Netflix released the third season of "My Life with the Walter Boys" on Thursday, a year after the second season arrived on the streaming service. Ahead of the new episodes, here is what happened at the end of season 2 between Jackie, Alex and Cole.
"My Life with the Walter Boys" is often described as a teen version of "Virgin River," another Netflix drama set in a small town surrounded by dramatic scenery and lush nature. Both shows share a comforting, emotional tone, but the teen series leans even more heavily on its central romance: a love triangle that, much like the one in Netflix's "Sullivan's Crossing," remains unresolved after two seasons.
The love triangle comes to a head
After spending much of the season trying to keep the peace between the two Walter brothers, Jackie is forced to confront her true feelings. In the finale, Cole steps forward and admits he is in love with her, a confession that finally draws out the response she had been holding back.
Jackie admits she is also in love with Cole, and the two are about to kiss when the moment is interrupted by the discovery that Alex has overheard the entire conversation. The scene leaves one of the show's biggest conflicts hanging, since Jackie had secretly rekindled her relationship with Alex earlier in the season and had even told him she loved him too. That contradiction is what drives the main conflict at the start of the new season.
Jackie works out how she really feels
Series creator Melanie Halsall wanted to explore Jackie's emotional confusion following the loss of her family over the course of the season. Although Jackie feels deep affection for Alex, she comes to realize that what she feels for Cole is different, and far more intense.
The show makes clear that Jackie is not playing games with either brother, but trying to understand feelings she cannot fully control herself. Alex represents stability and the more logical choice, while Cole brings out a side of her she cannot hide.
A finale with another mystery
Just as the romantic conflict seems to take center stage, the episode introduces a completely different twist. Will is shown driving an off-road vehicle as several ambulances arrive at the scene. Something serious has happened to George, the father of the Walter family, though the episode cuts away before revealing his condition.
That cliffhanger leaves both the family's future and the outcome of the love triangle unresolved, forcing viewers to wait until the third season to learn the consequences of both storylines.
Several other subplots were also left open at the end of season 2, including the unexpected relationship between Dylan and Kiley, and the possibility that Alex might eventually realize he has always felt more than friendship for her.
