If you’ve just watched Season 3, Episode 1 of My Life with the Walter Boys, or tuned in early for the Virtual Watch Party, you might need a moment to process: just before the end credits roll, Jackie (Nikki Rodriguez) and Cole (Noah LaLonde) skip the slow burn and get right into the romance.
After two seasons of will-they-won’t-they back-and-forth, Jackie tells Cole on a waterfall-side hike that they should put themselves first for once, and the two share an impassioned, romantic kiss. “So, how are we gonna do this?” Cole asks, to which Jackie replies, “I have no idea,” setting the tone for a season that’s poised to explore a bevy of unknowns throughout.
If you were surprised by how early Jackie and Cole sealed things with a kiss this season, you’re not alone. “When I read that scene, I was shocked a little bit because it was kind of the culmination of two seasons of their relationship building into this thing,” says LaLonde, who joined the virtual fan event to share his reaction and engage with fans. “But it happened kind of quickly for the season, which excited me.”
Creator Melanie Halsall isn’t shy about why she front-loaded the season’s biggest romantic swing into Episode 1. “The path of true love never runs smooth, especially in Silver Falls,” she tells Tudum, which sounds like a promise and a warning. The kiss isn’t a clean, guilt-free win for Cole and Jackie, as Jackie had previously been in a relationship with Cole’s brother Alex, and Halsall says both are carrying real weight into their tender moment. “Cole hates himself for what he did to Alex,” she explains. “He’s mortified that Alex heard [his confession of love to Jackie at the end of Season 2]. The last thing he wants to do is make it worse.”
Rodriguez, however, believes Jackie’s spent two seasons striving for perfection and being steadily dependable, and now she’s prioritizing her own desires for a change. “Jackie has never put herself first, ever. I think that manifests in her being such a perfectionist, people-pleaser all the time and not making the decisions she wants to make. For the first time this season, she starts to put herself first.”
For LaLonde, going back to the waterfall where Jackie and Cole previously saw early romantic sparks in Season 1 wasn’t just about convenient location scouting — there’s intent behind it. “It was a return to that beautiful place where they had that butterflies fluttering moment. And I love that Jackie is the one who is able to decide she’s going to say, ‘This is the time.’ And Cole’s more than happy to oblige.” LaLonde adds, “She creates an environment where he can say that he wants to be with her, and they can have what I would say is a well worth it, beautiful moment at a beautiful setting.”
Despite Episode 1’s happy conclusion, Halsall says nobody is getting off easy this season. “There was a pretty big revelation at the end of Season 2, and we can’t just ignore that. Jackie also can’t keep bouncing between two boys. How we tackle that will be a really interesting challenge, and I’m looking forward to it.”
While both heart-warming and electric, Cole and Jackie’s kiss most certainly isn’t an indicator of complete resolution, and that’ll show over the nine episodes that follow. Buckle up for a riveting ride through the rest of the season — Episode 1 was only the beginning.
Watch all of My Life With the Walter Boys exclusively on Netflix.
