Five black students welcomed to an elite boarding school thanks to a scholarship: this is the starting point of the English series “Boarders”, one of our first favorites of Séries Mania 2024.
What does it talk about ?
Five black students from deprived areas of London win scholarships to an elite boarding school. This experience full of ups and downs will teach them a lot about themselves, their identity and life in this privileged environment.
Boarders, created by Daniel Lawrence Taylor – International Series Mania 2024 competition – Episodes seen: 2/6
New Skins
Nicholas Hoult will soon be Lex Luthor facing Superman, after having been one of the X-Men and traveled the furious route of Mad Max. Dev Patel will break mouths on April 17 in Monkey Man, his first directorial effort, and he obviously does it very well.
And Kaya Scodelario, fresh from Labyrinth, seduces Netflix subscribers in The Gentlemen, while several people hope to see Jack O’Connell succeed Daniel Craig in the James Bond tuxedo. Without forgetting the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for Daniel Kaluuya in 2021.
In short, broadcast between 2007 and 2013, Skins revealed a lot of English actors. And we therefore advise you to start learning the names of Josh Tedeku, Jodie Campbell, Myles Kamwendo, Sekou Diaby or even Aruna Jalloh. Because the cast of Boarders is full of potential stars.
Created by actor and screenwriter Daniel Lawrence Taylor, who plays a secondary role, the series plays the culture clash card with a good dose of irony and a touch of mystery.
To show how black students become symbols of the good conscience that a private school which seeks to restore its image after a scandal on social networks wants to give itself, by welcoming them thanks to a scholarship.
Bullied upon their arrival, when they are not looked at with unwelcome curiosity (“I have never seen a black penis before”says a student to one of the heroes when introducing herself to him with an introduction which has the merit of being clear), the members of the quintet will little by little disappoint their comrades (literally and figuratively) and dynamite the codes of places, where the concept of equal opportunities is science fiction.
Trampling borders with infectious joy
From comedy to drama to thriller, this coming-of-age story successfully mixes genres and reminds us why English series are also often a guarantee of quality.
Without sacrificing form for the benefit of substance, the speeches, often grating, around racism, elites and class struggle, being staged with an energy that makes you want to return to the school which serves as its theater at faster.
Not to mention this title, Boarders (“boarders”) can be seen as a nice play on words around “Borders”. These are the borders that the series, thanks to its characters, enjoys trampling on with infectious joy.
When will it come out in France?
And that’s where the bad news comes: launched on February 20 on BBC Three across the Channel, Boarders does not yet have a French broadcaster. And even less of a broadcast date. All the more reason to hope that the show leaves Séries Mania with a prize, just to encourage its arrival on our screens.
But you can discover the first two episodes for free on the platform SeriesMania+ for 48 hours.