Grand Army (TV series)

Last updated
Grand Army
Grand Army (TV series) Title Card.png
Genre Teen drama
Created by Katie Cappiello
Starring
Music by Morgan Kibby
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes9
Production
Executive producers
ProducerChris Hatcher
Cinematography
Editors
  • JoAnne Yarrow
  • Fabienne Bouville
  • Darrel Drinkard
  • Jon Otazua
  • Jessica Hernández
Running time47–72 minutes
Production companyWestward
Original release
Network Netflix
ReleaseOctober 16, 2020 (2020-10-16)

Grand Army is an American teen drama streaming television series created by Katie Cappiello that premiered on Netflix on October 16, 2020. It is loosely based on Cappiello's Slut: The Play . In June 2021, the series was canceled after one season. [1]

Contents

Premise

The series follows the lives of Joey Del Marco, Dom Pierre, Sid Pakam, Jayson Jackson, and Leila Kwan Zimmer at Grand Army High School, a public high school, in Brooklyn, New York. The students wrestle variously with challenges including rape culture, racism, sexual identity, bullying, violence, and terrorism.

Cast

Main

Recurring

  • Sydney Meyer as Anna Delaney, Joey's best friend and Tim's younger sister
  • Keara Graves as Grace, Joey's other best friend who is on the school dance team with her
  • Jaden Jordan as Owen Williams, Jayson's best friend
  • Brittany Adebumola as Tamika Jones, Dom's best friend who is on the women's basketball team with her
  • Naiya Ortiz as Sonia Cruz, Dom's other best friend, also on the women's basketball team with her
  • Crystal Nelson as Tor Sampson, Dom's other best friend who is also on the women's basketball team with her
  • Ashley Ganger as Meera Pakam, Sid's younger sister
  • Marcela Avelina as Flora Mejia, Sid's girlfriend
  • Lola Blackman as Rachel Finer, Leila's best friend
  • Lindsay Wu as Wendi, Leila's classmate
  • Tiffany Tong as Mei, Leila's classmate
  • Jennifer Tong as Su, Leila's classmate
  • David Iacono as Bo Orlov, Sid's rival teammate
  • Micah Solis as Nick Rodriguez
  • Diego Martinez-Tau as Chris Yoon
  • Cole Bullock as Dante Pierre, Dom's eldest nephew
  • Mercedes Slater as Odette Pierre, Dom's niece
  • Osias Reid as Tristian Pierre, Dom's younger nephew
  • Rachel Boyd as Natalie
  • Kelsey Falconer as Christina
  • Alex Castillo as Ms. Lisa Gonzalez
  • Jason Weinberg as Principal Michael Metta, Grand Army High School's principal
  • Katie Griffin as Rebecca Connely, Joey's mother
  • August Blanco Rosenstein as Victor Borin, an out bi student college essay tutor who helps Sid and also a classmate
  • Magaly Colimon as Antoinette Pierre, Dom's mother
  • Rod Wilson as Matt Del Marco, Joey's father
  • Ava Preston as Nina Del Marco, Joey's younger sister
  • Deanna Interbartolo as Frankie Del Marco, Joey's youngest sister
  • Michael Brown as Shawn Jackson, Jayson's father
  • Raven Dauda as Nicole Jackson, Jayson's mother
  • Geoffrey Pounsett as Mr. Knight, Jayson's music teacher at Grand Army High School
  • Lynn Weintraub as Rabbi Sadie Schultz
  • Zac Kara as Omar Biller, drama club member and assistant director to Meera's play
  • Sagine Sémajuste as Sabine Pierre, Dom's older sister

