Maxed Out: Breaking Down the Halls
Have you fallen in love with the hit series Maxton Hall - The World Between Us? If so, this podcast is for you! I'm your host Lorena Coleman. Join me as I recap each episode, discuss the characters, review the soundtrack, and anything and everything Maxton Hall related. Get ready for an emotional roller coaster as I follow Ruby and James at Maxton Hall College.
Maxed Out: Breaking Down the Halls
Maxton Hall Season 3 Sneak Peek Reactions
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In this episode, I’m joined by two guests from our fandom as we dive into the Maxton Hall Season 3 sneak peeks we got on Thursday, April 30th. Davisha from @damianhardungfl, Daniela from @goesbyniela, and I will be sharing our reactions, breaking down each moment, and getting into a few theories about what we think might be coming this season. We break down the scene everyone is talking about. Director Martin Schreier said "this shot is part of the best sequence of the entire show." We also talk about the one moment we didn’t expect.
Tune in and share the excitement with us!
Follow: @damianhardung_boston on Instagram
Hi everyone, welcome back to the podcast. I'm Lorena Coleman and this is Maxed Out Breaking Down the Halls. Today I'm really excited because I'm joined by two familiar faces from the fandom. Tamisha from Damian Harding, Florida, and Daniela from Goes by Neela. We're going to be talking about the Maxton Hall season two sneak peeks we got last Thursday, April 30th. We're going to be sharing our reactions, breaking down each moment, and getting into a few theories about what we think might be coming this season. This episode will contain spoilers. So I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to Daniela to say hello, followed by Davisha.
SPEAKER_02Hi, Lorena. Thank you so much for having me. I'm really excited to be here. Um, I'm Daniela. I run Goes by Nila, a Max and Hall fan page where I mainly share fun art, mostly illustrations, and I'm really happy to be here to talk about the sneak peek we've had last week.
SPEAKER_00Yay, glad to have you.
SPEAKER_01Alrighty, hey guys, I'm Damisha from Damien Hardong, Florida. Um, and um I uh run a fan page for Damien Hardong on social media, and I'm really excited to be here with Lorina and Daniela to recap the sneak peeks that we got for season three.
SPEAKER_00Great, great to have you as well. Um, so I think we really need to go back to the end of season two before we start. Do you want to take that on right now?
SPEAKER_01Sure, yeah, I'll go ahead and recap um season two. That way we can get a little bit of a backstory before we get into the sneak peeks that we saw. Um so just to quickly recap where we're picking up from at the end of season two. Uh, Ruby is expelled from Max and Hall because of quotes incriminating photos of her and uh Mr. Sutton. Uh, those photos were taken back in season one, actually during the welcome party, uh, when James photographs them talking. And because of the angle, it looks like something inappropriate is happening, even though nothing actually is. And something I noticed going back to that moment is that the camera briefly cuts to Cyril in that scene from season one, which feels really intentional when you know what happens later. And then in season two, during the school yearbook photo scene, uh, Cyril sees Lydia and Mr. Sutton together, and that's what sets everything in motion. From there, uh, those photos end up with head max or lexington. And then something really important is that the show doesn't really show us how that happens, it's more implied than explained. But uh, for the book readers who've read the book, uh, we do get more clarity on that, and it's confirmed that Cyril is behind it. So if you've read the books, that part feels a little bit more clear. So I'm curious if season three might go back and fill that in, maybe do like a flashback. Um, and then the final sequence is really intense. Um, as we all know. Uh, Ruby, you know, she drops her bag, and you see Lydia and James turn towards her, and you can tell from their expressions that something is wrong. At the same time, Mr. Sutton is being taken away by the police. So everything is kind of unfolding all at once. And the very last moment is James holding Ruby while they're crying, and you can actually see a tear fall from his eye, and that's how season two ends. So that's where we're left going into season three.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, you you just brought me back to that ending. Um, yeah, tears are coming out of my eyes now. Okay, so thank you for that recap of the end of season two. Let's talk about what we saw last week. So, my initial reaction to those what, seven, eight seconds was wow, I'm excited, I need more. When is the release date? I mean, that was my reaction, and I couldn't stop watching. I couldn't function the rest of the day.
