Unrequited love, a feeling of inclusion, and capitalist society: Interpreting the conventionality in The Maxton Hall Series

We all love the romantic trope of enemies to lovers that serves a slow burn, leaving us gasping for air amidst the sizzling chemistry of the main characters, diving us deep into the escapism of their romance. Adolescent angst and feelings take centre stage in this show, which is perfect if you enjoy typical high school teen dramas. Your heartstrings will be pulled by the series' poignant depiction of love. The series is unique because of its sharp lines, which strike a deep chord with us. Amazon Prime’s most recent release Maxton Hall embodies the romantic dramatism of the pro-capitalist enemies of lovers James and Ruby, giving us a breathtaking onscreen presence yet the predictability of the plot and the fine crevices of incompleteness in the evolution of the subplots hampers it from being a massive feature of swoonworhty foes to romantic partners. Let's dive deeper into the nuances of the series

The premise of the plot

Ruby Bell, a determined student on a scholarship, attends a prestigious school where she clashes with wealthy and privileged students, including James Beaufort. After discovering a teacher's affair, Ruby navigates challenges and forms a complicated relationship with James, ultimately facing betrayal and heartbreak before a surprising revelation leads to a new beginning for both of them. Lydia decides to abandon their escape plan, leaving Mr. Sutton heartbroken and their dreams of leaving shattered. During the Oxford College interview period, James becomes jealous when a 2nd year student shows interest in Ruby.

A public confrontation between Ruby and James leads to a heated argument, where James admits he has never pursued his desires. In a moment of retaliation, James kisses Ruby, leading to a reconciliation and the two have sex. Ruby questions why James had previously ignored her, and he explains his father's threats as the reason. After reconciling, Ruby succeeds in her interviews while James decides not to attend his own. However, when James and Lydia return home, they discover that their mother has passed away. This leads to James getting into a fight with his father and being kicked out of the house. He seeks refuge at Ruby's house but ultimately leaves when he sees her happy with her family. The season concludes with James walking away. Let's dive deeper into the nuances of the plot

Predictability in the storyline

The cliched enemies-to-lovers plot is known to serve the right chord of the audience. The two main characters of the show are James Beaufort (Damian Hardung) and Ruby Bell (Harriet Herbig-Matten), who are worlds apart despite living on the same planet. Ruby, a Maxton Hall scholarship student, is from a low-income family. James, the Maxton Hall lacrosse team captain, on the other hand, has everything, including the burden of his family's legacy to uphold. When Ruby learns of James' sister Lydia Beaufort's (Sonja Weiber) extramarital affair with a teacher, their lives become entwined. Ruby refuses to back down in the face of James's attempts to buy her silence, starting a vendetta that dashes Ruby's hopes of attending college.

The opening scene introduces us to James Beaufort, a wealthy and arrogant young man with a perfect physique and privileged upbringing. Despite his seemingly perfect life, some indications being rich and attractive may come with its challenges. Before feeling sorry for James, the focus of episode 1 shifts to Ruby Bell, a scholarship student who must constantly prove herself in a world that privileges the wealthy. Ruby finds a dangerous secret at Maxton Hall and James offers her money to keep quiet because he knows she needs it. However, they both feel a strong attraction towards each other and are tempted to give in to their desires. The first episode references numerous clichés, including the classic story of a virtuous heroine and her wealthy, bad-boy love interest who is a nice guy. These clichés are woven together with unpredictable chemistry that goes beyond social classes.

The Constant Battle Between Duty and Desire interwoven through character evolutions

Characters like Lydia and James Beaufort are nuanced. The plot revolves around their incessant need for their father's acceptance and encouragement in everything they do. How afraid Lydia is to let her father down is evident in the scene where she sobs to James after Ruby discovers her secret. James' decision to kick Ruby out of his Beaufort Collection home just because his father asked him to does a good job of explaining the theme of how fear drives the character's motivation. The twins' only desire is to have their father's love throughout the entire series. This explains why they are unable to decide because they are conflicted between duty and desire.

Ruby Bell is a figure who personifies fortitude, tenacity, and simplicity. Her character gains depth from the fact that she holds herself responsible for her father's incapacity to walk. Ruby Bell states at the beginning of her introduction scene that she loves being invisible at her school. Teenagers frequently believe that they should stand out and fit in with any social group, but Ruby contends that doing so just makes her mistakes go unnoticed. One of the best parts of the show is how Ruby learns to live in the shadows and eventually overcomes her fear of social interaction.

The primary love tale is set aside while social disparities are revealed.

The focus of the story between Ruby and James is more on family than money, and much of the appeal of Maxton Hall comes from the time spent with the Bell family at their modest home. Ruby enjoys spending time with her parents, Helen and Angus and is close with her younger sister, Ember, who dreams of becoming a fashion designer. Despite financial struggles and Angus being in a wheelchair due to an accident, the Bell family is wealthy in love.

The interactions between Ruby and her family, particularly with Angus, are filled with genuine warmth. At the Beaufort mansion, James and Lydia are under the strict control of their ambitious father, Mortimer. Their mother, Claudia, does not challenge Mortimer's parenting style. James finds a father figure in his chauffeur, Percy. The wealthy characters in Maxton Hall are portrayed as both aspirational and ridiculous. The central couple experiences typical romantic moments, with Ruby encouraging James to find his passion and James reminding Ruby to focus on the present.

Quotable dialogue, but character development and subplots are lacking

The casting choices could have been improved as the actors seemed too old for their high school roles. The storyline was somewhat predictable, but the memorable dialogue stood out. Lines like Cordelia Beaufort's "You can handle more than you think if you believe you're doing what's right" and James' "The moment when the noise around us dies we are left with what we've done and a deafening silence" leave a lasting impact. While some may find the ending underwhelming, it was fitting, highlighting that true happiness does not come from material wealth.

James quickly transforms from a bully to a kind person in a surprisingly fast manner, but Maxton Hall understands what its audience wants: the strong chemistry between the leads. Herbig-Matten portrays Ruby with a likeable sharpness, while Hardung shows the vulnerability behind James' tough exterior. Viewers who don't like subtitles can watch Maxton Hall dubbed in English, but the dubbed dialogue may feel unnatural and difficult to tolerate. Despite only having six episodes, Maxton Hall manages to include multiple subplots, such as James' friend Alistair having feelings for his classmate and Lydia worrying about a secret romance that could change everything for her.

Conclusion

While many viewers find the ending of the series to be uncertain and propelled to be left on a cliffhanger, I believe the beauty of the series defies the need for a peaceful and calming abode. It necessitates the message that true happiness lies beyond the world of materialism, in the simple mundanity of life with people around us who protect and love us. The hounding truth that not everybody is blessed with a happy home is beautifully concluded in the ending. The series has certain cons yet it surpasses the parameters of the nuanced enemies to lovers leaving us awaiting for its upcoming seasons.

-Hridya Sharma

Maxton Hall is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video