South of Nowhere

I didn't watch South of Nowhere from the very beginning, but while I was looking through channels I noticed South of Nowhere was on and it was the scene from Girls Guide to Dating when Ashley tells Spencer the girls guide to dating girls. I was very intrigued by both girls and thought they would be good in a relationship. South of Nowhere to me has gone further than the seven seasons of Degrassi with the story lines especially when it comes to sexual orientations, teen issues such as identity, homophobia, pregnancy, school shooting, etc. The-n canceling the show would be the biggest mistake on their part for letting Spashley fade when their story is far from over.

Caveat--I'm gay, and I immensely enjoy watching a show where coming out is about going on dates with hot girls, not contemplating slitting your wrists. Really, because that's what it should be about. It's just as exciting/nervewracking for queer girls to discover girls as it is for straight girls to discover boys.

That said, it's not exactly the best writing on TV. The acting's not bad--especially from the female lead and her will-they-won't-they best friend--but all the actors are done in the by the over-the-top dialog and unrealistic plot lines. Unlike Degrassi, I don't think I'd tune in without the gay plot line to keep me interested.

On the other hand, the entire cast is made up of pretty/handsome young things a la the OC. And there's nothing wrong with a little eye candy.

This show is at its heart a series about the relationship between two girls: Ashley and Spencer. The actresses who play the roles have a strong chemistry and that holds the show together. It doesn't hurt that they are surrounded by other engaging characters. The show is very well written, and a realistic example of high school in LA.

All the characters interact with one another and build believable relationships. Ashley and Spencer meet and instantly click, we can believe they're best friends. We can also believe the dorky Clay can become friends with cool smart guy Sean. Though Glen and Aiden are both big, dumb jocks we can accept that they don't like each other very much because certain girls coming between them: Glen's sister Spencer and Aiden's ex, Madison.

At the focus, Aiden's other ex, Ashley, is drawn to Spencer, the new girl questioning her sexuality. Ashley is openly gay. It's interesting to see where the stories go each week.

The-N has developed a reputation for being a network aimed toward Teens that is not afraid to push the envelope in telling their stories the way life is. Degrassi, the network's most popular show, is another example of this type of truth in storytelling. It has never sugar coated the truths that some teens live, no matter what the subject may be. And because of that, it has won awards.

Following in this tradition, we now have South of Nowhere. It is a story of a family uprooted to Los Angeles. The three brothers and sisters now have to deal with a life that is far different from what they were used to.

So far, the show has dealt with racism, questioning sexuality, and fitting in. And no, it is not afraid to deal with these subjects honestly.

So far it has been very careful to offer both sides of a story where two opinions exist. The sibling's parents come from both sides of the spectrum, one being very liberal, the other conservative.

I don't believe it is the producer's intent to push a specific agenda for teens, as much as it is to provide them with an honest look at the typical teenage existence, which from what I remember, is not as cut and dry as some would like it to be.

This show is so well written. South of Nowhere is by far one of the best I have ever seen because of not only great writing but the acting is stunning. The main characters Ashley (played by Mandy Musgrave) and Spencer (played by Gabrielle Christian) nail the parts. Through flawless dialogue, amazing chemistry, both physical and facial expressions you fall in love right along with both of them. The show deals not only with sexuality but race, fame, loss, divorce, drugs, so many issues and is so realistic you get totally engaged. It is so important to see a show that speaks realistically to the audience. Watching this show catch fire warms my heart. They are bringing so much needed understanding to not only their age group but to many others. I first became aware of this show because of the L Word boards where the girls were raving about it. From the first show I saw I was hooked. From what I have read of the second season it looks to be as cutting edge as the first. Another amazing thing to see is how well loved these actresses are outside of these roles by their fans. How kind they are to them, that surely makes watching the career of these talented ladies even more special. I would keep an eye out for these two and the rest of the cast you will be seeing a lot more of them in the future. Certainly this is entertainment with a message.