Why 'XO, Kitty' has the very best relationship within the 'To All of the Boys…' franchise

Kitty Music-Covey (Anna Cathcart) may need simply usurped Lara-Jean (Lana Condor) and Peter (Noah Centineo) for the cutest relationship within the To All of the Boys I’ve Liked Earlier than franchise. 

XO, Kitty, a derivative sequence from the unique movies, follows Kitty as she strikes to South Korea to shock her long-distance boyfriend, Dae (Minyoung Choi), and eventually be with him full-time by enrolling in his highschool for her junior yr. However Kitty’s shock is extra bitter than candy when she arrives to seek out that Dae has a secret girlfriend, Yuri (Gia Kim). 

Issues get much more sophisticated when it is revealed that Yuri and Dae are literally in a pretend relationship — what within the fanfic? Seems, Yuri’s homosexual. She’s been relationship Dae to guard herself after rumors about her sexuality began swirling round, which is not superb when you could have a homophobic mother. Scared of being outed to her household, Yuri labored out an settlement with Dae: She pays his tuition at college (did I point out her mother’s additionally the principal they usually’re tremendous wealthy?), and he retains publicly relationship her — a lot to Kitty’s dismay. Poor Kitty does not actually know what is going on on till a lot later. However after a number of fights, tenting journeys, and good ol’ detention bonding, Kitty delivers a splendid plot twist: She’s falling in love with Yuri. 

Whereas XO, Kitty‘s many love triangles could also be convoluted and lean into poorly written fan-fiction territory, the present gives a saving grace by Yuri and Kitty’s blossoming friendship-turned-crush. Belief me, you are going to need to see a lot extra of it lengthy after the present’s finale. 

It is a pleasure to see Kitty and Yuri’s relationship evolve.  

Understandably, Kitty and Yuri do not actually like one another within the present’s first few episodes, with Kitty nonetheless at nighttime about what’s actually happening. However after getting approach too drunk at a celebration, Kitty out of the blue feels fireworks whereas watching Yuri DJ the occasion — a full-fledged queer awakening speeding by her. Her emotions begin rising stronger, and when the whole lot’s resolved with the entire Dae scenario and Yuri comes out to her towards the previous few episodes of the season, they discover a budding friendship that is secretly simmering with queer craving. 

From a near-kiss whereas rehearsing for his or her college expertise present to the stress between them when sharing a mattress on their college tenting journey, Kitty and Yuri are all the time inches away from one another however miles other than really being collectively. By the present’s previous couple of episodes, Kitty’s relationship Dae and Yuri’s in a long-distance relationship together with her girlfriend Julianna (Regan Aliyah). Certainly not can they be collectively, however watching them evolve from enemies to pals to secret crushes could have you yelling at your display screen for in any other case. 

The push and pull between Kitty and Yuri is so magnetic that when Kitty breaks up with Dae and Julianna strikes again to Seoul, you may really feel gutted by the incessant “proper particular person, unhealthy timing” that retains plaguing their relationship. The present’s finale could have you begging for them to scream from the rooftops about how a lot they need to kiss one another, and pray for a Jane Austen–impressed confession of affection. 

XO, Kitty completely subverts its personal tropes. 

XO, Kitty wastes no time in organising each highschool romance trope attainable. There are a number of love triangles with Kitty on the core sprawling all through the present. There’s an abundance of meet-cutes. There are a number of college features gone flawed. However whereas different highschool flicks will see the identical tropes occupied by boys, XO, Kitty subverts the latter by making all of it about sapphic love — which is fairly uncommon to see in a Netflix unique present, not to mention in a derivative impressed by the final, straight highschool romance. 

Kitty begins her journey for a boy, however finally ends up realizing new issues about her sexuality by its end line. She goes by an intrinsically sapphic queer awakening (aka falling in love along with your closest lady pal), and finds her “real love” in Yuri. In that approach, the present turns its head by itself premise and surprises you with a narrative that is way more rewarding. 

Though it is an absolute pleasure to see Kitty denouncing all her potential boyfriends for Yuri, it nonetheless looks like Netflix is testing the waters(opens in a brand new tab) with XO, Kitty‘s sapphic plot twist. The present’s finale ends on a cliffhanger the place it is unclear whether or not or not Yuri and Kitty will really get collectively, and we do not ever actually see their crush attain the identical heights that different Netflix exhibits grant their straight relationships. That being mentioned, it is possible that XO, Kitty will get a second season. We will solely hope for extra sapphic abundance then. 

From a stellar Ok-Pop soundtrack to a stunning twist, XO, Kitty is a candy shot of dopamine that is simply bingeable because of its 30-minute episode run time. Come for To All of the Boys I’ve Liked Earlier than lore, and keep for a brand new story that is extra gripping than you may suppose — it is Kitty’s time to shine, and what a vibrant star she is. 

XO, Kitty is now streaming on Netflix.(opens in a brand new tab)