SPEAKER_01How many times did you watch it, Lorena? Be honest.
SPEAKER_00I stopped counting. Let's go by the duration of time. At least an hour or two went by before I got off my chair.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I definitely watched it uh quite a few times and was able to go back and see some, you know, some little snips that I missed that we'll get into.
SPEAKER_00Daniela, what was your reaction?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, first of all, I mean, I wasn't expecting like short clips. I guess we were like surprised that we actually got real footage. I was expecting more like stills or just like, you know, a little glimpse, but seeing actual clips was more exciting than I was expecting, even though it was really short, but uh I was obsessed, really.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, even though it was short, I mean there was just so much going on. Um, do you want to talk about that first clip that we saw, which I'm calling it the intimate scene? I know everyone's trying to guess the location, um, the the reaction or like the expression of lead's faces, but let's let's pick it up there with the intimate scene. I'll just go ahead and say it. I I think this is either at Ophelia's house or the cottage in Oxford. What do you all think?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I think that those are the two most likely scenarios. I'm leaning more towards Ophelia. Um I don't know. I think that's like the most uh famous theory right now. What do you guys think?
SPEAKER_01Uh yeah, I think I'm gonna go with you guys. I'm leaning more towards Aunt Ophelia's house too. Um uh because obviously once um Prime Video they released like the still images, you could see that their hair was wet, which is something that I didn't notice right away. Um, but I saw people talking about it. Um, so we know that there's like a bathtub scene at her house. But you know how shows are, right? Like I'm thinking maybe they could have um adapted it for the show, and it's now like a shower scene, maybe. Um because we know that they've made a few changes from the books from previous seasons, so it's a possibility um that that's possibly what it is. Um also uh from the scene, it looks really like really still, really quiet, where they're just looking at each other, a very private moment compared to the other stills that we've seen so that we see so far and like in the sneak peek. Um and um I was also thinking that it could possibly be like one of those really emotional scenes, too, um, where they say that I love you for the first time, which was in the second book, Save You, but it was omitted from the series. So maybe that's another possibility as well. Um, that that could have happened in that moment.
SPEAKER_02Oh yeah, I'm waiting for those I love you's we know it's coming, but I'm not sure it's gonna be like in that intimate scene. I mean, it could be, right? But right, right, right, right. That's what I'm saying.
SPEAKER_01Like, who knows, right? That's what's so fun. Like seeing and reading the different theories or possibilities of what that scene could be. Um, so that'll be really exciting to actually see what that is.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and I was going back and forth between the cottage and the aunt's house, and then you know, I'm reading others' theories, and I'm thinking, wait a minute, that one sounds right, this one sounds right. And then I'm going, you know, playing detective here, and I'm looking at the windows. I'm like, those windows look too big to be in someone's house. Maybe it's a building. And then I'm looking at the light outside the window, and I'm like, why is that light right there? So I'm breaking down everything, and I'm like trying to zoom in, and I mean, that's what I was doing. And then someone else did mention another theory. So yeah, I mean, we're not gonna know until we see it. But did you notice that James's face, like his expression, is a little bit different from Ruby's expression?
SPEAKER_01Oh wow. I didn't, I I didn't notice that. I didn't notice that, right? They do both look very like quiet and still and like something they just experienced, like like the emotional depth of it all, as far as like what just interacted and what just happened with them, but I didn't notice that their um facial expressions were different.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I think there's like some kind of buildup, like we're seeing something progress, and like something's gonna happen right after that. Maybe I don't know.
SPEAKER_00I like that theory. Yeah, I like that. Um, so I think from there we should move over to when we see them walking into the courtyard. Um, I have some thoughts on that, but I want to hear your thoughts.
SPEAKER_02James looks mad. I feel like, yeah, he's ready to take on everything that uh it's hurting Ruby or that has caused her any harm, you know. I think that's it's giving like season two James a little bit too.
