Hulu has released a first glimpse at Love, Victor. The new series serves as a spin-off of the 2018 movie Love, Simon and takes place in the same universe, just centered on different characters. Namely Victor and, as we see here in this newly released clip, someone by the name of Benji who makes a mean cup of coffee. The clip also brings with it a release date, with the show now set to premiere on June 19.
The Hulu original preview sees Victor heading into his local coffee shop to apply for a job. He’s a bit stricken when Benji is the one working behind the counter. It turns out that Benji is an assistant manager and decides to interview him right there on the spot, and shows him how to pull a shot of espresso. Things get a bit romantically tense from there, at least on one side of the equation, and a bit awkward as well. It ends on something of a bummer note, but sets some clear emotional threads that can be pulled throughout the first season.
Love, Victor was originally in development as a series for Disney+. However, it made its way to Hulu earlier this year as Disney thought it would fare better there. Love, Simon was praised for its LGBTQ representation. Over the course of a whole series, it’s easy to see how things could venture into territory that might make Disney uncomfortable when it comes to associating certain themes with its main brand. This has been a problem in recent years, as High Fidelity had to move to Hulu for similar reasons, and the Lizzie McGuire revival is on hold because Disney+ was too restrictive.
The cast is led by Michael Cimino as Victor, with George Sear as Benji. The ensemble also includes Ana Ortiz as Victor’s mom, James Martinez as his dad, Isabella Ferreira as his sister Pilar, Mateo Fernandez as his brother Adrian, Rachel and Naomi Hilson as Mia. Newcomer Mateo Fernandez is on board as Adrian. Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger serve as executive producers and co-showrunners. Aptaker and Berger also wrote Love, Simon and are behind NBC’s hit This Is Us.
Love, Victor centers on a new student at Creekwood High School, the same school from Love, Simon. Victor is on a journey of self-discovery, facing challenges at home, adjusting to a new city and struggling with his sexual orientation. Just when things start to feel like too much, Victor reaches out to Simon to help him navigate the messy waters of high school. The series will explore Victor’s colorful and complex world, from his loving family, to his new friends and first crushes.
Love, Simon earned a great deal of critical praise and was a modest commercial success. Enough so that it is getting a second life on the small screen. Love, Victor season 1 will consist of ten episodes. Be sure to check out the clip from the Hulu YouTube channel for yourself.
