Who is Victor Salazar? A popular jock? A clueless wrecking ball? A good man? In season one he suffered the humiliations of the closet. In season two he experienced the ups and downs of coming out. The frustrating final season lowers the stakes. Victor (Michael Cimino)’s sole concern is deciding which devastatingly handsome lad to date: snarky Rahim (Anthony Kevyan), fuccboi Nick (Nico Greetham) or killjoy Benji (George Sear).
Benji was introduced as a cardboard Prince Charming. He transformed into a thoughtless jerk. Season three finally explains his erratic behavior. We watch his struggles with alcoholism, anxiety and a disapproving father. I wish the writers had developed his character sooner. It’s hard to invest this late in the tale. Will Victor choose him? The answer will disappoint half the audience either way.
Victors’ menagerie of friends kill the pacing. Their subplots are repetitive and they rarely interact with the leads. I’m guessing COVID restrictions kept them siloed off. The writers can barely fit Victor’s journey into eight short episodes. So why are we still listening to his ex-girlfriend complain about her dad?
What was Love, Victor? A romantic comedy. A coming-of-age drama. A soap opera. A midpoint between the angst of Young Royals and the joy of Heartstopper. The rushed finale never reaches the heights of prior seasons. None of Victor’s relationships have time to breathe. We never learn anything of his life outside of dating. Even so, I’m glad he got the chance to tell his story and say goodbye.
Odds and Ends
- Favorite S3 Episode: 3-5. Lucas and Diego.
- Favorite Series Episode: 2-9. Victor’s Day Off.
- Subplots I’d have cut: Andrew/Mia/Mia’s Family. At least one of the multiple Felix/Pilar arguments. Felix’s mom’s new boyfriend. Why is this gay show obsessed with straight couples?
- Characters I’d have expanded on: Victor’s brother Adrian. It’s weird that Victor rarely speaks to him. But then Victor only averages 11 minutes of screen time per episode. (Yes, I timed it.)
- Victor wants to be seen as more than “Gay Victor.” What else does he bring to the table?
- Nick’s horny antics are a highlight. They introduce some needed eros to the series.
- Rahim complains that he can’t “pass” like these other boys. Yet they’re all stylish twinks.
- Ana Ortiz remains most valuable player as Victor’s mother. Their heart-to-heart talks are lovely.
- Kooky Judy’s looks fun. How many gay bars does Shady Creek have?
- I liked learning that Mia watched Euphoria.
- The one mention of Simon felt like they were trolling the audience.
- The real estate commercial featuring Victor’s dad is weird.
- We learn all three seasons took place in the course of one calendar year. That’s hilarious.
You can find my reviews on The Avocado, Letterboxd and Serializd. My podcast, Rainbow Colored Glasses, can be found here.