“Maxton Hall: The World Between Us” is adapted from the book ‘Save Me’ by Mona Kasten. It is a story about a scholarship student, Ruby, who attends a prestigious school filled with wealthy kids. James, the second protagonist, is arrogant because of his family name, money, and the power that comes with it. Ruby prefers to be invisible as she has a dream to get into Oxford, but her plans fail when she witnesses something she should not have. James gets involved, which makes Ruby’s life difficult for a while until they learn about each other. The show is about young adult behavior, the power of the wealthy, and, most importantly, love of all kinds.
This article contains spoilers.
Maxton Hall: The World Between Us (Season 1) Review:
“Maxton Hall: The World Between Us” is a young adult series that has an enemies-to-lover theme. The series explores the drastic difference in the class system by portraying the power of the wealthy versus ordinary people to achieve the same goals. For a show that thrives on extreme emotions, from love to revenge, our protagonists don’t know how to emote on a lot of occasions, confusing the audience. This is seen especially in the initial scenes where Ruby and James are getting close to each other. Ruby’s face would show happiness, although her body language and actions say otherwise. James, on the other hand, has a poker face for the most part, with smiles and laughter occasionally, which is short-lived.
The show also has a clichéd storyline that we have seen numerous times. A rich boy falls in love with an ordinary girl, and the rich boy’s family is against it. The school storyline for the Young Adult genre is also very typical: girls who want the famous boy but are jealous because of a studious girl, bullying, and more. The show did manage to give a vibe of the Victorian era, especially in the London scenes, with the set and costume design that carried the show. The story tries to portray the lead characters’ vulnerabilities and how they navigate to better themselves with time.
Maxton Hall: The World Between Us (Season 1) Episode 1 “Under the Radar” Recap:
The season begins with James Beaufort waking up half-naked on his bed. James meets his friends by the pool, who describe him as every girl’s dream man. James and his friends are having a blast until Lydia Beaufort (James’ sister) comes with bad news. Lydia is weeping and tells James that she is caught and that if their parents find out, she is done for it, and it is all because of Ruby Bell. In a flashback to 4 hours earlier, we see Ruby, immersed in a book on a bus, crossing paths with her philosophy professor, seeking a recommendation letter for her Oxford University aspirations, who is happy to help.
How will James rectify Lydia’s mistake?
Ruby goes to Maxton Hall, a private school filled with wealthy kids from powerful families across the world. Ruby is a scholarship student at Maxton Hall and has managed to stay invisible through the years to avoid wrongdoing, which will become an obstacle to her chances of attending Oxford. However, her anonymity is shattered when she stumbles upon Lydia and Professor Sutton making out. Ruby is shocked and walks away to a meeting. Ruby chairs the event planning committee. James Beaufort has only one goal in mind, and that is to stop Ruby Bell from speaking about the incident.
James has a word with Ruby and tries to buy her silence, but Ruby throws the money in front of him and leaves. Ruby works hard to earn money as she has a father in a wheelchair because of an accident, and she is saving money to buy a stair lift for her father. Ruby does not come from a wealthy family but a happy one. The next day, Ruby does not take the recommendation letter from Sutton as she fears that if matters about his personal life get out, his recommendation won’t be worth anything to her. Ruby decides to ask the headmaster, Lexington, for a recommendation.
James’ paranoia
James makes another attempt to keep Ruby from speaking of the incident. Interestingly, James thinks he is the most desired man for any woman, and he can sleep with Ruby to keep her mouth shut. However, Ruby asks James to stay away from her. James plays for the Lacrosse team, and Ruby is at the game to get a chance to speak to the headmaster. A lacrosse team member named Alistair is benched for hitting an opposition team player.
Alistair and Ruby have a pleasant conversation, but James watches them from the field and is distracted as he assumes Ruby is talking about Lydia and Sutton. Ruby speaks to the headmaster, who asks her to do an excellent job at the welcoming party, and he will write her a recommendation. After the lacrosse game, James asks Ruby what she wants with Alistair and insults her by saying she is not rich or powerful, so no matter what her plans are, it isn’t going to work.