SPEAKER_01Okay, yeah, I can see that. I definitely got that too, but like from both of them, like they both look pretty serious and like really focused. Um it doesn't feel like a light or casual moment, um, the way that they're walking into, even for that little split second that we do see. Uh, but um, and knowing obviously what just transpired at the end of season two, uh, makes me wonder if this could be tied to that or, you know, um, you know, after Ruby uh returns from being expelled. Um but yeah, that's that's what I got from that scene, right? Um, they do look like something is something's happening and they're making their way to see what's going on.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and and I do think it might be the day that Ruby's back from being expelled and they're maybe seeing their classmates because James is just looking around. He's got this stern look and he's looking slowly. You can see him like turning his head and his hand is in his pocket. I'm like, I've seen that look before, I think with his father. And then Ruby also has an expression like they're walking into an environment where maybe they're not really comfortable in because maybe people are staring, but many theories, many interpretations. But yeah, that's walking into the courtyard. Um, ooh, okay, we got to move on to the passionate kiss. Oh my goodness. Okay. Um, yeah, uh a lot of things going on here. The the outfit, just very passionate. Um, I'll turn it over to you all.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so from the passionate kiss scene, as you say, Lorena, um, it does look very intense, very immediate too. Like uh you definitely feel their chemistry, like you always can in every season in every scene that they're in together. Um also, too, something important. You can't really tell if Ruby is in uniform here, right? Because, you know, when you dissect everything and you zoom in, you can like see that her bottoms don't look like the uniform bottoms that they usually wear. But it does appear to be like they're at, you know, the school at Maxson Hall. Um so what I am getting from this um is that you can tell too, like it's like a tight embrace. It looks like they possibly like they see each other and like they run up to each other, the way that they're holding each other. Um, like maybe they hadn't seen each other in some time, or she just got news that she can return to school, right? So she shows up in whatever attire she has on to let him know, and like they have that like nice embrace or passionate kiss that we see. That's what I get from it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I'll I feel like this is the first time we we are gonna see them kiss at school, right? Because every other kiss has been like elsewhere, and this will be the first time we'll get to see them in Max and Hall kissing each other.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, you're right. You're right. Did you notice anything about the attire? I didn't really notice what she was wearing. I was too busy looking at them, um kissing. I know Davisha had pointed out.
SPEAKER_01I did, I did, yeah. I was like, oh, what are those like cream or gray bottoms that she has on? But we know that you know, Ruby dressed pretty modest, so maybe like some skirt or something that she has on outside of school while she's you know home being expelled in her regular attire that she wears.
SPEAKER_00Or I don't remember if she has a uniform when she's working at the bakery. I don't think she has a uniform, but then I thought maybe it's her uniform from work.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, maybe. I know that she had an eight one. We've only seen her at work once, right? I think in like season one, and she has on like a red apron, I want to say, right? With her yes, but I'm not sure, I don't recall what she had underneath it, but um possible, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, but I also feel like that blazer, we've seen it before. Like I wanted to do season two episode four, like when she went to um what was her name? Um the lady that was gonna give her a scholarship. Oh, I forgot.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yes, I know the name was slipping my mind. Oh my goodness, yes, I know who you're Alice, Alice Campbell.
SPEAKER_02I think that's her name. When she goes to Alice Campbell Foundation for that interview, I think that she has the same blazer she's wearing.
SPEAKER_01So maybe you have to use something with that or something professional that you know, some interview or some work thing that Ruby's doing right now could be right, when she's like really excited to tell him about it, and then you know, just I'm just excited to see it all. But like it's cool listening to every you know, you guys' thoughts on that scene.
SPEAKER_00Yes, and you just gave me a new theory, so thank you. Okay, maybe she finds out that she gets a scholarship back and she's running the town, James. I just got the scholarship back because we I know we just said her name. Um maybe that's why she that kiss that embrace. Yeah, maybe that's what it is. Yeah, so yeah, another theory there. All right, okay, I gotta move on to the motorcycle. Oh my goodness. Okay, can I just tell you Mr. Cool Rider? Okay, I know from the season three BTS that we saw last winter, we saw our motorcycle and a few clips. I didn't think much of it, but now I'm starting to piece things together. And thank you, because both of you pointed out another thing too on James's finger, which is the band-aid. So, yeah, I've got all of these thoughts going in my head, but I'm gonna toss it over to both of you and tell me what you think about that scene.