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
1"Brooklyn, 2020" So Yong Kim Katie Cappiello October 16, 2020 (2020-10-16)
A terrorist bombing outside Grand Army High School forces all the students to lock down in the school. To tease Dominique, Owen takes her wallet out of her bag and his friend Jay tosses it around, accidentally losing her money in the process. Meanwhile, Sid consoles Leila after she was bullied, and Joey is reprimanded for violating the school’s dress code. At a party, Sid attempts to have sex with his girlfriend but is psyched out and does not. Joey hangs out with Tim to blow off steam.
2"See Me"So Yong KimKatie CappielloOctober 16, 2020 (2020-10-16)
Joey rallies the school in a free the nipple protest after being admonished the day before. Sid meets up with a fellow student, Victor, to revise his personal essay and is distracted by Victor's appearance. He goes home to masturbate to gay porn. Leila awkwardly hooks up with another student, George. Dominique has trouble paying for her family’s groceries and feels awkward when her crush John Ellis offers to help her pay for them. Jayson and Owen are reprimanded for stealing Dominique’s wallet; Jayson is suspended for a week, while Owen receives a superintendent’s suspension and a hearing as he was directly responsible for taking the wallet out of the bag.
3"Relationship Goals" Darnell Martin Katie CappielloOctober 16, 2020 (2020-10-16)
Sid breaks up with his girlfriend, while Leila has a falling-out with her friend, causing her to confide in a rabbi. Joey hangs out with her usual friends, George, Luke, and Tim, though she has a flirtatious relationship with Tim. Tim's sister tells her to not have a relationship with Tim, causing her to try to distance herself from Tim by flirting with the other two. Drunk, Joey is raped by George and Luke while Tim does nothing to stop them.
4"Safety On"Darnell MartinKatie CappielloOctober 16, 2020 (2020-10-16)
Leila auditions for the school play. Dominique enters a relationship with John Ellis, and Jayson learns that his music class is already replacing Owen’s spot. Sid submits his new personal essay; his essay is now about his struggles of being a gay and Indian teenager. He asks his advisor to make sure it is kept secret. At school, Joey is easily irritated, culminating in yelling at Dominique after accidentally hitting her with a basketball. Dominique follows her and finds bruises on her legs. Tim asks if she is okay, and Luke gives her drugs to relax her. When she returns home, she tearfully admits to her mother that she was raped.
5"Valentine's Day" Tina Mabry Hilary Bettis and Katie CappielloOctober 16, 2020 (2020-10-16)
Dominique’s mother suggests marrying someone to solve the family’s financial issues, causing Dominique to try to find more ways to earn more money for her family. Owen receives a 60-day suspension after his hearing, much to Jayson’s guilt. Sid and Flora reunite and have sex. Leila is told by a student, Omar, that she is the understudy for the play, much to her disappointment. Joey goes to a hospital to get a rape kit, and George, Luke, and Tim are questioned. As rumors spread, she tells her therapist that she feels awful accusing her friends and deletes her Instagram account.
6"Superman This S**t"Tina MabryRandy McKinnon and Katie CappielloOctober 16, 2020 (2020-10-16)
Dominique is busy creating a hair product business and applying for an internship. The rabbi advises Leila to practice accountability, and she hangs out more with Omar. Jayson learns that Owen was picked to play in the All-State Performance but cannot due to being suspended. Jayson feels guilty taking Owen’s spot. Joey cries after seeing George and tells her mother that she wants to disappear. Sid and Victor bond during a science experiment and Victor tells Sid that he is bisexual. At a swim meet, Sid yells at a teammate for disqualifying them and forgets to bring his laptop with him when he leaves. Later that night, he learns that his essay was posted online.
7"Making Moves" Silas Howard Andy ParkerOctober 16, 2020 (2020-10-16)
Dominique attends her job interview and returns home to her parents preparing for her arranged marriage. Leila attempts to reconcile with the people in her life but is unsuccessful. Jayson suggests that the school host a sit-in in protest of Owen’s suspension. Joey is moved to an all-girls school so she can be in a new environment. She is angry after she learns that the rape charges on George and Luke were not being moved forward due to lack of evidence. Sid accuses his advisor and Victor for leaking his essay, but they both deny it. He realizes that it was actually his teammate who did it and punches him, but he attacks back. At the hospital, Sid comes out to his father, who refuses to believe that Sid is gay. 
8"Spirit Day"Silas HowardMing Peiffer and Lewaa Nasserdeen and Katie Cappiello & Alessandra ClarkOctober 16, 2020 (2020-10-16)
9"Freedom" Clement Virgo Katie CappielloOctober 16, 2020 (2020-10-16)
Angry at losing her part in the play, Leila sends a fake bomb threat to the school. The sit-in protest against racism is interrupted when the school is evacuated, prompting Jayson to consider a stronger way to protest Owen's suspension. Sid learns that he was accepted to Harvard and kisses Victor in joy. Dominique's family cancels the arranged marriage after seeing her hanging out with her friends, saying that she deserves to marry someone she loves. Dominique asks John to prom and he accepts. At Joey's new school, another student confides in her that she was raped as well but did not report it, and that she admires her bravery. She meets up with Tim, George, and Luke hoping that they would at least admit that they raped her, but they all deny it. When she leaves, Tim breaks his silence and yells at his friends. Joey energetically participates in an intense dance class, ignoring Tim's texts asking if she is okay. At Jayson's All-State Performance, he covers his mouth with black tape and raises his hand in silence.