James’s sabotage
It is the day of the welcoming party, and everything is going smoothly. Sutton speaks to Ruby alone and clarifies that he met Lydia before school and such a mistake will never happen again. James captures their photo secretly. The headmaster is impressed with Ruby’s work, but it is short-lived. A music number starts, and strippers start performing. Ruby is unable to manage the situation as she is in a state of shock. Thanks to her friends Lin and Kieran, she is brought back to reality, and she handles the situation. Ruby knows it is James’ work, and she is disappointed.
The headmaster calls Ruby and James to reprimand them. James was caught bribing the DJ to play the music, and as a punishment, he was off the lacrosse team for a while. Ruby has not yet received her recommendation letter but will get another chance to prove herself at the donor’s gala. The headmaster wants to know if something is going on between them or if it is just a prank. Ruby clarifies that nothing is going on, which is surprising to James. Unfortunately for them, the headmaster asks them both to work together for the gala. James and Ruby start arguing, but they are kicked out of the room. Ruby is not afraid of James, and James is ready to wage a war.
Maxton Hall: The World Between Us (Season 1) Episode 2 “Noblesse Oblige” Recap:
The episode begins with advice from James’s father to young James. To win, one must wait for the opponent to make a mistake and let their guard down, making them feel like they only have one course of action. The adult James believes pride is considered one of the seven deadliest sins, but it is the only helpful emotion as it indicates status. An anecdote from James’s young life and his belief system set the tone for the episode.
James’s idea for the gala
Meanwhile, the event team wrestles with Kieran’s bizarre black-and-white theme proposal for the upcoming gala. James is with the lacrosse team when the coach asks him to leave and attend the event team meeting. James, in his usual demeanor, reminds the coach that his family runs the place and he should be careful. However, the coach gives James the bad news that his father is the reason for James’s suspension.
Furious, James vows to make Ruby’s life miserable. But Lydia warns him against provoking Ruby. James, however, ignores her advice. At the meeting, baffled by Kieran’s concept, James proposes a Victorian theme, complete with a detailed sketch for the poster. The team is impressed, and the Victorian theme is a win. One obstacle remains: finding a costume for the poster. The Beauforts, renowned for their impeccable collection, seem like the perfect solution. Lin and Ruby play a game to see who must approach James. Ruby loses and asks James for the favor but is turned down.
Undeterred, Ruby seeks help from her talented sister, Ember Bell. Though uncertain due to the tight deadline, Ember dives headfirst into creating a magnificent gown. Ruby sends photos of Ember at work in the events group before ironing the dress. Ruby gets distracted with messages and does not realize the dress is burning. Once she smells the burn, she puts out the fire, and the dress is ruined.
Ruby’s outburst
At a tense family meeting, James is unveiled as the new face of the “Young Beaufort” initiative, a concept Lydia seems suspiciously familiar with. The cracks within the family begin to show. At school, during an Oxford class discussion, Ruby hits a sore spot when she tells James that people will never be interested in him because of who he is and only because of his money. Ruby says these things in retaliation for his statement that money is the only important thing. James is triggered, and he walks out of the class. Lydia and Sutton meet, and Sutton ends things with Lydia. Sutton tells her that her father may be a shitty parent, but he is a great businessman, and he will recognize her talents. Sutton believes that because the “Young Beaufort” turns out to be Lydia’s idea.
Ruby and James make amends
James is frustrated, and he warms up on the lacrosse field. Following a conversation with her father, Ruby seeks James out, offering a heartfelt apology. She acknowledges his brilliance regarding the gala theme and admits her lack of knowledge about who he truly is. James is moved, and he checks on her about the gown and laughs after hearing that it burned.
As James sketches Ruby, his father interrupts, dragging him off to a business meeting. It’s the Ellington’s, the final investors they need. James’s father also has an ulterior motive: a potential marriage between James and Elaine Ellington to solidify their empire. James does not feel good about it as, for the first time in his life, he is able to see the grey areas of life. After the game, James checks on Ruby and offers to take her to London to check for Victorian gowns. James is already waiting for her out front.
