I really wanted to like this, but it just wasn't very well written. It ultimately felt like they filmed a first draft.
It had the Star Wars prequels problem in that the audience is constantly told what the characters are like, but they're never actually shown being that way. The show is supposedly about Jo going from good girl to bad, but we're never shown how she used to be, or given any real investment into her friendship with Alice before she betrays her to court the favour of the popular girls, so the whole thing just falls flat.
The show can't seem to decide if the school the protagonists attend is extremely strict, or permissive enough to allow its students to yell insults at other girls running cross country while the teachers are present.
These issues really crystallized for me in the scene of (spoiler alert) one of the characters' funerals, wherein one of the main characters talks about how this girl was her best friend and always emotionally supported her, and, like, did we see any of that?! I don't think so.
Also there was a weird strain of vulgarity throughout that I really didn't engage with.
The performances were all great, so I'm looking forward to seeing these actresses appear in something better.
It had the Star Wars prequels problem in that the audience is constantly told what the characters are like, but they're never actually shown being that way. The show is supposedly about Jo going from good girl to bad, but we're never shown how she used to be, or given any real investment into her friendship with Alice before she betrays her to court the favour of the popular girls, so the whole thing just falls flat.
The show can't seem to decide if the school the protagonists attend is extremely strict, or permissive enough to allow its students to yell insults at other girls running cross country while the teachers are present.
These issues really crystallized for me in the scene of (spoiler alert) one of the characters' funerals, wherein one of the main characters talks about how this girl was her best friend and always emotionally supported her, and, like, did we see any of that?! I don't think so.
Also there was a weird strain of vulgarity throughout that I really didn't engage with.
The performances were all great, so I'm looking forward to seeing these actresses appear in something better.