THE STORY – A prequel to the Friday the 13th franchise, the series follows single mother Pam Voorhees who has been unable to shake her grief after her young, sickly son Jason tragically drowned in the town lake almost a year before. When two strangers arrive at Pam’s door digging into her past, a disturbing chain of events is set into motion, leaving the townspeople of Crystal Lake wondering: just who is Pam Voorhees?
THE CAST – Linda Cardellini, William Catlett, Devin Kessler, Cameron Scoggins, & Gwendolyn Sundstrom
THE TEAM – Brad Caleb Kane (Showrunner/Writer)
It’s very likely no horror villain has transcended their own franchise quite like the iconic Jason Voorhees. The lumbering silhouette emerging from woods and water, donning a hockey mask and brandishing a machete, has terrorized nightmares for decades. Undoubtedly infamous enough that even those who have never seen a single “Friday the 13th” film could pick Jason out of a lineup. Though since the original 1980 film kickstarted the franchise focusing on a grieving mother driven to violence after having lost her son, four decades and a dozen or so films later have transformed Jason into somewhat of a motiveless killing machine. And as entertaining as the slashers have been over the years, it’s rather disheartening to see Pamela Voorhees’ anguish, her love for her son, and the deeply human center of “Friday the 13th” being buried underneath the gallons of blood, jump scares, and inexhaustible appetite for slaughter. But 46 years later, A24 and Peacock are returning audiences to New Jersey with the long-awaited prequel series “Crystal Lake,” once again revealing the humanity behind the mythology.
Created by “It: Welcome to Derry” showrunner Brad Caleb Kane and produced by the behemoth studio A24, “Crystal Lake” takes audiences back to the early ’70s, long before the bloody events of “Friday the 13th” and paints an intimate portrait of Pamela Voorhees (Linda Cardellini) and her beloved young son, Jason (Callum Vinson). Though smart, sweet, and kind, Jason lives with a physical and facial deformity that spurs a barrage of bullying from his peers, especially at Camp Crystal Lake summer camp, where his mother works as a camp cook. Of course, this leads to a devastating tragedy at the lake, and Pamela is distraught, tormented by the disappearance of her son and trying to navigate life a year later, while not giving up on finding her boy. Observed by the generally innocent community around her as well as local police chief Levon Brooks (William Catlett), one thing leads to another, and Pamela is forced to resort to (a lot of) violence to protect herself and her son’s memory… and we can’t even blame her.
“Crystal Lake” is surprisingly sensitive and intimate, while still delivering a grisly and gruesome good time. The two episodes premiering at TIFF boast unique kills, cover-your-eyes moments, and buckets of blood aplenty, but it also focuses on the humans behind the notoriety and legends, and that balance makes this latest Jason installment as effective as it is. The first episode starts strong and only stumbles slightly in the second, when it focuses on the less-than-interesting horny teen camp counselors or hints at some covert CIA mob, but even those scenes are compelling enough. “Crystal Lake” has fun with a delightfully satisfying retro-style intro and title cards, with plenty of nods to the original films, including Harry Manfredini’s score and his iconic ki-ki-ki, ma-ma-ma (which he created by reverberating, distorting, and shortening the phrase “kill her mommy”). From campy smash zooms to cheeky freeze frames, the show has just enough callbacks to the original source material, balanced by contemporary touches, including excellent sound and stunning cinematography by Maceo Bishop (“The Smashing Machine”).
Linda Cardellini delivers a sensational performance that will no doubt carry through the rest of the series, making Pamela perhaps the show’s most riveting element. Her relationship with Jason is heartfelt and believable thanks to her little costar Callum Vinson, who meets Cardellini at her level and reminds audiences of Jason’s innocent beginnings and unfortunate childhood. Both actors pay tribute to the 1980 film by bringing a profound amount of heart to the show and reminding audiences that the machete-wielding legend began with the immense love between mother and son. Additionally, William Catlett brings substantial empathy and kindness as police chief Brooks, who develops a soft spot for the mysterious, grieving mother and ultimately gets involved in what’s bound to be a bloody mess with a high kill count.
“Friday the 13th,” its lore, and the universe it exists in have become bigger than anyone could’ve predicted – from a dozen or so installments to multiple video games and a number of comic books. As iconic as that is, it’s clear the core of who Pamela and Jason are as characters has become an echo of what it started as back in 1980. That’s why it’s as satisfying as it is thrilling that with “Crystal Lake,” audiences can once again be reminded that there’s a human underneath that hockey mask – one that had a mother he adored, and who used to be a sweet child. A medley of old-school slasher fun, psychological drama, and intimate character study, “Crystal Lake” will assuredly delight longtime fans of the franchise while inviting new audiences to witness the ground-zero origin story of one of the most fearsome, iconic, and recognizable killers in cinema history.
THE GOOD – This rich and heartfelt retelling of Jason’s beginnings boasts excellent performances, satisfying callbacks to the source material, and a wonderful script that balances character study with grisly kills.
THE BAD – The show stumbles slightly when it overexplains itself or focuses on characters and side-stories of lesser interest.
THE EMMY PROSPECTS – Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie
THE FINAL SCORE – 8/10