Maxton Hall: The World Between Us (Season 1) Episode 3 “Exposed” Recap:
The episode starts with Ruby scrambling to pick the right outfit for her London trip. James waits in the car while Percy updates Ruby’s mother on their journey. As they head to London, Ruby and James are awkward. To break the tension, Ruby brings up the rumors she’s heard about James. In turn, James learns a secret about Ruby: she’s the first in her family to attend college and dreams of going to Oxford. James admires her enthusiasm.
Arriving at Beaufort, Ruby is captivated by everything around her. She gets the photo she needs for the poster, and everyone on the event committee realizes Ruby is with James in London. James urges her to wear the dress as she may never get a chance again. Ruby agrees, but on the condition that James wears a Victorian suit, too. Once dressed, Ruby descends the stairs, stunning James with her appearance. They dance together, take pictures, and are about to kiss when James’s father, Mortimer Beaufort, walks in. Mortimer insults Ruby, and she realizes her place in the world. Ruby does not ride with Percy but takes a train back home.
Ruby is no longer invisible
Ruby is low throughout the day, and her family is unsure how to deal with her. At school, she’s confronted with a giant poster featuring her and James. Ruby’s anxiety peaks, leading her to recall a traumatic childhood incident when she nearly drowned. Ruby is unhappy and tells James she prefers being invisible. She asks him to go back to how things were before London.
Ruby starts projecting her frustration on Lin, her only real friend. She tells Lin that if her father hadn’t lost money, she wouldn’t have also been her friend. The school is curious to know what is happening between Ruby and James. Ruby comes home to find her father crying over the spilled food. She hears a noise outside and finds James waiting for her. James tells her he cannot and does not want to go back to how things were. He reminds her that she is no longer invisible, which is good because she is special. James invites her to his friend Cyril’s party, but Ruby declines. A package arrives from Beaufort, the same dress she had seen in London. James sent the dress and asked her to wear it for the gala.
James takes care of Ruby
The following day, Ruby reconciles with Lin, who advises her to embrace her newfound visibility and make the most of it. She tells her to be seen, mess up, and get back again, and then people will stop talking about her. Meanwhile, James attempts to stand up to his father, but to no avail. At Cyril’s party, Ruby encounters Lydia, who warns her not to hurt James or face consequences.
Ruby and James let loose and dance, but their little dance party ends as Elaine purposefully throws alcohol at Ruby. Ruby waits by the pool for James when Cyril throws Ruby inside the pool. James realizes she is drowning and rescues her. In the car, Ruby tells James that when she was little, Ruby went on a boat ride with her father and didn’t know how to swim yet. Ruby’s toy fell inside, and in an attempt to get it, she leaped out of the pool and started to drown. Ruby’s father dived to rescue Ruby when another boat passed by. Ruby blames herself for her father’s condition, hugs James, and cries. Ruby fell asleep on James’s lap, but they reached her house. Percy is awaiting orders, but James sheds a drop of tears, saying he has no idea what he is doing.
Maxton Hall: The World Between Us (Season 1) Episode 4 “The Moment of Truth” Recap:
The episode opens with a dream sequence. Ruby has a wild dream about getting intimate in the car with James. However, the dream becomes a nightmare as other students record the scene with their phones. On the way to school, Ruby flirts with James over text messages and shares her nervousness about people’s reactions in school. James, waiting for her at the bus stop, advises her to be nonchalant as that’s the Beaufort way. Ruby takes his advice seriously by using it to evade people gossiping about her. Ruby realizes James has missed playing the game as he watches the team.
Lydia’s life is falling apart
Elaine is trying to get more information about James and Ruby through Lydia. Lydia’s misery is not over yet, as Mortimer asks her the same questions as Elaine. Lydia feigns ignorance about the matter, but Mortimer is clear that Lydia needs to warn James not to get involved with the wrong sort, as James is paving the way for them both by becoming the Junior CEO. Lydia relays the message to James, who promises her everything is under control but shows his annoyance towards Lydia by saying at least Ruby is not his teacher.
