Opinion: Netflix show Outer Banks teaches relevant lessons during coronavirus pandemic
The new show teaches important lessons of family and perseverance.
iStock
April 30, 2020
A modern-day Goonies: that’s how the new Netflix show Outer Banks is described. The show follows a group of high schoolers who live on the Cut, an area of working class that always has tension with those on Figure 8, the families with two homes. Their adventure begins after a hurricane when John B. continues the search for treasure that ultimately got his father lost at sea.
The show has ranked in the top 10 on Netflix since release and sat at the number one spot for TV shows for nearly two weeks.
The release of Outer Banks acts not only as a distraction during the pandemic, but teaches relevant lessons such as perseverance and the importance of family.
Outer Banks is a great distraction regardless of the messages it teaches. With everyone stuck at home, TV shows and films have become a part of everyday life. New content is highly anticipated on any platform, so one of the reasons this show was consumed as quickly as it was can be attributed to the sheer desire of distractions.
However, in a time where it seems as if the pandemic will never end, a show with the message of perseverance is important. The characters in the show are seen fighting against adversity and striving toward their goals even when the odds seem stacked against them.
By watching this show, viewers are shown what it means to push forward even when times are hard. This show motivates people to keep fighting even when the world seems to be falling apart.
Outer Banks also shows strong messages related to the importance of family. While the group of friends is not related, they are immensely close and protect each other in a way that blood relatives might. In the show, they stand up for each other when others are trying to push them down, take the fall when others mess up and comfort each other when their home lives get hard.
This message is increasingly important and relevant during the pandemic because it reminds everyone to check in on their family and friends. The show encourages viewers to support their loved ones during such a hard time as this. Outer Banks teaches that even when everyone is in hot water, including yourself, it’s important to still comfort and protect those you love and be there for support when and if they fall.
The show couldn’t have come at a better time. Its success, while greatly attributed to the writing and film production, also should be granted to the timing. The themes and morals this show stands on are exactly what people need to hear in this exact moment in time. If the show were released last year or maybe even next year, the impact would still have been great, but it wouldn’t have been as meaningful. The show, during the pandemic, can resonate with everyone.
The show’s messages are what allows the viewers to connect with the show so deeply. Amid the spread of the novel coronavirus, Outer Banks teaches relevant and much needed lessons such as perseverance and the importance of family, which has helped it skyrocket to success.
