Trashy Teenage Drama Still Holds Up 15 Years Later

Trash is this trashy, over-the-top show from my youth. Its humor's so dark, it'll make your eyes turn black.

I recently re-watched the first two seasons, and they're the 'canon' ones, the best, basically. They fly by in one sitting, one season at a time.

IMDB rating:

8.1Year:

2009-2013Genre:

Science Fiction, Drama, MelodramaCountry:

United KingdomRuntime:

5 seasons (38 episodes, 43 minutes each)

Description:

Teenagers gain superpowers and use them for their own twisted purposes. A crass parody of superhero movies.

Plot:

Kelly, Nathan, Curtis, Alicia, and Simon are forced to do community service for petty crimes. They're not friends, and they have nothing in common. The group is constantly at each other's throats, but during a freak storm, a lightning bolt gives them superpowers. They have no idea what to do with their new abilities, and none of them are happy about it. Their powers expose their deepest secrets and complexes, which they'd rather keep hidden.

It's essential to understand that Trash is not high-brow cinema. It's trashy, brutal, and unforgiving, with a dark sense of humor and a penchant for exploring the lowest common denominator. It's basically the same vibe as The Inbetweeners.

People with high empathy might find it really tough to watch.

Looking Back at 'Trash' 15 Years Later

I watched the show 15 years ago and now I'm completely blank on the plot. So, re-watching it was a real treat – I had no idea what was going to happen next, literally.

But I do remember being totally stoked about 'Trash'. For its time, it was super progressive.

Now, though, the show's shortcomings are really standing out to me, things I didn't notice back then:

➖ There are tons of plot holes scattered throughout, and you can't just write those off as trashy genre stuff. Those are actual mistakes on the creators' part. Some of them are kinda forgivable, but others are just infuriating. The most confusing one for me was the episode with the milkman (Season 2, Episode 6).

➖ Sometimes the trashy stuff just devolves into the characters being plain stupid. It's like they're all salty and have Down syndrome or something.

➖ Sometimes the cinematography is just weird. There are a lot of shaky-cam shots. But for a show that's 15 years old, it's not a huge deal. The Russian 'Trigge' I watched recently is still worse in terms of cinematography.

➖ Some of the conversations about reproductive organs are just way too graphic. And overall, the profanity and dirty language are just getting old, especially in the Russian dub from Kubik in Cuba. It's exhausting. It would've been way more effective if the characters just swore occasionally, rather than talking like they're constantly using profanity.

➖ I've got to say, the creators never really explained why these young delinquents, who've got superpowers like immortality, mind-reading, invisibility, the ability to drive people wild with lust, and the power to change their past, never use them for personal gain. I mean, it's not like they've never thought about using them to make some cash or escape poverty. In one episode, Newton asks this question, but if the show is pointing out its own flaws, it doesn't make it any less ridiculous.

➖ The departure of Newton from the show after the second season really threw me off. They replaced him with Rudy, but it was a poor exchange.

Newton may be a bit of a goofball, but he's always up for a good time and never loses his spark. He's like the life of the party, and his vibe is infectious - like he's got a golden heart hidden beneath his tough exterior.

Rudy, on the other hand, is a whole different story. He tries his best to be the show's comic relief, but his face always looks like he's stuck in a perpetual funk. Even his superpower of splitting into two versions of himself is a result of his mental health issues - he's got bipolar disorder or something. I've seen that same actor play a bipolar character in another show, and it's like they're typecasting him or something.

In the third season, only Newton left, but eventually, all the old cast members will start leaving, and they'll be replaced by new ones. I remember that after a while, it wasn't as interesting to watch anymore. So, I stopped after the first episode of season 3, and it was really weak. The show had become depressing and dramatic without Newton - the level of trash talk and chaos had decreased.

WHAT 'OUTCASTS' USED TO BE GOOD FOR

➕ Of course, its trash talk and dark humor. Each episode throws in a new twist that keeps you hooked until the end of the season.

➕ Ivan Reon's performance was a highlight for me. The only cast member I remembered by name, and he's a talented actor.

➕ The show's absurdity and lack of logic were a major draw for me. I love that kind of thing.

➕ I was surprised to see Tom Hiddleston's wife in one of the episodes. She's really sweet (good for him, marrying someone like that 😅)

➕ A sense of nostalgia. To be honest, this is the first show I've ever watched that really stuck with me. Re-watching it after forgetting most of the details is a whole new level of enjoyment.

Verdict

Even to this day, 'Trash' still holds up pretty well. It's a wild, illogical ride that's just fun to watch. And despite all its flaws, I wouldn't give it less than 5 stars.

I'd definitely recommend this show to fans of trashy, dark, and absurd humor, and anyone who doesn't mind a little (or a lot) of censorship 🧡