Netflix’s Teenage Bounty Hunters Review: Fun Twin Powers!

Teenage Bounty Hunters is a teen-drama series created by Kathleen Jordan and starring Maddie Phillips, Anjelica Bette Fellini, Kadeem Hardison and Virginia Williams.

Grows on you

Teenage Bounty Hunters basically summarises the story in its name. It revolves around twins Sterling and Blair who become bounty hunters by sheer luck. Helping in their weird hobby is their not-so-happy mentor Bowser. Apart from catching criminals, the twins are also constantly put to the test at school, where there’s a lot of drama taking place.

This series grows on you. No, literally, it does. I didn’t expect to be quite so taken by it as I was by the end of the season. That’s probably because there really is something very real going on here. Apart from the stellar performances, the story itself, although not very deep or profound, does have its moments and makes for a very fun and entertaining watch, with a hint of emotion.

First off, Stirling and Blair are great as twins. It’s not often that you see siblings who have each other’s backs through thick and thin. Their chemistry is truly twin-like, and it’s wonderful to watch these two going through the various shit life throws their way, together. Acting’s splendid as well, and there’s not a moment where you won’t like watching them on-screen. They’re annoying, sure, but I guess that’s what siblings are anyway.

Another great part is Bowser. Kadeem Hardison plays his role so well – Bowser is loveable and a tad bit annoying sometimes, and the way this unlikely guardian becomes the girls’ go-to person is heartwarming to watch. So are the twins’ parents, especially Debbie. She’s great, and although very strict, is a very nice character with a troubled past.

Teenage Bounty Hunters is also very raunchy at times. Sterling and Blair, who really love god, try to control their raging teenage hormones, because that’s what Jesus would do, right? Or maybe not. It’s great, and a little uncomfortable, to see them describing their sex lives to each other in excruciating detail. This series absolutely rests on the sisters’ shoulders – and it helps that they’re two very different people with their own quirks, personalities and interests. Especially when they communicate with each other that only they can hear – a very sister/twin thing.

The series is funny, quirky, and explores various very real teenage problems. They feel real and relatable, although honestly, do people in high school really treat sex like it is something disgusting? I don’t know. But anyway, it’s still a fun ride. There’s also an attempt to add thrill and excitement (other than the bounty hunting part) to the mix at the fag end of the season. There are scenes which are heartbreaking, especially when the twins get their hearts broken. It made me want to reach out and comfort them, more often than not.

There’s a lot of religion in Teenage Bounty Hunters. However, it doesn’t seem to overdo it and kinda takes a sweet approach to pointing out some of the crazy parts of it. It questions everything without being mean about it. The series, unlike many others, never calls Sterling a prude, even though she’s hugely religious. Actually, she’s anything but that. Conversely, it also doesn’t call Blair to be a devil-worshipper, although she’s majorly opposite to her sister. It’s a nice blend of things, like how normal human beings are.

Summing up: Teenage Bounty Hunters

The 10-episode-long season tends to drag sometimes with its almost 1-hour-long episodes. There are scenes which are unnecessary and plots we could’ve done without, but it still manages to be highly enjoyable and keeps you hooked till the end. The way Teenage Bounty Hunters explores its characters and, apart from the sisters, even gives Bowser a very nice backstory and conflict makes it a very entertaining and sometimes heartbreaking watch.

Teenage Bounty Hunters is streaming on Netflix.

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