Cast: Amir Bageria, Maliq Johnson, Odessa A'Zion, Odley Jean, Amalia Yoo
Created by: Katie Cappiello
Teenage years are the most precarious ones. They are, in a way, transformative. 'Grand Army' juxtaposes lives of varied teenagers, each dealing with its issues, against the stark realities that they are exposed to.
This high school drama is not a hunky-dory tale like Highschool Musical but an evocative one that disrobes our subtle biases hidden beneath the layers of flowery modernity.
The story begins after a terrorist attack in the vicinity of Grand Army High school and follows the story of including an out-going, forward-thinking girl, Joey Del Marco; Indian-American teenager Sid, who happens to be a closeted gay teen; Leila Kwan Zimmer, a girl with asian features adopted by a Jewish couple, who is searching for her identity; and Dominique, a girl resolute to support her family.
The drama touches the topic which once again came to the limelight in the USA after what happened to George Floyd— Race. It captures the aspect of bias in an impressively strong storyline, which also encompasses consent, homosexuality and issues that teenagers face. The experiment to work with cartoon imagery as dreams works flawlessly.
The story elicits poignant feelings and it may take time to wear off: viewers' discretion is advised.
Published 08 January 2021, 18:37 IST