Crystal Lake is a prequel/remake of the original Friday the 13th films from Paramount and they handle the material beautifully. They get everything right, and I mean everything! Thank you Brad Caleb Cane! Thank you!
For some background info, the last movie in the F13 series that I truly loved was Jason Lives. The New Blood was entertaining but not great and the franchise got worse and worse from there. (The novels and comics are sometimes great but also hit-or-miss) and the remake was okay but left a lot to be desired. I AM NOW OFFICIALLY IN LOVE WITH THIS FRANCHISE AGAIN.
The biggest thing it gets right is the setting, film makers try to make Crystal Lake too grimey. I the old movies Crystal Lake is portrayed as soft, quiet an cozy, which makes it SCARIER. Every vacation spot I've ever been to looks like Crystal Lake does in paramount movies and it's scary because there could have been a killer stalking those woods and I wouldn't have known about it until it was too late. The town in this show looks perfect.
Now for Pamela and Jason, I need to make this clear, THEY WERE NEVER SOCIOPATHS. Pam and Jason lost their minds due to grief and tragedy. Jason was always an innocent boy in his youth. Rewatch the original move and you will clearly hear him cry out "mommy! Save me mommy!" This is also something Tommy Jarvis takes advantage of in Part 4 by reminding him of what he used to be. He's not supposed to be like Freddy or Chucky, he wasn't born evil, he's a monster built by tragedy, and the same goes for Pam (who Linda plays wonderfully.) If Jason was a silent killer in his youth (the way some of you seem to want) than the tragedy of the characters is gone. What made Betsy Palmer terrifying was how gentle and caring she came off as most of the time, she was damaged not evil.
The show does take the mythology in unique territory. (I never would have imagined Jason as a lab experiment gone wrong) but it all works. There are no plot holes here the characters are still consistent with their movie counterparts. All they did was take them in brand new directions and add new characters to the mix. I LOVE THAT WE FINALLY GOT ELIAS VOORHEES ON SCREEN. Seriously, what took so long. I don't think he should have ever been cut out of Part 6. The narcissistic abuser of a father adds so much to Jason's tragedy. I felt bad for every character I was supposed to feel bad for and I hated every character was supposed to hate. The plot twist involving the character of Grace was brilliant (but I won't spoil it.)
The gore is plentiful, if you want blood you will get plenty of it here.
As for what I hope to see in the future. I predict that Pam will definitely still get beheaded but it will probably happen differently than the movies. Grace will continue her spiral as one of Crystal Lakes many monsters and eventually we will see the events of Parts 1 and 2 reimagined....and I'm excited for it.
Please give this show your support, I've already lost Hannibal and Chucky, i don't want to lose this too 😭
WATCH CRYSTAL LAKE! 10/10