Wildfire

Rural setting? Family values? A girl and a horse? I am all in!

'Wildfire' ran for four seasons on the ABC Family network. Ostentatiously geared towards the teen angst audience, 'Wildfire' nonetheless has much more to offer. Insights into the world of competitive horse racing, and those who inhabit that world. There is more than enough here to hurdle viewers through the entire series. Gorgeous scenery. Magnificent horses. Strong values. And a competent cast.

Genevieve Cortese is the series lead. A tough city girl from the wrong side of the tracks, imprisoned for fairly minor crimes working toward her release as a prison laborer training horses for the city police force. It is there that she makes a connection with 'Wildfire', a horse in training for police civic duties. These first few episodes set a strong tone for the series, as the convict girl and the horse make a transcendent connection that will propel them both into a world far beyond what anyone could have imagined.

Cast wise, Nana Visitor provides a familiar face (she of Star Trek DS9 fame). But the acting accolades belong to Greg Serano as the horse trainer who sees something in Kris Furillo (the convict girl) and sponsors her into the world of horse racing. Nicole Tubiola is the the rich girl who was reared in that competitive world. Both of their performances throughout the series provide the foundation for all of the drama that ensues.

'Wildfire' is well worth the watch, assuming you can overlook the perpetually silly teenage drama employed by show runners seeking to ensnare those young demographics that network execs demand. Somehow, the show manages to exceed those network expectations, and delivers a satisfying family drama that will hold your interest throughout the run of the series.

As for a teenaged "chick flick" it meets all the requirements; hot guys, cool chicks, rebellion, romance, drama, romantic competition, implied sex and, of course, horses! Acting is marginal at times but that has more to do with writing and character development. (one dimensional; ie Is Pablo ever in a good mood? Is Matt always uptight and worried?) Chris is a study in narcissistic sociopathy (but after all she is a criminal - and they don't change. Right?). Still I watched, and watched. So will you. As for accuracy? Maybe the scenery. but the horse racing culture could not be further off the mark - Ask Triple Crown winner Justify's people if they use him s a trail-riding horse in between races? What are Ritter's or Davis' racing colors? Jockey silks DO NOT change from race to race. I could go on but you get it. But - I kept watching and watching, and so will you!

I love this show. It is kind of like "The O.C.", except for a family crowd. And a little gender role reversal. It's great. The guys are cute, and the people have issues. That is all I ask for in a good TV show. I hope that the story lines maintain their greatness. So far, the quality hasn't declined, like many other shows I have seen. I will continue to watch this show, and I encourage everyone else to watch it, too. I'm glad that I can watch it with my parents without having to have any embarrassing talks about weird stuff that I get when I watch "The O.C." And I also love the horses. They are so beautiful. Especially Wildfire himself. I love this show! Yay!

"Wildfire" isn't exactly a breakthrough teen drama series, by any means. Much of the dialogue wouldn't be out of place in an episode of "Dawson's Creek" or "The OC," and neither, to some extent, would be the story "Wildfire" tells. And yet, the show has a real charm that makes it just fun to watch.

Kris Furillo (Genevieve Cortese) is a girl who seems to specialize in being in the wrong place at the wrong time. When we first meet her, she's a prisoner at a juvenile detention facility, paying for the crime of helping to steal a car and resisting arrest. In her time in prison, she's not only "learned a little discipline" (which, after watching a couple episodes of the show, really makes you wonder what she was like BEFORE she got locked up) but also learned to ride and love horses, with the help of Pablo Betart (Greg Serano). Betart, an ex-con himself, also works at a horse ranch called Raintree, which is owned by the Ritters: Jean, Jean's father, and Jean's two sons, Matt and Todd. As Kris settles into life at Raintree, she makes really good friends -- Pablo, the Ritters (Matt in particular), Matt's friend, Junior Davis -- and really bad enemies -- Matt's ex-girlfriend Dani Davis and her friends, and others that seem to just keep on coming. Watch as Kris faces challenges and learns more about horses, and herself.

It's a guilty pleasure show, but it's definitely a pleasure. "Wildfire" airs Monday nights at 8pm on ABC family. The DVDs for the first season are available in some stores, and episodes are easy to buy on iTunes, for $1.99 each!

I'm on season 1 and the acting is horrible but the storyline makes watch and now I can't stop.