By Callie Rogers

As I logged on to my Netflix account after a few grueling hours of homework, I was desperate for a new series to binge. It had been weeks since I had found a show worth finishing, so I scrolled to the “Top 10 TV Shows in the U.S. Today” section and searched for anything worth my free time. The vibrant colors of Brisbane, Australia in the 1980s bombarded my screen as I clicked on the trailer for the number three show on Netflix’s illustrious list, Boy Swallows Universe. I was immediately intrigued. The show’s unusual title grabbed my attention, and I took a chance as I pressed “Play.”

The cast of Boy Swallows Universe on the red carpet. Photo credit: Phoebe Tonkin’s Instagram.

Boy Swallows Universe is based on Trent Dalton‘s 2018 book. The show was released on January 11, and was directed by Bharat Nalluri, Jocelyn Moorhouse, and Kim Mordaunt. The story takes place in a rough suburb of Brisbane, plagued by the effects of drugs and drug dealing. Twelve-year-old Eli Bell, played by Felix Cameron, emerges as the protagonist of the story. Eli is extremely intelligent, devoted to his family, and passionate about anything he puts effort into. Eli lives with his older brother Gus, his mother Frankie, and his step-dad Lyle. Frankie, (Phoebe Tonkin)  is a recovering addict while Lyle (Travis Fimmel) works at a prosthetic limb company and sells drugs on the side. Consequently, Eli and Gus are deeply upset by Lyle’s drug dealing as they worry about his effect on Frankie’s recovery. 

However, Eli also becomes slightly intrigued in Lyle’s drug dealing and even begins to go on some deals with him. One night as the Bell family sits around their dinner table, their house is intruded upon by unwelcome visitors. A man unknown to Eli, Gus, and Frankie comes into their home and beats Lyle to near death before he throws him into the trunk of his car. While they do not know the man, it is clear to Eli and Gus that he has something to do with Lyle’s dealing. Frankie is beaten unconscious as she tries to save Lyle, and the boys are left helpless. Frankie is put into jail as she takes the blame for Lyle’s drug dealing, and Gus and Eli are left in the hands of their alcoholic biological father, Robert Bell (Simon Baker). Eli makes it his personal mission to find Lyle, whom he idolizes and misses immensely, and to get revenge on the dangerous men who took Lyle and put his beloved mother in prison. 

My first impressions of the show could be described in one word: chaotic. The witty dialogue and incredible performances from all the actors grasped my attention and kept me interested until the very last episode. While the plot was intense and dark at times, the characters’ lighthearted personalities added a sense of humor that contrasted the constant action and somber moments. Collegiate Senior Lily Berger (‘24) watched the show a week after it was released and enjoyed it immensely. She said, “The show was totally action packed, and I just couldn’t take my eyes away.” 

A red telephone, which has a deeper meaning later in the show. Photo credit: Netflix Australia and New Zealand via Instagram.

Boy Swallows Universe also has an unsuspected fantastical element. While the story is utterly wild, the basis of it is arguably realistic fiction. However, as the show progresses, Gus’s character, played by Lee Tiger Halley, begins to exhibit some supernatural abilities. Gus seemingly has a repeated ability to tell the future. He also has a gift in art and draws the events he sees coming before they happen. This allows the audience to earnestly and anxiously wait to see how Gus’s drawings will eventually play into Eli’s and his own life. I personally loved this aspect of the show and how it made the story feel completely different from any I have ever seen. Berger agreed, saying, “I liked the way it was clearly fictional but not too much to the point it felt unrealistic.” 

Boy Swallows Universe is an intense, yet heartwarming story with an overall theme of the importance of family. Eli and Gus encounter an abundance of dangerous situations and are forced to grow up much of their childhood without their mother, yet their love for each other pushes them past all of the dangers and conflicts they face. Margaret Lyons of The New York Times said, “they are loved, just imperfectly by imperfect people.” Boy Swallows Universe is a show with witty action and drama, but its overall message is family and how support ultimately aids people against the drastic conflicts they face. I entirely advise you to watch this series, because I have no regrets ever since I took a chance by pressing “Play.”

Featured image credit: Netflix Australia and New Zealand via Instagram.