Production

Development

It was announced in October 2019 that Netflix had ordered a 10-episode adaptation of Katie Cappiello's 2013 play, one that expands on the original work. The storylines are based on real life stories from her students. [2] [3] On June 17, 2021, Netflix canceled the series after one season. [1]

Controversy

On the day of the teaser release, writer Ming Peiffer stated on Twitter that she and two other writers of color had quit the project, citing racist exploitation and abuse allegations against one of the creators. [4]

Casting

It was announced Odessa A'zion would play Joey Del Marco and Amalia Yoo would reprise her role from the stage production as Leila Kwan Zimmer. Also joining the main cast are Maliq Johnson, Amir Bageria, and Odley Jean. [2]

Filming

Principal photography took place in both Toronto and New York City from May to September 2019, with most indoor scenes in Toronto and most outdoor and subway scenes in New York City. [5] [6]

Release

The teaser was released as well as first look images in September 2020, followed by a full trailer in October. Fahamu Pecou painted the promotional artwork for the posters. [7] The series premiered on October 16, 2020 with 9 episodes instead of the original order of 10 episodes. [8] [9]

Reception

For the series, review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 71% based on 14 reviews, with an average rating of 7.34/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Grand Army is an excellent showcase for its exciting cast of newcomers—even if its attempt at an honest approach to adolescence is too overwrought to make an impact." [10] Metacritic gave the series a weighted average score of 68 out of 100 based on 12 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [11] In 2021, Ashley Ganger gave an interview for Vanity Teen magazine, following her appearance on the series, talking about her personal journey and the social influence of the series. [12]

Kristen Baldwin of Entertainment Weekly gave the series a B− and described the series as "ambitious, often to a fault. Still, there are flashes of beauty—let me say again, Odley Jean is a revelation—amid the gritty teen boilerplate." [13] Reviewing the series for Rolling Stone , Alan Sepinwall gave it 4 out of 5 stars and said, "In its best moments, Grand Army enters rare air for high school shows, elevating surprisingly close to the genre's thoughtful standard-bearer, My So-Called Life ." [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joey Bragg</span> American actor and comedian (born 1996)

Joey Franklin Bragg is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his role as Joey Rooney in the Disney Channel sitcom Liv and Maddie (2013–2017).

SLUT: The Play is a 2013 American play written by Katie Cappiello. The play was developed with members of The Arts Effect All-Girl Theater Company to address the damaging impact of slut-shaming and slut culture. The creators note that their play "is a call to action – a reminder" that slut-shaming is happening every day, almost everywhere. The play premiered at the 2013 New York Fringe Festival. In 2020, SLUT: The Play was adapted into a Netflix series called Grand Army.

<i>Atypical</i> 2017 American comedy-drama television series

Atypical is an American comedy-drama television series created by Robia Rashid for Netflix. The series takes place in Connecticut, and focuses on the life of 18-year-old Samuel "Sam" Gardner, who is on the autism spectrum. The first season was released on August 11, 2017, consisting of eight episodes. The 10-episode second season was released on September 7, 2018. In October 2018, the series was renewed for a third season of ten episodes, which was released on November 1, 2019. In February 2020, it was renewed for a fourth and final season, which premiered on July 9, 2021.

