This is completely different show. I get it. 5 years after HS. That's not the issue. The issues:
-Nate has been emasculated and feminized beyond recognition. OG Nate would have gone nuclear on Cassie and psychologically destroyed her.
-Rue just skates scot-free from murderous drug lords when anyone else would be pushing up daisies over unpaid 6 figure debt.
-The same Rue confirms to a stripper (lowest on the totem pole) about her friend ODing when she was explicitly told to cover up and destroy all traces of the vic (which she did) and now spills the beans on the same cover up.
-Maddie is somewhat on the same path you'd expect from her, except her being 30+ IRL and worst of all that buccal fat removal that makes her look like a Thriller video zombie.
The only one that has stayed on character is Cassie. Part of me feels she's not even acting, this is Sweeney IRL: a stereotypical blonde airhead who will debase herself for attention, which for her is more addictive than heroin.