Lin is also curious about what happened, and Ruby confides in her. James is diligently helping the event committee with the arrangements for the gala. Lin spills the beans by revealing Ruby’s birthday is the next day, and he promises to be on time. Kieran makes a mess, does not understand Ruby’s requirements clearly, and brings live partridges to the party.
Lydia confronts Sutton after she watches him having a great time with Professor Pippan, who is also Sutton’s ex. Sutton emphasizes that it has been the plan to pretend as if nothing has happened. Sutton loves Lydia but cannot take her away from her family or her position at Beaufort. Frustrated, Lydia tells him he has no clue what she wants. James seems happier until he gets home and has to practice his speech for the new collection launch for Beaufort. Mortimer pressures him to choose between his feelings and his family’s legacy.
James and Lydia take a bold step
Ruby receives a beautiful Beaufort bag and a sketch of herself from James for her birthday. Meanwhile, Lydia expresses her unhappiness to James, lamenting about always being people’s second choice. James wishes they could trade places. Furthermore, he confides in Percy for advice on his life’s predicament. Percy tells him that pain is good because it means he is ready for change. James gets a message about partridges flying around on the school campus and rushes to help.
Ruby and James have a heart-to-heart conversation where James shares that he does not want the company or anything, and she is right in her judgment that he is nothing other than his name. However, James does not know what he wants either. Ruby asks him to follow his intuition in such difficult times. James apologizes as he won’t be able to attend her birthday or the gala. Ruby takes a step to help James find happiness. Ruby meets Lexington and asks to reduce James’s suspension. Lexington agrees if the gala goes smoothly.
The day of the gala is here, and Ruby wears the dress James has given her, and she looks stunning. Lydia and James realize that their lives will be ruined if they don’t take a step now. They make an instantaneous decision, and James attends the gala while Lydia goes to the launch. A power outage disrupts the gala, leading to a passionate kiss between James and Ruby.
Maxton Hall: The World Between Us (Season 1) Episode 5 “In the Eye of the Storm” Recap:
The episode continues where it left off, with Ruby and James kissing. Mortimer puts an end to their passion and lies to Ruby that the party is a mess and that she needs to fix the problem. Mortimer then takes James and Lydia home. Before their departure, Sutton watches Lydia transfixed next to her car and realizes something is wrong. At home, Mortimer yells at both Lydia and James for their behavior. James has had enough of it and cannot hear a word against Ruby.
Mortimer hits James, but Percy comes in to avoid more violence. Mortimer resorts to a cruel tactic – blackmail. He threatens to destroy Ruby’s future at Oxford and her family if James doesn’t sever all ties with her. On the other hand, Ruby gets her recommendation letter from Lexington. With a heavy heart, James makes the painful decision to walk away from Ruby. James and Lydia put on their nonchalant faces and behave like their old selves.
Heartbreaks
Ruby and James walk the hallway, and James ignores Ruby, causing confusion among the other students. James focuses his attention on Lacrosse. Sutton meets Lydia and confesses his love for her. Sutton also promises to run away with her, and they kiss. They decide to meet at a café soon and plan the escape. Ruby, heartbroken and bewildered, confronts James. James feigns indifference, claiming it was nothing but a fling. It’s a painful lie, but James is desperate to protect her future. Elaine does not make Ruby’s life any better as Elaine mocks Ruby. Ruby remembers James’s advice on nonchalance and walks away with her head held high.
At home, Ruby’s parents find money Ruby has been saving for a stair lift. They ask her not to burden herself with it as it is their responsibility. Ruby lashes out, saying she wants to contribute, considering she is responsible for her father’s condition. James is drinking through his pain and seeking comfort from his mother. Unfortunately for him, his mother chose to live unhappily, having to make difficult choices herself.
Ruby returns the Beaufort to James with a message that reads, “Fuck you, James.” Lydia tells James that her love story with Sutton began with emails, and they fell in love before they knew each other’s names or saw each other’s faces. At that time, Lydia only knew Sutton was a teacher in training, but after Sutton got a job at Maxton, they knew their relationship couldn’t go on. The time Ruby caught them was a relapse. The siblings have a heartfelt conversation and hug their miseries away.
