Crew Girl

Pacing-wise, the story moves fast and doesn’t linger with one secret for too long, which keeps it easy to watch. Add in the gorgeous lakes and backdrops (the series filmed in Victoria, B.C., Canada), and it’s not hard to fall into this world. .... Where the show earns gold, however, is in its ability to bring these characters together as a team, even when they have personal drama to contend with.

While Crew Girl isn't destined for awards and mass acclaim, its warm, empathetic escapism makes it prime for cozy repeat viewings. Ultimately, Crew Girl accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do, wearing its tropes on its sleeve — along with its heart.

Of course, Crew Girl leans into YA tropes, like the prince vs. pauper-inspired love triangle. But isn’t that the point of a YA series like this one — to give people not only what they might expect, but what they want?

Crew Girl succeeds as a surprisingly earnest, wholesome teen drama that treats its sport with real heart and respect.

While the show can be endearing in flashes — and while its affection for the sport shines brightly enough that you might find yourself daydreaming about taking up an oar yourself — underdeveloped characters and an under-explored world leave it short of a transporting experience.

The love triangle lacks spark, the dialogue is stiff, and outside of Clark and, to a lesser extent, Martineau, the cast is mostly just hitting marks. There are no teeth to the rich-kid satire or real stakes to the familial subplots.

While the show has all the themes expected in series focused on teenagers and young adults, worn-down tropes hinder “Crew Girl,” leaving its cast to sleepwalk through unrealistic, contrived plot points.