On My Block are the new kids on Netflix
Imagine if “Sixteen Candles” got a modern-day ’hood makeover. New wave has given way to hiphop, bullies are gang members, not jocks, and geeks aren’t just great at science — they can determine a weapon’s calibre, sight unseen.
“That was a .38,” one yells to another as they run from the sound of random gunfire.
“On My Block,” the new Netflix coming-of-age comedy premièring Friday follows four childhood friends from a tough Los Angeles neighbourhood as they enter high school.
But this 10-episode half-hour series is not an extension of “Dope,” “Snowfall” or “Boyz n the Hood.” It’s part of a wave of recent productions that consider teens of colour as, well, normal teens rather than the cool sidekicks of white kids or the underprivileged victims of blighted surroundings.
Cocreated by Lauren Iungerich, Eddie Gonzalez and Jeremy Haft, “On My Block” is not a sweeping cinematic production or insightful commentary on urban life, it’s a clumsy but endearing teen comedy.
The series follows childhood friends Monse (Sierra Capri), Cesar (Diego Tino-co), Ruben (Jason Genao) and Jamal (Brett Gray) as they enter high school, vowing to stick together, no matter what. But they’re all immediately challenged by peer pressure, hormonal surges and their own sense of identity.
Monse is a nascent feminist who vacillates between celebrating her blossoming sexuality and hiding it from the men who have started catcalling her.
Ruben (a.k.a. Ruby) is the smart negotiator of the group who wants to be seen as a man, but his ideas of manhood don’t square with the reality of sharing a room with his abuela, her lightup nativity scenes and Our Lady of Guadalupe collection.
Cesar is trapped in a family legacy of gang life, while Jamal is supposed to be a football hero like his dad, except he’s a terrible player terrified of injuring himself.
“On My Block” suffers from some stiff writing and amateur performances, but it possess a charm that’s hard to resist. Perhaps it’s because nothing earthshattering happens here, and for a story that takes place in the hood, it’s a refreshing turnabout.
Life goes on, just as it did for the teens of “The OC,” even when there’s gunfire outside the door.