The year is 2005. Tom Cruise jumps on Oprah Winfrey’s couch, Mariah Carey is in resurgence, skinny jeans and Thin Lizzy are all the rage and dial-up internet is in full swing. In the new Tik-Tok turned television series, n00b, set in Gore, high-school rugby star and future head-boy Nikau Bennett is caught writing queer fanfiction. His dark secret is revealed and thus begins his social downfall, also triggering the downfall of those around him.
Rachel Fawcett Photo: Supplied
Victoria Boult Photo: Supplied
The word ‘n00b’ is a term used in gaming circles, from the 90s, referring to someone who’s a ‘newbie’ - new to the game. It implies a lack of experience. A fitting title to describe your journey through school and the process of figuring out who you are.
Taking inspiration from the likes of Sex Education and Derry Girls, the series portrays a time when the internet was taking off and chat websites like MySpace or MSN served as an escape for many teenagers; a chance to meet friends outside your school circles.
Written by Victoria Boult and produced by Rachel Fawcett, it’s both a love letter to rural New Zealand and for Fawcett, a trip down memory lane. She was a 15-year-old in 2005. It’s an homage to both the best and worst things of the early noughties, and the emotional rollercoaster that is being a teenager.
N00b is available for streaming on ThreeNow.
