Frontline: Country Boys by PBS

Actors

• Chris Johnson
• Cody Perkins
• Jessica Riddle
• David Stükenberg

Format

• Color
• NTSC

Editorial Review

Remember that simpler time before The Simple Life when nonfiction television was about imparting useful information and occasionally generating pathos? Happily, some directors, like David Sutherland, are still making documentaries in that old style. Country Boys chronicles life in rural Kentucky, through the experiences of two teenagers, Cody and Chris, as they work towards diplomas from the David School–a private, alternative, Christian institution–and often a last chance at an education for many troubled kids. Chris's family, which includes an alcoholic father and disinterested mother, is dilapidated-trailer poor. Cody's life with his step-grandmother, Liz, is more comfortable, though he too has suffered; Cody's mother committed suicide when he was a baby, and his father murdered his ex-wife before turning the gun on himself.

Country Boys delivers the cringe we've come to expect from TV (there's nothing like having your elderly guardian find a used condom on your bedroom floor with cameras rolling), but it doesn't stay in that territory long. Instead, it explores that tried and true theme: “don't judge a book by its cover.” Cody, for example, is a kid with a heavy-metal look who's actually rocking for Christ. Chris, who's clean-cut and well-spoken, is far more problematic. Yes, he faces a multitude of challenges in his personal life, but his one insurmountable obstacle is his own habit of running from success. Though he's not entirely without personal victories, his future appears to fall somewhere between uncertain and grim as the third episode draws to a close.

The David School itself might be the most challenging aspect of this story for the typical, urban, PBS viewer. While the idea of an education based on Christian values won't be appealing to some, no one can doubt the dedication of the educators portrayed in this series. They literally stop at nothing–even finding Chris a place to live–to keep him on track to graduation. Following kids through high school can take a while, and some viewers will be tempted to drop out. However, those who stick with it will appreciate Country Boys as the most real reality on television. –Leah Weathersby