and stunning landscapes. It’s almost like taking a virtual vacation which seems so damn pleasing because we have all been staring at the same walls for months.

The slant of the sun is perfect in every day shot, and the night scenes are dreamy with the moonlit-ocean view and twinkle lights. It’s like a little escape for your mind.

3. There’s adventure.

Outer Banks is the perfect mix of Goonies and Dawson’s Creek, with a touch of West Side Story thrown in for good measure. The main character, Jon B., loses his father after he sets out to find lost treasure — by that I mean 400 million dollars’ worth of gold. He intends to follow in his footsteps come hell or high water. Yes, he wants to find the treasure, but more than that, he wants to figure out exactly what happened to his dad.

4. Friendships run deep.

Jon’s friends join in — some are called “Pogues” which are the working class and live on the South side of Outer Banks. Many of their families live in run-down houses and have to work a few jobs to make ends meet. Jon also befriends a few “Kooks” — the upper class folks who live an entirely different life out of their mansions and yachts, yet crave the lifestyle Jon has as a young man who lives alone and makes his own rules (when he isn’t running from Child Protective Services).

It doesn’t matter if they come from different worlds and their parents freak out every time they hang out with each other. This group of teens will literally put their lives on hold, or in harm’s way, to protect each other.

Yes, it causes drama and yes, it is thrilling to watch.

5. Love

If you ask me, no YA book or television show isn’t complete without the thrill of young love. It takes you back to when you were young, vulnerable, and had your first summer romance. You will remember your first heartbreak, your first kiss, and long to be a carefree teenager who rolls out of bed on a hot day and heads to work or to meet up with your friends on the beach.

This show has all the elements that create tension and keep you tuned in to see what’s next. It’s giving me life during this time when we are cooped up, talk to the same few people every day, and our destinations are limited to our bedroom or living room.

And the good news is if you are waiting with bated breath to see if there is going to be a second season of Outer Banks, there is a chance it just might happen. Netflix hasn’t confirmed, but the fans are dying for it.

Hopefully we’ll be out of quarantine when, and if, it drops — but if it’s anything like the first one, I’d go ahead and say it’ll be good enough to stay in for a night or two and watch.