<i>Alexa & Katie</i> Netflix original sitcom

Alexa & Katie is an American sitcom created by Heather Wordham as a Netflix original series. Matthew Carlson serves as showrunner. The series stars Paris Berelc and Isabel May as Alexa and Katie. Alexa is a high schooler suffering from cancer. Her best friend, Katie, helped her every step of the way. Katie even shaved her head for Alexa. Jolie Jenkins, Emery Kelly, Eddie Shin, Finn Carr, Tiffani Thiessen, with Jack Griffo also star. The series debuted on Netflix on March 23, 2018, and ran for four parts, concluding on June 13, 2020.

<i>Raising Dion</i> American superhero science fiction television series

Raising Dion is an American superhero drama television series that premiered on October 4, 2019 on Netflix. It is based on the 2015 comic book and short film of the same name by Dennis Liu. In January 2020, Netflix renewed the series for a second and final season which premiered on February 1, 2022.

<i>On My Block</i> American television series

On My Block is an American teen comedy-drama streaming television series, created by Lauren Iungerich, Eddie Gonzalez, and Jeremy Haft. The first season, consisting of ten episodes, was released on Netflix on March 16, 2018. On April 13, 2018, the series was renewed for a second season and it premiered on March 29, 2019. On April 29, 2019, the series was renewed for a third season which premiered on March 11, 2020. On January 29, 2021, the series was renewed for a fourth and final season which premiered on October 4, 2021.

Sex Education is a British teen sex comedy drama television series created by Laurie Nunn for Netflix. It follows the lives of the teenagers and adults in the fictional town of Moordale as they contend with various personal dilemmas, often related to sexual intimacy. It stars an ensemble cast that includes Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey, Connor Swindells, Kedar Williams-Stirling, Alistair Petrie, Mimi Keene, and Aimee Lou Wood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Elordi</span> Australian actor (born 1997)

Jacob Elordi is an Australian actor. After moving from his hometown of Brisbane to Los Angeles in 2017 to pursue an acting career, he gained prominence through his role as Noah Flynn, the bad boy love interest of the The Kissing Booth film trilogy (2018–2021) on Netflix. He also became known for his main role as the troubled high school football player Nate Jacobs on the HBO teen drama series Euphoria (2019–present).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katie Cappiello</span> American dramatist

Katherine "Katie" Cappiello is an American playwright, director, feminist, teacher, activist and public speaker best known for her plays Slut and Now That We're Men. Gloria Steinem called Slut "truthful, raw and immediate!" and David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker called it "vital, moving, and absolutely necessary". Cappiello is the creator, writer and executive producer of Grand Army.

<i>Love Alarm</i> 2019–2021 South Korean web television series

Love Alarm is a South Korean streaming television series starring Kim So-hyun, Jung Ga-ram, and Song Kang. Based on the Daum webtoon of the same name by Chon Kye-young, it follows the life of a high school girl in a society greatly influenced by a mobile app capable of notifying whether someone within their vicinity has romantic feelings for them.

Elite is a Spanish teen drama television series, created for Netflix by Carlos Montero and Darío Madrona. The series is set in Las Encinas, a fictional elite high school and revolves around the relationships between three working-class students enrolled at the school through a scholarship program and their wealthy classmates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Dong-hee (actor)</span> South Korean actor

Kim Dong-hee is a South Korean actor under NPIO Entertainment. He is best known for his acting in hit Korean television series such as Sky Castle (2019), Itaewon Class (2020), A-Teen (2018), A-Teen 2 (2019), and Netflix's original series Extracurricular (2020).

<i>The Kissing Booth 2</i> 2020 film by Vince Marcello

The Kissing Booth 2 is a 2020 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Vince Marcello and written by Marcello and Jay Arnold. As a direct sequel to the 2018 film The Kissing Booth and the second installment in the Kissing Booth trilogy, the film stars Joey King, Joel Courtney and Jacob Elordi.

