Bibliographic Information

Title: Geek Girl

Based on: Geek Girl (book series) by Holly Smale

Creators: Jessica Ruston and Holly Smale

Director: Declan O’Dwyer

Network: Netflix

Release Date: May 30, 2024

Genre

Coming of Age

Format

TV Series

Rating

TV-PG

Average episode run time

30 minutes

Reading Level/Interest Level

Books: Grades 8-11 (per Booklist)

Show: Ages 10 and older (per Common Sense Media)

Awards or Honors

None for the TV series as of the date of this post.

Episode Summary (S1, E1)

Harriet Manners is a bright, socially awkward teenage girl regularly teased and called a “geek” by her high school peers. During a school group trip to a London fashion show, she has a chance encounter with a top model scout who wants to bring her out of the shadows and into the limelight. She initially refuses his invitation, not wanting the attention or to hurt her friend Nat, who came wanting to be scouted herself. But since the story is told from Harriet’s future perspective, we know she changes her mind at some point. Could meeting the handsome model Nick Park at that same fashion show have something to do with it?

Creator Background

A prolific writer, Jessica Ruston has found success as the author of non-fiction, novels, film, and television, including Harlots on Hulu and Around the World in 80 Days on the BBC (London Screenwriters’ Festival, 2024).

British author Holly Smale’s Geek Girl YA book series is based on her own experience of being discovered by a top London modeling scout at the age of 15. Smale has written one other YA book series – The Valentines – as well the June 2023 Reese’s Book Club pick for adults, Cassandra in Reverse. Smale’s characters often reflect neurodivergent qualities, and Smale herself was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum when she was 39 (Holly Smale, 2024).

Critical Evaluation

Geek Girl invites the viewer in with first-person voice-over narration from Harriet, creating a sense of intimacy right from the start. And since it’s established in the first scene that Harriet is telling us her story from a future perspective – a story in which she goes from high school geek to high fashion model – we know we’re about to embark on quite a journey with her. This immediate closeness and the promise of a kind of Cinderella tale was a great way to hook me into the series.

Many elements common to teenage media were present here – high school cliques, social bullying, divorced parents, the one best friend – but their familiarity may make the show more accessible to teens. There was also a lot of soundtrack music woven into each scene, making it feel like an upbeat, multi-media experience. The slapshot pace of this first episode didn’t leave time to get too deep into the characters, but it was a fun, compelling introduction to the world of “geek girl” Harriet Manners.

Creative Use for a Library Program

The library could invite teens to bring clothing that best expresses their personality, values, or a statement they’d like to make, and then hold a fashion show! There could be a “step and repeat” wall for taking photos and resources for learning more about fashion history or production.

Speed-Round Talk

Harriet Manners is tired of being bullied and feeling like she doesn’t belong. But when she’s given a chance to change her life, will she let fear stand in her way, or will she grab the unexpected opportunity to show everyone how amazing she truly is?

Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation

Viewers may be watching closely for any harmful stereotypes of neurodivergent teens or may object to the perceived sexualization of a young teen girl in the modeling industry. Emphasis on the fairy-tale quality of the story, as well as the neurodivergent author’s own participation in the creation of the show, may help to dissuade any objections.

Reason for Inclusion

Though it’s not expressly stated in the first episode of this series, it seems apparent that Harriet Manners is neurodivergent, and I felt it was important to share a view of the world from her perspective. In this episode, we see her struggle with overstimulation from sights, sounds, and people, and we also see the joy and satisfaction she gets from some of her hyper-fixations (like dinosaurs). She is clearly bright, and though she frequently gets flustered and frustrated by how she is “wired differently,” she maintains a close friendship with her best friend and has moments when she tries to advocate for herself. Though the overall story of her becoming a model is like a fairytale, how she moves through the world as a neurodivergent teen is a very real experience for many.

Want to know more about Geek Girl on Netflix? Check out the Cast and Character Guide from Screen Rant!