SPEAKER_01Um, yeah, so I think the scene's very interesting um because we don't actually see his face, right? But we just like we just we know it's him, right? We know. We know we know James, right? It's the it's the watch. And then how you mentioned like the behind the scenes or more so like the um the footage that we got from fans um that were around when they were filming in Oxford. Um, but yeah, like you said, it's mostly focused on the details in that scene, like the bike, the band aid. We see like literally, I don't even think it's a second long, maybe a million millisecond, because like that's one of the scenes that I missed when I watched um this reel for the first time. Um, like you see um the bike start and the light, you know, the front light come on. Um and I really like how they shot this moment because they're building the scene through like the sound and the close-up and the details of it all, but of just immediately, instead of just immediately showing him, like showing his face. Um, so this could possibly be connected to the Oxford scenes that we've seen, right? Um, from footage that we've seen from that time frame. Or I'm thinking it could be even another, like another time, right? Because we didn't even know that they were filming, right, when we saw these. So maybe it could be another bike scene, you know, somewhere else within uh the series. But I definitely think Oxford is definitely good contender, right? Since that's where we've seen the bike. Um, and I love I like the band-aid scene or the or the band-aid, I think is interesting because it feels deliberate, like that detail. Like they wanted us to see that and be like, oh, what happened to James? What what happened this time, right? So I think that little like subtle detail that they added in that little clip. Um, it's gonna, it's a it's it's um really cool shot that they got um to show us even that millisecond of just James being on that bike.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, and actually it was me messaging with Daniela about the band-aid because we thought, oh, wait a minute, if this was um if if if he had gotten like if Damien had gotten a cut or something, they would have used makeup to cover it up, right? It wouldn't have been brought up.
SPEAKER_01Right, yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember you mentioning, I remember you mentioning that. Like if this was like something that happened outside of production, like they would have covered this up any way they could. So this definitely happened like within this, within the show on purpose.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so I had two theories about that something to do with the ring and something to do with cooking at the bellhouse. But before I dive into like my theories, I wanna I wanna hear what you guys think about that band-aid and and what you think that might be implying, if anything.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I think it was a detail that you could miss, like you could easily miss if you didn't pay close attention. But now that we kind of dissect every frame of it, we we know that it's there. I know it's intentional, and I'm curious to know what it has to do with the plot. Um, but yeah, I mean, I I think it's also another detail that you just mentioned Lorena, the ring is missing. And the Beaufort, the Beaufort ring is missing. So maybe you wanna talk about that theory of yours?
SPEAKER_00Okay, so I remember in the book, in book two, as James is like leaving the house because he he can't take it anymore. I think if I remember correctly, I read the book last summer, like on repeat. Um, but I think after he overhears his dad trying to um blackmail uh Mr. Sutton, James is like, I've had it, I can't take it anymore. If I remember remember the book correctly. So then James is like, I'm leaving, I'm out of here. And he takes off his ring, and I think he leaves it on the desk or the office. But maybe for the show for season three, maybe the dad just like rips it out of his finger or something, or there's some kind of struggle if that's why there's a band-aid. Like, I don't know, maybe that's why there's a band-aid. So that was my first theory. Then I thought, wait a minute, doesn't he move into the bell house? And isn't the dad, Ruby's dad, a chef? So maybe he starts helping. And and I think he does in the book, he starts helping to cook. And he does, yeah. I don't think the Beauforts are accustomed to cooking. So um maybe, you know, a little slip of the knife there, and he got cut. So different theories, different theories that I have here.
SPEAKER_01That's definitely a possibility too. I actually didn't even think about the ring. Like obviously, I noticed that it was missing, but my thought wasn't like, oh, why? Right? Because I've read the book, so I kind of know. But I guess, like you said, it could be anything from what they do with the series. Um, so I'm excited to see that play out.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. But yeah, that motorcycle scene, I kept watching it over and over. I don't know what it is, but I really I really like it. Okay. Um, do you want to move on from that over to the fireworks or do you want to stay with the motorcycle? I'm I'm fine either way. What do you want to do?
