Critics Hated This Netflix Show — But Viewers Can’t Stop Watching It
The Netflix teen drama My Life with the Walter Boys is back, and people are talking about it all over again.
The show, based on Ali Novak’s Wattpad novel, first premiered on Netflix in December 2023 and quickly caught attention.
Even though critics weren’t too impressed, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting a 45% approval rating and an average score of 5.3 out of 10, the audience can’t seem to stop watching.
The second season dropped on August 28, 2025, and Netflix had already renewed it for a third season coming in 2026. Clearly, the streamer knows the series has a loyal fanbase.
The story follows Jackie Howard, played by Nikki Rodriguez, a teenager from Manhattan who loses her parents in a tragic accident.
She moves to rural Colorado to live with the Walter family, a household full of seven sons and one daughter. From there, the series mixes family drama with teenage romance, and yes, even a love triangle that has people divided.
Fans have been vocal about why they keep watching. One viewer wrote, “I love a cheesy predictable teenage drama/love story. Give me the ‘I can’t stay away from you’s’ and the ‘being with you makes me feel so much I feel out of control.’ I will eat it up every time.” Another fan said, “I love my stupid summer shows and I love a good found family and I love stupid teenage romance and I eat it up over and over again.”
The characters are also making waves online, especially Alex Walter. A fan shared, “I started watching My Life with the Walter Boys and Alex Walter is genuinely like my dream man, he’s so fine.” Of course, the love triangle plotline is also a big point of discussion.
Someone admitted, “Just finished watching My Life with the Walter Boys after promising myself I’ll never watch a love triangle that involves 2 brothers and a girl.” Clearly, the messy drama is part of the appeal.
The next chapter is coming in hot.
— Netflix (@netflix) July 7, 2025
My Life with the Walter Boys returns AUGUST 28. pic.twitter.com/yXZMaSdxzs
But it’s not just the story that has people hooked. Viewers are also talking about the chemistry between the cast. One person said, “One thing I love so much about the My Life with the Walter Boys cast is that they all genuinely like each other. They get along so well with each other and are always hanging out. It’s so refreshing to see because that’s so rare nowadays.” This kind of off-screen bond makes the show even more fun to follow.
Not every reaction is positive though. Some fans left frustrated after finishing the latest episodes. One review summed it up simply: “Finished My Life with the Walter Boys. If you haven’t watched I recommend you don’t because WHAT THE F****.”
Love it or hate it, people are watching. Even with low critic scores, the mix of teenage love, family drama, and the fun of binge-watching has turned My Life with the Walter Boys into one of Netflix’s most talked-about shows this summer.
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