If I had to choose between The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 and Maxton Hall season 2, I would wish Conrad Fisher farewell and give a warm welcome to James Beaufort.

Maxton Hall's academic setting, on-screen chemistry between characters, and good acting made teen dramas much classier. Maxton Hall gave viewers everything they wanted and more. It follows an enemies-to-lovers story between Ruby, an ambitious scholarship student, and James, a wealthy heir. This series delves into themes such as class disparity, secrets, and love.

Season 1

Maxton Hall is a show that did enemies-to-lovers right. The first season focused on highlighting the class difference between Ruby and James. The way Ruby navigates through a school full of entitled rich kids.

Her main goal is to focus on her studies and get into Oxford. Almost every kid there wants to go to Oxford, but the only difference is they most likely have some type of connection to get them direct admission.

Ruby and James were in two different social circles until she caught his twin sister, Laydia, and Mr. Sutton having a secret affair. Laydia confides in James about this, which he then tries to buy Ruby’s silence… and she refuses.

This leads to tension, and soon after, they have to work on a charity gala together. It means forced proximity and sparks everywhere! The progress in their relationship was smoothly paced in season one because there was time to enjoy the disdain towards one another, then the banter and longing stares.

Take the Quiz: Which Sweet Home Character Are You The Most Like?

Find out which Sweet Home character you resonate with!

Season 2

Image Credit: Debby Hudson on Unsplash

Season 1 ended on a cliffhanger with their relationship standing uncertain. James tries to cope with the passing of his mother and the constant pressure his father puts on him. This causes him to become distant with Ruby and even “cheat’’ on her.

Before we all shake our heads, he was intoxicated by drugs and alcohol—not that it was an excuse, but the females took advantage of James' mental state. Ruby witnesses this at the party, and shocked and betrayed, she leaves.

Now, we witness James yearning and groveling for Ruby. And what makes this classier is that he is actually working on himself, which means therapy, standing up to his father, and showing Ruby that she is his top priority. It is not a simple begging on the knees, “I am sorry,” but work to be better because he knows Ruby deserves better and is working on himself to be what she deserves.

Not only that, but Ruby does not fold easily. She stands by her boundaries and is much more confident in herself. You can still see her yearning for him, but she knows he has to sort himself out. In season 2, we really see development and progress in the characters and relationship.

The Acting

Image Credit: Marek Studzinski on Unsplash

Damian Hardung and Harriet Herbig-Matten delivered on every single line! Every time they had an emotional scene together, it relayed all the emotions and more back to the audience. One of the scenes that really blew me away was season 2 episode 2: James returns to Maxton Hall after taking a little break, Ruby sees him for the first time after the party, and all of the emotions surface once again. She can’t get too far from him because they have to organize another charity gala.

It was interesting to watch Jame's soft gaze whenever he looks at Ruby and tries to get her attention while Ruby has this distant expression. You can see the push and pull between the two of them.

Fast forward later on in the episode, Ruby gets accepted into Oxford, and her family decides to have a nice celebratory dinner outside. Next thing you know, James exits the vehicle looking handsome as ever but apologetic. He expresses to Ruby, he can’t do this alone, dealing with his father, the business, and letting down his friends and sister. We can see his eyes welling up with tears as the rim slowly becomes red.

As for Ruby, her eyes are full of tears, but her mouth is in a straight line, like she's not willing to let her guard down but feels every ounce of James's emotion. When her lips quiver and eyebrows furrow, it adds life to the lines. It is the way they look at each other with love and hurt. The interaction was sincere, and the actors really brought it to life because you could sympathize with both of them while accepting their decision.

I honestly believe it is one of those scenes that falls into place. It is subtle yet direct, and you realize the talent it takes not to go overboard with emotions and let your features and lines do the rest of the work. It was done beautifully throughout season 2 because the chemistry and delivery immersed you in their love story.

Conclusion: The Distinction Between Classy and Awkward

Image Credit: William Krause on Unsplash

The best part of their love story that makes it so classy is how they hold themselves and each other accountable for their actions. Their love story is not a cycle of bad communication or misunderstandings. Maxton Hall can be seen as classy because it has a cool academia vibe to it with fancy students, but the real high class is in the story’s progress. It seems like movies and shows have this formula to have a rising conflict, solve it in one act, and then be happy ever after.

Maxton Hall is realistic in the sense that people need to take breaks from each other no matter how much they long for one another. It’s overall a refreshing show that has talented actors and a good plot.

Oftentimes what makes a show awkward or not “good” is the acting when it is forced and there's no chemistry between the cast. As well as, the plot not being delivered well, whether that is because it is rushed, does not make sense, toxic, or tries too hard to keep up with real-life trends. Perhaps everything Europeans do is classier.