Saying goodbye to Love,Victor

Love, Victor’s third, final and best season to date premieres on June 15th. Here’s a look at the impact the show had on me and what you can look forward to in its final episodes.

Season 1 of Love, Victor premiered during the summer of 2020. In the midst of a global pandemic. The one two punch of Love, Victor and Outfest was a real life saver for me as I was hunkered down in my studio apartment craving queer content. I have been no stranger to coming out stories, having watched and loved them since the 90s. When I was programming queer films for Oxford Film Festival, I would have to take care of my own bias toward those stories because they were my favorites as I had such a terrible experience coming out myself.

With Love, Victor, we really were getting something different - a family of color at its center, something we hadn’t seen at this level before, and being a TV series, there was hope that we would actually get to see what happens after a gay kid comes out of the closet.

I recently rewatched the entire series, ending with a 2nd viewing of the third season. Season 1 of Love, Victor really was a product of its time. Of lockdown, of a need for comfort stories. The Salazar family at its core is truly the heart of the show, led by Michael Ciminio as Victor. Some of the things that I loved on this second go was the fact that they didn’t shy away from the class issues at the school. I loved (and honestly forgot) the tension between Victor and Andrew (Mason Gooding) as well as the storyline with Mia’s dad (Mekhi Phifer), particularly the fact that he was one of the only black Uni professors and what that meant for his ambition and long distanced parenting over the years.

Something that was much less enjoyable to watch was how long it took Victor to end his relationship with Mia (Rachel Hilson). It’s hard to remember that these are teenagers at times, particularly with some of the dialogue they are asked to deliver, but that absolutely happens to our girlfriends I high school. I know it happened with me.

The NY episode, Boy’s Trip with Love Simon’s Bram (Keinan Lonsdale) and Simon (Nick Robinson) still stands out, with both Michael Cimino and Nick Robinson giving fantastic performances. Their conversation on the streets of NYC still makes me cry. That is followed up with Victor coming out to Felix (more tears) and everything we have been waiting for. Victor and Benji (his crush/turned eventual boyfriend played by George Sear) share a romantic kiss and Victor comes out to his family.

I was originally a little tough on the 2nd season, because I felt (and still do to some extent) that the characters didn’t earn their new arcs to get them where the writers wanted them to go. Breakups and new partnerships. Makes sense in theory, but needs a strong execution by the writers, directors and specifically the actors. However, looking at the show as a whole, I can see where many of those seeds were planted, even in season 1. Particularly Benji’s sobriety.

One of the best moments of the second season is when Victor calls out Benji for the fact that his family is white and that their response is going to be different as the coming out experience is also different for Victor as a queer person of color. That all being said, the 2nd season really belongs to Cimino and Ana Ortiz (Isabel, Victor’s mother). Watching her struggle with her faith and upbringing and the unconditional love she has for her son…it was something that I had not seen before and would never have worked outside of episodic television. It really gave the character and the writers space to explore.

Which brings us to season 3!

At the end of season 2 many of the characters are set up yet again for their new arcs. Lake clearly has a connection with Lucy (Avi Capri) , Mia may be seeing her mother! Pilar and Felix are an item, and Victor has a choice to make. Near the end of season 2 we were cursed with the incredible chemistry between Victor and Rahim ( Anthony Keyvan). Why cursed….well, Victor can’t possibly end up with anyone other than Benji right? Well, you’ll have to watch and find out. That decision and journey is really the best part of season 3.

The majority of things I want to talk about with season three involve spoilers I’ve been specifically told I can’t talk about!! At least not until June 15th!

What CAN I say? I will say that Nico Greetham shows up and he is a delight as always. I can also say that with a third season, the show is able to more deeply explore themes we just don’t get in a 2 hour movie. Queer friendship, sexual fluidity and labels, more mental health stuff, what it’s like for queer people to date, have sex - the joys and consequences of hook up culture. It’s all so great to see.

Yes…the characters can still turn on a dime for the sake of dramatic tension, and in some cases resolutions still happen within the span of 2 lines, but the younger actors are better than they were in season 1/2 and are able to handle these situations with a bit more nuance even if the writing doesn’t always.

I will absolutely miss this show and these characters, and yet I am so happy that we got to have them in our lives as long as possible.

LOVE, VICTOR premieres June 15th on Hulu and Disney+