Finally stepping into the spotlight, Lara Jean’s (Lana Condor) fan-favorite younger sister Katherine Song Covey (Anna Cathcart), or Kitty to her friends, stars in her own Netflix rom-com. Released May. 18, the “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” (TALBILB) spinoff “XO, Kitty” consists of 10 30-minute episodes following Kitty on her journey of moving to Korea. Hoping to become closer to her late mother and be in the vicinity of her long-distance boyfriend, Dae (Minyeong Choi), Kitty chooses to attend the Korean Independent School of Seoul (KISS), her mother’s alma mater.

When she first debuted in “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before,” Kitty’s character was loved by many. Initially characterized by unique charm and wit, Kitty served as comedic relief to the trilogy and helped assist in the plot movement. However, her prior allure was replaced in “XO, Kitty” with a protagonist overly obsessed with relationships and exhibiting Generation Z teenagers’ stereotypical traits. Along with this, the show portrays several unrealistic scenarios, such as the majority of the characters alluding to having current or future relationships with Kitty.

Additionally, the show follows the same vibe as TATBILB, causing it to become even more monotonous through its use of recurring plot devices like fake relationships and matchmaking. It even attempts to recreate Peter (Noah Centineo), Lara Jean’s love interest in TATBILB, and Lara Jean’s iconic relationship. Most notably, fans notice how Peter’s frequent use of Lara Jean’s last name as a nickname is reused in Kitty and Min Ho’s (Sang Heon Lee) relationship. Although the similarities between the two Netflix originals occasionally serve as a sweet tribute, it is overtly displayed throughout the show, leaving viewers to wonder if this truly is Kitty’s story or just another subpart of Lara Jean’s. 

kitty and minho are so lara jean and peter coded #XOKitty pic.twitter.com/ttUUvrfhaA

— (@shanxeditss) May 19, 2023

“XO, Kitty”‘s ability to successfully address and depict the issues many youth confront, namely the struggle to identify one’s sexuality, is its lone saving grace. Since Kitty has always felt an attraction to men, the feelings she now starts having with Yuri (Gia Kim), a girl she recently met, are unusual to her. She struggles with her perceived image and suppresses these emotions by denying them. Many teenagers often struggle with this as they strive to understand their sexuality, creating a somewhat realistic portrayal that has a lasting impact on its target audience. The show depicts a variety of sexualities and relationships, whether between Kitty’s friends Q (Anthony Keyvan) and Florian (Théo Augier Bonaventure) or the forbidden love between Yuri and Juliana (Regan Aliyah), allowing the audience to see a variety of relationships.

Despite the few positives of “XO, Kitty,” the chaotic plotline and subpar voiceovers drag the show’s quality, making it a mediocre spinoff that tarnishes the TATBILB franchise. Unfortunately, the lousy performance and inability to keep the voiceovers consistent add to the frustration of its viewers. The lack of creativity and the rising cliches employed throughout the series force viewers to lower their expectations, resulting in “XO, Kitty” being a hard miss.

1.5/5