A Revry original, Unconventional is a really well-liked queer dramedy that feels totally different from the usual stuff. The heart of the story is about two pretty eccentric queer siblings and their partners trying to build a family that doesn't follow the traditional rules. It takes a super raw and unfiltered look at queer life, diving deep into things like mental health, addiction, and how complicated identity and relationships can get. It’s not afraid to get messy or show people at their most vulnerable, and it really pushes boundaries while showing a lot of different queer experiences. The first season has nine episodes, and each one is about a half-hour long. The story centers on Noah, a grad student who’s been struggling for years to wrap up his PhD. He’s been with his husband, Dan, for nine years, and they’ve recently gotten married and moved to Palm Springs. While they're trying to figure out how to start a family and have a baby, they decide to shake things up by in...
Season 2 focuses less on main character Caz but in the town and its issues more. We see the struggles of town mayors modernizing the town while Maori people trying to fight for their motherland. We slowly see the town starting to get behind banning of the chemical fertilizers. We still see Cam and Jen getting along very well as friends but Jim still struggling with his true feelings for Caz. Caz's return to town and the confusion whether he will stay there long time or not causes a lot of heartache and struggle for Jim to embrace his own sexuality and role in his hyper-masculine farming community. One minute he is all in and the next day he is regretting. Caz's past (he had a boyfriend who is a famous rugby player who committed suicide) still haunts him and he is finally able to tell the truth to Jim and Anahera. Caz’s tough but empathetic childhood friend Anahera gets a much bigger spotlight, as she further embraces her Māori heritage, gets involved in (rather unorthodox) activism, and opens herself up to the possibility of finding love. We also see Caz inviting his queer activist friends come over to town to help his father with fighting for organic farming. Although, as the last episode leaves several important plot threads dangling, and ends on something of a cliffhanger, it’s clear that the creators are pretty confident they’re going back to Rūrangi in a third season.
Unlike how season 1 was combined into a film format for international audience, season 2 is more episodic in nature. It has somehow moved on from just focusing on Caz as the main character but to other characters as well like Anahera, Jem and Caz's father. It's the story of town now. Some new elements also fit in well, particularly the increased focus on the older LGTBQ+ activists’ youth outreach work. Its exploration of the stigma around depression and suicide among gay men, and the attempts of the local Māori population to confront the glorification of the country’s colonial past, also feel like timely and worthy additions. Sadly, the supernatural elements suggested at the beginning and end of the season don’t really go anywhere. There’s also a disappointing lack of closure to some of the character’s relationships. What makes Rūrangi stand out, especially in a television landscape that is still struggling with meaningful representation, is how neither of the communities depicted in the series feel slighted. Both tangata whenua and the trans community are represented thoughtfully, even-handedly, with equal amounts of dramatic heft and relatable humour. The shows feels like probably made on a small budget but somehow the show has a soul and heart and you feel something. You will not regret watching this show, as long as you keep your expectations thatches is not purely a show focusing on queer sexuality but a lot more than that. (7.5/10)
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