From the success of shows like The Summer I Turned Pretty and Off Campus, one thing’s for sure – Gen Z and millennials can’t get enough of young adult dramas.
And thankfully, new YA series Sterling Point is coming at the right time to fill the void.
Written by Canadian writer, director and actress Megan Park, the series follows 17-year-old adopted twins Annie (Ella Rubin) and Connor (Keen Ruffalo) who have been living a gorgeous life in New York with their single father when they discover that their estranged grandfather has passed away and left an entire island to them in his will.
Confused by the mysterious revelation, Annie wants to go to the island to find out more about her grandfather, and by extension, her late mother who died when she and Connor were two. Her interests are also piqued when she clocks her father’s obvious hesitation.
But despite his warnings, Annie decides to take a trip to the idyllic Canadian island in the hopes of uncovering her family’s secrets, and finding an emotional connection with her late mother.
That is where Sterling Point kicks off, and from there, we’re taken on a beautiful coming of age story as Annie and Connor reconnect with their roots and discover family secrets that will change their lives forever.
Without sharing any spoilers, there are so many twists and turns in the series that could have seen Sterling Point easily veering into soap territory. But thanks to some authentic writing and glistening on-set chemistry between the rising stars on the series, it feels genuine to the Gen Z audience the series is trying to reach.
“Something that I really love about this show is the dialogue between each character,” Bo Bragason — who plays the free-spirited character of Oona who Annie meets on the island — tells TV WEEK.
“Whether it be father and son, or friends chatting about relationships, it’s so natural and I feel like sometimes shows for young people miss the mark with that.”
For Mabel Strachan, who plays Oona’s younger sister Maple, the authenticity was tied into the way Megan Park operated as a director.
“It was in the way we made it,” she explained.
“From where it’s set, the dialogue and how we felt so free to improvise. You can see how great, amazing and free everyone felt on screen. You can really feel that. I love that about the show and I think that’s what makes it so special.
It wasn’t just the Gen Z cast members who felt that, either. Even beloved character actor Missi Pyle – who admits she’s a few years older than Gen Z – could feel the realism radiating from the script.
“There’s nothing else out there like this in the young adult world,” she explains.
“It tends to get a little bit tropey and sentimental but this show felt so authentic, with real stories and real consequences of hanging out with imperfect adults.”
For Gen Z and millennials, hype around a show only goes so far. When we’re inundated with so much visual content and dozens new shows ever week, finding shows which feel truthful and genuine to a younger audience can be tricky.
But director Megan Park has had experience on the set of a YA drama on The Secret Life Of The American Teenager. She understands what its like to grow up in front of a camera, and — according to everyone we spoke to in the Sterling Point cast — endeavoured to be the kind of director who listens to the people she’s trying to speak to through her work.
By letting the young cast speak, act, and make mistakes like actual teens, Sterling Point manages to bypasses the usual YA clichés we so often see on screen. What we’re left with is a show which is dramatic enough to keep us engaged, but true to form to allow its YA audience to see themselves in the characters.
If you ask me, that authenticity may be enough to see Sterling Point become the next big YA title of the season.
You can watch Sterling Point on Prime Video from August 5.
