Maddox

***Maddox*** is an American teen comedy-drama television series created by Rosa Blackwell and Paul Ikoko. It is the fourth series in the Maddoxverse franchise and premiered on Cub Forest on June 17, 2022. It is a direct follow-up series to *All the Wrong Kids* and *Young Adults* that returns to Marshall Maddox High School and follows an ensemble cast of students at the school as they navigate their teenage years and face issues including bullying, homosexuality and homophobia, abusive households, mental illness, alcohol abuse, learning disabilities, religion and more. Some characters from previous series return as adults in recurring roles.

The series has thus far received mixed-to-positive reception, with praise for tis performances but criticism for its writing. It has been renewed for a second season, which is set to premiere on August 11, 2023.

## Main cast

* Wesley Carter as Hakeem Franklin, an openly gay basketball player and film enthusiast
* Julia Chee as Andrea Salazar, a transfer student from McCormick School who is transgender
* Samir Devani as Ehsan Patel, a cynical student with dyslexia
* Emily Leung as Kelsey Ma, an ambitious cheerleader and closeted lesbian
* Teanna Mathers as Jaz Miller, a fun-loving but self-destructive cheerleader
* Simon Olliges as Jet Webster, a mean-spirited basketball player
* Thomas J. Shapiro as Dallas Cowan, a kind-hearted basketball player with borderline personality disorder
* Brandon Whitehead as Boogie Forman, a charming basketball player who questions his sexuality
* Tanner Paige Wise as Mars Maddox, a non-binary free spirit from a conservative household
* Allison Bourne as Ellie Vanderjagt (season 2-present) a religious transfer student from McCormick School struggling with sexual trauma
* Rosalía Mejía as Lucy Suárez (season 2-present) an overachieving member of the drama club and school radio

### Season 1

> *Main article: Season 1 (Maddox)*
>
>

### Season 2

> *Main article: Season 2 (Maddox)*
>
>

## Production

### Development

A sequel series to *All the Wrong Kids* featuring Marshall Maddox High School alumni as teachers at the school and a new generation of students was in talks as early as 2018. Originally titled *Class Act*, the initial proposal was to star Robyn Brinkworth and Spencer Dillenberger reprising their roles as Anastasia Holmes and Oliver Parrish, respectively; however, Brinkworth ultimately pulled out after becoming pregnant in order to focus on her child. She remained on the series as an executive producer and was eventually replaced by Georgia Harwood reprising her role as Brynn Maple.

As the series developed, the writers switched their focus from the teachers to the new cast of students navigating their time at Marshall Maddox High.

### Casting

Like other series in the Maddoxverse franchise, *Maddox* is noted for casting teenagers rather than young adults to play teenage roles and emphasized casting unknown actors. For the first season, an open casting call went out for all nine main characters and one member of the recurring cast. Similarly, the second season also used an open casting call for the three new lead characters, as well as several recurring roles.

### Writing

Paul Ikoko served as the head writer for the show's first season. Beginning with the show's second season, Ikoko has shared these duties with Devi Kulkarni and Alex Quincy.

For the second season, the series underwent what Ikoko called "an overhaul of the writing staff", hoping to hire younger writers with a deeper insight into the struggles faced by contemporary teenagers.