Ruby gets an invite from Oxford
Ruby has decided to move on, and she continues her work with the event committee. James is trying to cope as best as he can. Beaufort family is having pictures taken, but James is lost in Ruby’s thoughts, and Lydia is late to meet with Sutton. The next day, Sutton and Lydia run into each other, but Lydia is professional towards him. Ruby and her father have a deep conversation, and they realize that their family is not good when it comes to talking about their feelings. However, Ruby’s outburst gives them a chance to talk about their life.
Ruby gets an invite from Oxford, and she is thrilled. James is packing to get to Oxford as well. James is annoyed with his mother, as she feels she knows what she’s doing by giving him an opportunity like this. Meanwhile, Lydia carries a burden, a pregnancy that she keeps hidden. Ruby joyously walks into Oxford, gets inside her dorm, and looks back to see James getting into the opposite dorm. Ruby panics, gets inside the dorm and shuts the door.
Maxton Hall: The World Between Us (Season 1) Episode 6 “A Piece of Happiness” Recap:
The episode begins with an enthusiastic Ruby ready for the interviews. Ruby and Lin meet a student from Oxford named Jude, who helps them through the interview process. The interview is going to be conducted in three parts. Ruby is prepping in the waiting hall, and James walks in. It’s time for Ruby’s first round of interviews, and as she walks towards the door, James holds her hand and wishes her luck. Ruby’s interview goes well, and she is thrilled. Jude invites Ruby and Lin to a bar to celebrate in Oxford style. Ruby enters the bar, sees James, ignores him, and hangs out with Jude. James is feeling jealous watching Jude and Ruby.
Ruby comes out for some fresh air and sees Lydia puking. Lydia reveals that she is pregnant, and it does not matter if her interviews go well or not. Ruby, an optimist, tells Lydia about the programs that Oxford offers for mothers. Lydia then reveals that James is not over her and that he is suffering, and now she understands why he feels the way he does. Ruby does not get any sleep that night. The students are waiting in the hall for a Q&A session with the current students at Oxford.
James wants to sit next to Ruby, but Jude sits there, and James can’t help feeling jealous. James shows his frustration towards Jude by asking irrelevant questions, which infuriates Ruby. Ruby is tired and insults James again, as she did during the prep at Maxton Hall. Ruby realizes what she has done and runs to the dorm. James follows her and says he behaved the way he did for her sake but is not ready to reveal the truth. Ruby yells at him for speaking in riddles.
Maxton Hall: The World Between Us (Season 1) Episode 6 “A Piece of Happiness” Ending, Explained:
Will James fight for his love?
James follows her to her dorm and explains he does not know what to do with his life because no one has ever been interested. Ruby comforts him by saying she has always been curious and asks him to fight for what he wants. James does what he is told and kisses her. They enter the dorm and want to have sex, but Ruby is haunted by James’s words when they broke up. James explains everything that has transpired, and Ruby asks him never to lie and have no secrets anymore. They reconcile and have sex.
James realizes his reality and is sad, and Ruby helps him make a list of things he enjoys doing to help him navigate his mind. They spend a lot of time together, and Ruby leaves to go home first. Ruby comes home to a surprise. The family bought a stair lift for Ruby’s father, and they celebrate. On an unhappier note, James and Lydia go home to hear that their mother had a stroke and she had died. Mortimer gets a business call, and he is more interested in the company’s stock. James cannot take it anymore, so he hits his father. Percy stops James, and James walks to Ruby’s house and watches her happy family from the outside before leaving quietly.
The show ends on a cliffhanger, and we don’t know if there will be more seasons to find closure to the story. However, in the last scene, we see James looking at the pocket watch his mother gave him for luck before leaving for Oxford; this scene may indicate that he will probably go back and work for Beaufort for the time being until he is capable of protecting Ruby from his father and to some extent from himself. James and Ruby may have a challenging relationship with Mortimer in the picture. If there were more seasons, the likely ending would be for Lydia to give birth, leading Beaufort, and for James and Ruby to be together.
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