Crystal Lake, the much-hyped Friday the 13th prequel series on Peacock, creates a cacophony of creepy context for the long-running horror franchise.
The series focuses on Pam Vorhees, Jason’s mother, and, famously (spoiler), the killer in the original Friday the 13th movie (thanks, Scream!), played by Linda Cardellini, her relationship with her beloved son Jason, and the circumstances that cause them to be the way that they are.
Crystal Lake treads similar ground to shows like Stranger Things and Cobra Kai, leaning heavily into 80s nostalgia, and they do an excellent job of capturing the decade’s aesthetic. The show is also modeled after Ratched, the One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest prequel starring Sarah Paulson, which explored the origins of Nurse Ratched. Even if you do not have a particular fondness for or nostalgia for Friday the 13th, the franchise is etched into the public consciousness, so you probably know it well enough to enjoy it. If you are a fan of the franchise, you are likely to pick up on tons of cool little easter eggs here and there that will enhance your enjoyment of the show.
The show begins at Camp Crystal Lake in New Jersey, where Pam works as a cook and lives a quiet life with her deformed son Jason. His deformity makes him a target for bullying at camp, but Pam tries to reassure him that he’s just special. Soon, tragedy strikes the Vorhees family which sets the events of the show in motion. And I’ll tell you straight up-you have no idea where the show goes. It certainly contains a lot of jump scares, tons of well-done kills and gore, and lots of spooky elements at the camp and in the woods, but as we explore Pam’s back story, things get weird. Really weird.
I won’t go into the story too much for spoiler’s sake, but let’s say the show adds some subtle sci-fi elements alongside a larger story about the Cold War and experimentation, which is both bananas and kinda fun.
This is definitely Pam’s story; she is a complex character. Cardellini is excellent here, as are most of the actors. The show is very well done-taking the 80’s vibe but bringing along prestige, big-budget, modern TV approach.
It’s scary, creepy, and fun. There is some sex, a hallmark of 80s horror, and a key trigger for Jason in the movies, but it is toned down a bit.
Prequels are both popular and polarizing. When done well, they can add context and background to stories we love, enhancing our enjoyment of them. When done poorly, they can sully our memories of stories we previously loved. Crystal Lake is far and away the most well-made project in the Friday the 13th franchise, and I think it will be well received by fans and new fans.
