TV Dad Review: Motorheads- Episode 1 (Prime)

Family drama and street racing collide in a small town with a big past.

After watching Flight Risk, I started to browse my TV to see what I would be watching next, and I just so happened to bump into a show called Motorheads starring Ryan Phillippe as Logan Maddox. As I watched the trailer, I immediately thought of him and the movies he has previously starred in like Cruel Intentions and I Know What You Did Last Summer. Those movies are classics, and his acting has never disappointed, so I decided to give this show a chance.

Now, if you’ve never felt like the odd man out before, Motorheads is a new YA Prime Video drama that will give you an inside look into what that is like, all while centering around the love for automobiles and racing. Additionally, the show touches on the choices that one makes and how it affects the paths that one takes. Starring Melissa Collazo as Caitlyn and Michael Cimino as Zac Torres, this pair of twins end up switching high schools halfway through the school year and leave Brooklyn with their mother Samantha (Nathalie Kelley) to move to a community in the small town of Ironwood in Pennsylvania. Having never met their father Christian Maddox, the twins are anxious to reunite with his brother, their uncle Logan, who is a mechanic (Ryan Phillippe).

The opening scene of the first episode makes me feel like I’m watching the Fast and Furious movies. The crowd consists of a mixture of pumped-up teens and adults who are anxiously waiting for the racers to show up. A red Corvette is on the scene and driven by Darren Bowers (Matt Lanter), a young teen who believes that he can beat his opponent in a race. With license plate “UNB10,” which stands for “unbeaten,” a yellow Dodge Charger appears on the scene, and I am automatically reminded that this is the same car that Dominic Toretto drove in the Fast and Furious film—though his was black. As the race begins and the drivers surpass speeds of 80 mph, the Corvette loses speed and the engine fails. At this point, we are unaware of what the bet was. Bowers, though, is highly upset with the loss and refuses to tell his friend what he lost to the legend. Cue the song “Beautiful Things” by Benson Boone, and I’m obligated to watch more.

Fast forward to present day, and Samantha is reminded of her past when she arrives in Ironwood. Her children cannot believe that she used to jump off of tall bridges in her younger days, especially since she is now an ER nurse. We then learn that Logan is not only a mechanic but an auto body painter as well, who prefers to be called an artist. After settling in at his place, Zac is quick to play video games on his PlayStation in his new room, whereas Cate is ready to learn how to fix cars like her uncle. Here, we are able to see their different personalities. Zac is not ready to give a new school—let alone a new town—a chance for a new beginning. On the other hand, Cate seems to be more open-minded about the move and tries to encourage Zac to do the same. She hopes that this move will allow her to get to know more about their father. Still, Zac asks that she not tell anybody who their father is. According to him, nobody at school should be able to figure out that they are related to Christian, especially since they do not share the same last name.

The following morning, Cate can be seen learning about mechanic work with her uncle while Zac refuses to wake up and start his day at five in the morning. The viewers then learn that Logan’s only house rule is that nobody is allowed to touch the vehicle with a car cover over it because it is off-limits. At this point, it is time for them to go to school, and the viewers can see that these high schoolers are different. They drive nice cars with custom paint jobs, so we can assume that cars will still be a central theme to this show. While Cate tries to locate her first class, she bumps into Kiara, who offers to show her around. This is very kind of her, given that kids these days do not volunteer to do things anymore. On the other hand, Marcel (neighbor) spots Zac and tells him that he can hang with him throughout the day so that he is not seen all by himself on campus. Another kind gesture from another student; however, it is evident that Zac does not want Marcel’s help but doesn’t know how to reject his offer.

When Zac meets Alicia Whitaker for the first time, the spark between them is undeniable. His locker is right next to hers, so they are going to continue to see more of each other daily. Zac wants to know more about Alicia and realizes that the best way to do that is to continue to talk to Marcel. It just so happens that Marcel works at the diner where Alicia does her homework. Though he knew he did not want to hang out with Marcel at lunch, this changes things.

Kiara introduces Cate to her friends and then invites her to Alicia’s party later that evening. A quarter-mile, ten-second race is mentioned that will take place before the party. Yet Cate is more focused on the kid (Curt) that arrives on what appears to be a homemade bike. Her eyes tell the viewer that she is intrigued by this kid, who easily ignores the unnecessary name-calling by others. When she partners up with him during shop class, they discover their mutual love for auto mechanics. Will this lead them to become something more?

It is easy to see that Logan is like a mentor to these kids—but especially to Marcel. Logan sells his Sunfire to Marcel for $350 cash, which brings such a huge smile to his face. It is clear that Marcel is a nerdy kid who lacks a proper father figure in his life and looks up to Logan. Cate, on the other hand, is very curious about the car beneath the covers and why Logan insists it is off-limits. So much so that she removes the covers and unveils an old and rusted yellow Dodge Charger. She’s instantly in awe of this car and tells her uncle that she can help repair it after she discovers that it belonged to her dad.

In the next scene change, we can see Zac on the street where the racing takes place, and he is reminded of his father, who used to race there. Without thinking, Zac reveals who his father is to Marcel, who at first does not believe him. How can the new kid be the son of a legend? Marcel then shares this news with Harris, even though Zac did not want anybody to know who his father is. After winning the race, Harris then notices that Zac likes his girlfriend Alicia. Zac cannot keep his eyes off of her. This does not sit well with Harris. He then asks Zac if he will be attending the party, to which Zac responds yes. Harris is up to something here for sure. At the party, he gathers everyone in front of a huge television screen only to play the speed chase video that was broadcast on the news when Zac’s dad robbed a bank back in the day. Humiliated to say the least, Zac and Cate decide to leave the party only to encounter a fight outside.

Did I mention that Ryan Phillippe’s son (Deacon Phillippe) stars in the show as a young Christian (driver of the yellow Charger)? As previously mentioned, I loved Ryan in his classic movies, and I actually love him in this show as well. But to be able to see him acting in the same show as his son is truly amazing. Of course, this makes me feel old, but at the same time it brings a sense of magic to the screen. The show definitely keeps you wanting more. Curt ends up giving Cate a ride, and they end up kissing on a bridge prior to the party. Does this kiss make her feel like she really likes Curt after all?

Viewers end up discovering that Christian was a part of a bank robbery gone wrong when he was younger, which is why the twins never met their father. Also, it turns out that Christian was a legend in the community due to his racing abilities. So even though the twins never met their father, everyone in town knew of him.

Overall, this truly feels like a coming-of-age show, especially because of the storyline and the great chemistry amongst the characters. The younger cast seems to be holding the show together. Scores are settled by street racing, and songs like those by Olivia Rodrigo really bring the show to life. I won’t ruin the end of the episode, but trust me when I say you need to grab your remote right now and open up your Prime app to watch this show. You won’t be able to turn it off. Until next time, stay with me.

-Lily N.