SPEAKER_01Oh, you're so yeah, that was I'm pretty sure I mentioned this already, but that scene, I didn't I didn't see that at all. Like if you just blink, right, while watching that reel, like you could have missed something from the five little snippets that we got. So, but yeah, I guess we can move on to the like the final, the final like sneak peek that we saw, which was the firework scene.
SPEAKER_02Um another blink and you missed in one. And you may just say that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, this doesn't do.
SPEAKER_00And I was gonna say I think that's what's really great about our fandom, our community. We all um chime in and we all put comments and we all connect and start messaging. So, you know, this is where all of these little theories are coming from because there were things that I missed that I didn't see until someone told me. And I'm like going back, and as I said, I'm zooming in and I'm trying to like watch it over and over. I'm like, okay, is that did I see? Is it so? Yeah, I mean, that's what's really great about this uh fandom that we belong to. Um, fireworks. Okay. Initially when I saw that, I didn't think much of it other than, oh yeah, last September, I think I saw some BTS or someone had posted something about fireworks. That's really all I thought about. I don't know why, but fireworks and graduation, at least in my area, that doesn't really happen, but people keep talking about graduation. What do you think?
SPEAKER_02Um My first thought honestly was like some kind of gala again or some event of some kind. Not not exactly graduation, because yeah, again, I it wasn't like a direct link there for me, but I mean, again, it's Mackiston Hall. It's it's not a Madison Hall without gellas and parties and so true.
SPEAKER_01They love their events. Um for me, right? Because like we mentioned, obviously this was a really quick scene as well. Um, but once you do go back, right, you can definitely see and spot the cast there from Max and Hall. Um, and you can also see, you know, uh James and Ruby in the left side of that uh quick snippet that we get. Um, I've also actually seen like a few people like theorizing that this could possibly be, like we said, the graduation or some kind of um school celebration at Max and Hall, with it being their final year at the school, like before they head off to the next stage of their life at college in Oxford. Uh so maybe like a senior send-off for the students after the gala, right? Or after some type of event that they have. Um, something that's also really cool, and I think you mentioned this, Lorena, but I remember um posting like a um uh um article from a magazine that's there where um in Marin uh near the Marysburg Castle, um that this scene was shot around September 7th, which is Damien's birthday. So I think it's pretty cool. Um if you know, having that cool fireworks scene and it being like doubled as a like a fun celebration, like for his birthday, you know, during the production. But that was something that came out around that time. And I think I remember people saying how cool that is.
SPEAKER_00I was too busy looking at like all the other people and the fireworks. It wasn't until someone in our community, in our fandom, had posted that clip with um a Katy Perry song. And I think did they circle Ruby and James or did they put something about it, but about them? But either way, I I was like, oh my goodness, there they are. And then once again, here I am like zooming it in, and I see Ruby turn to James. I'm like, they are there, okay. So I missed that altogether. Altogether, I missed it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I can see you can barely see it, but Ruby's smiling. I mean, he when she turns her face to James, he's smiling, and I'm just like, oh, they're the happiest. And yeah, like the back of James' head, I think it's also like you can't confuse that back of the head, right? Because that's that's him.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's definitely him, yeah. Um uh I think it's really interesting, interesting about that Max and Hall clip is that um, you know, obviously it's kind of it was hard for or easy for us to miss because it kind of also too says prime original across like the logo is right there too. So it's hard to miss because you're looking at that and the fireworks, so you're not really looking at the people initially when you see it. Um, but visually, um, I it feels very big and very final in a way to me. Um that specific scene, um, kind of actually feel like we only see them. Remember, obviously, you can tell that we we can see them from behind, right? We don't see their faces in that scene. Um, I feel like it makes a scene feel a bit bigger than just them. Like it feels like the closing of a chapter, like for the Max and Hall story. When I look at that scene too, um, and looking back at it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and you just made me think of something. Maybe that is the last scene that we see. Everyone's happy, everything's good, celebration, fireworks. Maybe that's how it ends. Maybe, but we'll have to wait and find out. Yeah, so I mean, we only had what 10 seconds, not not even.