<i>Ragnarok</i> (TV series) Norwegian fantasy television series

Ragnarok is a Norwegian fantasy drama television series reimagining of Norse mythology from Netflix. It takes place in the present-day fictional Norwegian town of Edda in Hordaland, which is plagued by climate change and industrial pollution caused by factories owned by the local Jutul family. The Jutuls are actually four jötnar posing as a family. They are challenged by Magne, a teenage boy who is surprised to learn that he is the reincarnation of Thor, the Norse god of thunder. He begins to fight against those who are destroying the town after his friend dies under mysterious circumstances. In the second season, he is joined by more people who embody other Norse gods.

<i>Blood & Water</i> (South African TV series) South African television series

Blood & Water is a South African teen crime drama television series developed by Gambit Films for Netflix starring Ama Qamata, Khosi Ngema and Gail Mabalane. Set in Cape Town, the series follows a girl who transfers to an elite school when she suspects one of the students may be her sister, who was abducted as a baby.

<i>The Kissing Booth</i> (film series) Film series

The Kissing Booth film series consists of American teen-romantic comedy films developed and released as Netflix original films, exclusively for the streaming service. Based on the novels written by Beth Reekles, the plot centers around Rochelle "Elle" Evans, and the complications that arise when she begins dating her best friend's older brother. The series explores the teenage experiences of high school, popularity, dating, and friendship.

Odessa Zion Segall Adlon, also known as Odessa A'zion, is an American actress. On television, she is known for her roles in the CBS series Fam (2019) and the Netflix series Grand Army (2020). Her films include Hellraiser (2022), The Inhabitant (2022) and Sitting in Bars with Cake (2023).

Amir Rathaur-Bageria is a Canadian actor who began his career as a child actor. He is known for his television roles in Degrassi: Next Class and Grand Army.

Maliq Akil Johnson is an American actor. He is known for his role as Jayson Jackson in the Netflix series Grand Army. His films include Little Boxes, Little Men, and Knucklehead.

<i>Young Royals</i> Swedish teen drama series

Young Royals is a Swedish teen drama romance streaming television series on Netflix. Set at the fictional elite boarding school Hillerska, the plot primarily follows the fictional Prince Wilhelm of Sweden, his romance with fellow student Simon Eriksson, and the drama which results.

References

  1. 1 2 Petski, Denise (June 17, 2021). "'Grand Army' Canceled After One Season At Netflix". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  2. 1 2 White, Peter (October 21, 2019). "Netflix Adapts Katie Cappiello's Play 'Slut' As Drama 'Grand Army' With 'House of Cards' EPs Joshua Donen & Beau Willimon, Odessa A'zion Leads Cast". Deadline. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  3. Jones, Marcus (September 2, 2020). "NYC teens strive to feel seen in first look at Netflix drama Grand Army". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 10, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  4. Chilton, Louis (September 3, 2020). "Grand Army: Three writers quit Netflix series due to 'racist exploitation and abuse'". The Independent. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  5. Cundu, Tamal (October 16, 2020). "Where Was Grand Army Filmed?". The Cinemaholic. Archived from the original on October 25, 2020. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  6. Young, Michelle (October 27, 2020). Filming Locations for Grand Army on Netflix. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2020.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  7. "Grand Army - In the Studio with Visual Artist Dr. Fahamu Pecou - Netflix". YouTube. October 9, 2020. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  8. Jones, Marcus (September 2, 2020). "NYC teens strive to feel seen in first look at Netflix drama Grand Army". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  9. Blistein, Jon (October 6, 2020). "Brooklyn Teens Ride the Highs and Lows of Adolescence in 'Grand Army' Trailer". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  10. "Grand Army: Season 1 (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  11. "Grand Army: Season 1". Metacritic . Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  12. Ashley Ganger: we need more representation Archived 2021-06-05 at the Wayback Machine 19 February 2021. Vanity Teen.
  13. Baldwin, Kristen (October 7, 2020). "Netflix's teen drama Grand Army is grim to a fault: Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  14. Sepinwall, Alan (October 13, 2020). "'Grand Army': The Kids Are Not Alright". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on October 13, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2020.