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Teenage Bounty Hunters: the Good, the Bad and the Bisexual

bounty hunters poster

You know we’re always on the look out for new lesbian content. So when Teenage Bounty Hunters came across the radar with a rumored lesbian storyline, there was no way we’d miss that. Does its kick ass title live up to expectations or are you better off skipping this one like some of the bounties that skipped their court dates? Read on for our review of Teenage Bounty Hunters.

What’s Teenage Bounty Hunters About?

The show follows twin sisters Sterling and Blair as they navigate high school in rich, conservative town. When they accidentally help seasoned bounty hunter Bowser with a bounty, they decide to make it their new extracurricular activity. It’s not exactly something their religious parents would approve of. They live their secret double lives while going through the usual teenage dilemmas. As if things weren’t complicated enough, Sterling realizes she likes girls just as the sisters find out their mom has secrets of her own. 

The Good

Did I mention the kicks ass title already? It’s straight to the point and tells you exactly what it’s about. Where else have you heard of a pair of teenage twin girls who accidentally discover they have a knack for bounty hunting? And they’re surprisingly good at it, too. Their mentor, Bowser, is a seasoned bounty hunter who has seen too much and prefers to work alone. The found family aspect of this show was heartwarming. Those girls softened his old heart like the frozen yogurt he sells.

Speaking of the girls, despite being twins, Sterling and Blair have very distinct personalities. It causes enough friction to make the show interesting while also weaving in this telepathic twin thing they often rely on to make decisions together. But what about the lesbian? We get that in April Stevens, Sterling’s frenemy turned kind of, sort of, girlfriend. April’s struggles are relatable, and you’ll find yourself sympathizing with her despite her questionable actions. At one point she talks about her intense relationships with female friends, commenting how had she crushed on some of them. And what lesbian hasn’t had that experience? The pair share a few sweet moments that really made me wish I wasn’t such a dweeb in high school and so I might’ve had a girlfriend to love like that.

The So-So

The show’s humor can be hit or miss. When it hits, the comedic timing is on point. But when it misses, you might be left with a feeling of secondhand embarrassment. And being mainly comedy show, there are a lot of jokes to look forward to. The show also has its fair share of plot twists. But, at times it can feel like you’re watching a telenovela because they came one after another. Speaking of weird pacing, the relationship between Sterling and April seemed to have come out of thin air. One moment they hate each other, the next we find out Sterling has a crush on her after spending a good chunk of the first few episodes talking nonstop about her boyfriend. But once it gets going, they make a cute couple.

The Bad

Having said that, Sterling and April do not get a happy ending at the end of the first season. Sterling pushes April to come out before she’s comfortable enough to do it. One thing to remember is that she’s a 16-year-old girl going to a Christian high school, in a conservative town, and her father is openly homophobic. Why would she come out when she knows goddamn well it’s not safe for her to do so? It’s frustrating to watch Sterling completely miss that point.

The show could have played off the fact that straight people are always going “they’re just gals being pals,” and given us an abundance of jokes at their expense. But no. Instead, they break up. And April forces herself to flirt with Sterling’s ex, while Sterling finds an ounce of comfort in that same ex. Speaking of our teenage bounty hunter, it is beyond me why Sterling will say it every other way except, “I’m bisexual.” She seems to grasp the concept. She accepts that she likes boys and girls. But for some reason she can’t say the word “bisexual.” April was at least able to say she’s a lesbian.

But perhaps my biggest beef with the show is the same beef I have with nearly every other teen show. It is entirely too sexualized to be a show about 16-year-olds. Mind you, this show has a TV-MA rating. For good reason, too! The first scene is Sterling and her boyfriend having sex in a car. And that’s not the first time. We see the same for Blair and her boyfriend later in the show. That’s not even the worst of it. There is a scene where Sterling finds herself alone after April grabbed her arm. She uses this memory along with a vibrator her sister gave her to have her first orgasm. It felt wrong seeing that on screen. So much so that as soon as I realized what was going on, I skipped ahead. There’s absolutely no good reason to hyper-sexualize teens this much.

The Bottom Line

It was no Derry Girls, I’ll tell you that for nothing. While the parts between April and Sterling are cute, I fast forwarded through too much to feel good about recommending it. In fact, I did find myself wishing I had watched Derry Girls instead. So they don’t do any bounty hunting and Clare doesn’t have a girlfriend. I am entirely fine with that because the sheer amount of chaotic energy of that show made it hilarious. And more importantly, the teenagers aren’t hyper-sexualized. So if you’re looking for teens getting into shenanigans and a great coming out scene, head to Derry. But what about the bounty hunting and found family aspect, you ask? Though it has no lesbians, I’d recommend The  for that. I’d rather watch Mando and Baby Yoda become a family than suffer through hyper-sexualized teen shows and lesbians once again getting a sad ending.

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