SPEAKER_01And I think it was 10 seconds. Honestly, it may have been five seconds. Like you have though, it's cool what they said about the fandom is how like people make edits and like we just you know keep like the Max and Hall, you know, show in there, so you can really just see only those snippets um from the show. Yeah, I think it was like five seconds.
SPEAKER_00Five seconds that we watched for hours and hours. And also, there's so much to talk about within those five seconds, too. I mean, at this point, I want more. I know we all want to see more um clips. We want to know, you know, a release date or a month. Um, yeah, we're we're just so hungry for for more. Um, you know, we we love the show. We we can't wait for it. And um what we got last week just I know it it drove me crazy. As I said, like my day was gone after that. Yeah, okay. Can't do nothing. My calendar, forget that.
SPEAKER_01Like calendar is gonna be at an all-time low when Max and Hall content comes out.
SPEAKER_00Like, yeah, I don't know if Prime or those involved with the series realize like what you all do to us. Like, our days are gone. Not to keep sounding like, yeah, it's just it's over, forget it because we're so focused on what we just saw. Um, but yeah, so um I think we went over all of the key clips, and I want to thank you both for stopping by and joining me. Just any final thoughts before we wrap it up here.
SPEAKER_02We need more. We want more.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. We need more. I mean, it was nice to write to get something because it was a surprise, right? Like, you know, the day before they did a like a post, like, oh, be on the lookout tomorrow for you know these projects that are coming out. And once we saw Max and Hall, like there was the excitement already from there. But then it's like, oh, well, it's tomorrow, but what time, right? So, like, like, what time is it coming out tomorrow? So to just be on eggshells, like anxious, waiting for that. I know that's how my personality is. I'm just like excited to see, especially when we know something's coming. Um, but yeah, final thoughts for me. Um, in just looking at those five clips, the five seconds. Um, I really uh I mean, the I love the tone and the direction of what we've seen so far, which is five seconds worth of a you know, six episode show, but even those tiny little moments, everything already still feels very emotional, cinematic, intense, you know, in the best way. Um, and I think it's gonna be really exciting seeing the little hints from Save Us possibly coming to life on screen, meanwhile, also knowing the show has changed and expanded things from the books before. So there's still a lot that we really don't know yet. Uh, but yeah, uh, thank you so much for having me again, Lorena. Uh, this was really fun getting to talk through um the thoughts and theories from the season three sneak peeks. Uh, but clearly my mind goes crazy whenever I see Ruby and James. So I just can't wait for more. So hopefully, I'm thinking probably around November again, but maybe later. Who knows? But it'll be nice to get um a month or like you know, a specific date as well for season three.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. I am so eager to know, just like everybody else, just give me a month. I don't need to know the day, just just give me the month. I I need to plan. I don't know if you all know, like we we need to plan our fandom we we our lives have been changed, okay? Because of Maxton Hall, lives have been changed. Okay. Um yeah, so Daniela, what's your wrap-up?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I mean, my guess for release date would be around November, December at the earliest, but who knows? It'll be a 2027 release. Hopefully not. But you never know with time. I guess I'm most excited about the season because Savo's is my favorite book in the trilogy. Uh you know, just because they're more happy and more like themselves, they feel more comfortable with each other and with their families, and you know, it kind of has that happy ending. Um I'm really excited to see how that plays out on screen. And yeah, I mean, last week's preview was not enough, but it was enough to get us all excited and you know, making theories and all that. So really appreciate that. And again, thanks for having me. I have I had a really great time talking to you both. So thanks.
SPEAKER_00I'm so glad you both stopped by. You're both welcome back anytime you want. And I love engaging with our community because we can toss and bounce ideas off of each other. And also this creates content and posts, and just, you know, everyone gets to hear what everyone else is thinking. As I said, getting into the theories. Um, so I want to hear from you. What are your theories? What are your thoughts? You can find all of us on Instagram. So thank you for tuning in and talk to you soon.