Marcus's Depression in Netflix's 'Ginny & Georgia' Is a Major Storyline

Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers for Season 3 of Ginny & Georgia.

Season 3 of the drama Ginny and Georgia dropped on Netflix on June 5, and the new season is the most explosive season yet, according to USA Today. The television show features the trials and tribulations of a high school student, Ginny, played by Antonia Gentry, and her lovable but flawed single mom, Georgia, played by Brianne Howey.

One of Ginny's love interests in the drama is her neighbor, Marcus, played by Felix Mallard. The new season reminded fans of previous seasons where Marcus's mental health was explored.

He struggled with depression, and now that the new season is here, fans are asking the question: Why is Marcus depressed in Ginny & Georgia?

Marcus explained to Ginny during the first season that the death of his best friend triggered his depression, per Variety. Showrunner Debra J. Fisher told the outlet that Marcus broke up with Ginny because of his mental health.

She also explained that they wanted to highlight the issue because depression in young men is rarely addressed on TV.

“For Season 2, with the two of them being together, we always had discussed where Marcus was — in terms of his anxiety and depression — that that would be the reason that he and Ginny broke up," she said. "That was always something that we were working toward, and we don’t often see anxiety, depression, and mental health in a young man, a 16-year-old boy, and we really wanted to highlight that."

Felix Mallard was just so willing to dive deep into that," she continued. "I think he just gave such a beautiful, nuanced performance, and was just so relatable.”

Fisher also said that Felix was able to give input on how the writers handled the storyline while noting how relatable the subject matter is for teenagers.

“He had a lot of impact on the way it was played,” she added. “At his age, to recognize it, is such a mature thing. I think it’s something a lot of teens are dealing with — they just have too much on their plate and it’s too much of a struggle, especially with what we’ve all been going through in the past couple of years.”

Felix also spoke out about his characters' mental health and the importance of highlighting the issue on the show.

"For me, it's really important to show young men that it's okay to struggle with depression," he said.

"It's okay to struggle with all of these emotions. Because their representation isn't necessarily seen that often, if young men can look at it and assess their own stuff, and I think that is always the goal."

According to Time, Marcus also struggles with a drinking problem in Season 3. To the delight of Ginny & Georgia fans, Marcus and Ginny get back together. However, she later realizes that Marcus needed to get help first, and his mother is shown taking him to rehab in the season finale.

If you or someone you know needs help, use SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator to find support for mental health and substance use disorders in your area or call 1-800-662-4357 for 24-hour assistance.