Normally, I use this blog to discuss movies, but sometimes there are television shows that I enjoy so much that I feel they warrant a formal review, and such is the case with Geek Girl! For a while, Netflix had been suggesting this title for me for quite some time, and given that I am a fan of several movies and shows from this genre, I decided to check it out. Geek Girl is easily the most refreshing entry into the genre in years, and a show where I found each episode to perfectly connect the overall story arc, while also demonstrating astute character development, and overall excitement. The story follows the adventures of our self professed "geek", Harriet Manners as she traverses between her "normal" life at Hollyridge Secondary School and her sudden thrust into stardom as a model in the glamorous, yet intense world of fashion predominantly set in my favorite city, London.
For a story like this to work, your protagonist needs to be likable and has your audience rooting for them. From the first frame of Episode 1 to the last frame of Episode 10, Emily Carey's performance as Harriet Manners presents a character that is quirky, awkward, hilarious, intelligent and lovable. It's a phenomenal performance, and one of the better female performances I've seen in a while. I really love this character, and Emily's performance is the biggest reason why. She's so much fun in this role. We watch her grow from her timidity into a courageous spirit that was always brimming inside her. She deals with unfair judgment all around her at school and in her new surroundings. Even with negative energy directed at her, the show has such an incredible, positive vibe to it. It becomes a very feel good story that has you shedding happy tears by the end. Emily commands the direction of the story, and in the process becomes a five star general creating something unique that begs for more stories from this character. I am a Harriet Manners fan! She absolutely rocks! She's easy to like! She has her haters like the envious Poppy, the former model trying to hold on to relevance in Jude Paignton and the ghastly trio of Lexi and the Olives, but she is able to turn the tables on all of them and show everybody how amazing Harriet Manners truly is!
There are great supporting characters in this show as well such as Nick Park, who is an extremely likable male character 100% of the time, and that's impressive as usually that isn't the case with most movies or shows, but he's legitimately a good guy. He treats Harriet right, has a great moral conscience and has a mindset that connects to Harriet naturally. The chemistry between Emily Carey and Liam Woodrum is excellent. It feels natural between them. There's a little spark there. Harriet's smitten with Nick, but Nick's definitely smitten with her. What's great about the romantic subplot is that there's such an innocence to it. The scenes between them whether it's at a picnic, a museum or a photoshoot are so cute. The chemistry jumps off the screen between the actors and the characters at the same time creating that magical symbiosis that movies and television shows strive for. They nail it at every turn, and it's one of the best aspects of the show.
Other great characters such as Harriet's best friend, Nat, and her parents Richard and Annabell add to the story of who Harriet is at her core. I love how much Harriet treasures her relationship with Nat. She is more like a sister to her. The importance of the heart necklace symbolizes so much about not only their friendship, but the trajectory of Harriet's journey. Her connection to her father Richard is great. He is still young at heart and likes to have fun, whereas Annabell keeps everybody grounded. At the same time showing her ability to open up and let loose once in a while was great to see as the family dynamic grows stronger over the course of the show. On the other side of the story, you knew there would be fun fashion characters, and one of the biggest show stealers is Emmanuel Imani's Wilbur. He is so flamboyant and charismatic at every turn. He genuinely takes care of Harriet and tries to protect her from the toxicity that can definitely flow from fame, and more importantly never falters on his belief in her. I also thought Sandra Yi Sencindiver's Yuji Lee was incredible. The aura around her character is impressive, and her performance is enigmatic, demonstrating a true authenticity of the designers in the industry. The importance of her character helps the fashion side of the story to develop further. Both sides of the story are crafted brilliantly converging into a satisfying conclusion.
The fashion aspects of this show are astounding. The clothes, the hair, the make-up, the set designs, as well as the overall theatricality of it all are magnificent. I'd just like to point out along with Emily Carey's other incredible attributes she provides for Harriet, it must be stated that she is absolutely gorgeous. She has such a natural beautiful look, an effervescence about her that allows her to really deliver in the fashion scenes. I love her scenes at the perfume shoot, especially, but she just makes each of these scenes her own, and she looks amazing through all of it. She pops off the screen and proves that she can do this and balance it all. She's a gorgeous geek, and we're all here for it! Also, she never loses track of who she is. She remains the grounded, lovable girl we meet at the beginning of the show. She has a support system that keeps her marching on, even when she wants to retreat herself. She finds that fire inside her and shows the world that Harriet Manners indeed matters!
Helmed by an excellent lead performance by Emily Carey, Geek Girl adds a jolt to the romantic comedy genre that is sorely needed. It's a story filled with self-discovery, fashionistas and future paleontologists. Harriet Manners is finding out more about herself on a daily basis, much like all of us are. While her story is fantastical, it's also grounded in a way to help us all realize we're all capable of more. Harriet Manners is the protagonist romantic comedies have been looking for. I am looking forward to more adventures from this character and this world, because it's such a feel good story that has you invested in every step of the journey, and that's something not easily attained in this age of television. GO HARRIET MANNERS!