Somewhere I read that Paper Girls is being compared to Stranger Things. Don’t believe it, fellas, it is a farce notion!
Well, that’s the first thing I wanted to convey. However, it doesn’t mean Paper Girls is bad. The show has its pros and cons. At the most, you can pit Paper Girls against another time-traveling show. But don’t compare it with the best ones like Dark.
While it promises action and adventure, let’s see if Paper Girls delivers well or not.
Paper Girls Review Summary
The series starts well and exudes thrill in the beginning. But as the story progresses, the factor of cinematic stimulation drops. Keep reading to learn about the things that matter about Paper Girls, streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Paper Girls Synopsis
The Hell Day in 1988 springs a life-changing moment for four teenage girls, aka the Paper Girls. They accidentally travel into the future and land in 2019, where they find themselves in the middle of a war.
The Paper Girls must pick their sides while craving to go back to their homes in this fight to save the world.
Helmed by three directors, Paper Girls stars Riley Lai Nelet (Erin), Fina Strazza (KJ Brandman), Sofia Rosinsky (Mac), and Camryn Jones (Tiffany Quilkin) in lead roles.
In case you are wondering about the names of the directors, they are: Georgi Banks-Davies, Destiny Ekaragha, and Karen Gaviola Mairzee Almas. Moreover, the show is adapted from a comic book by the same name.
What Works for Paper Girls?
Concept
Four teenage girls with no major acquaintance with each other find themselves thirty years ahead of the present. For me, this idea is enough to binge-watch a show. Other things like the usual crap of saving the world come secondary.
Yes, judging it based on merit is another thing, but the idea does arouse excitement. Paper Girls proves a series can be entertaining and everlasting even without male leads. And I am being brutally honest when I say it is a novel approach.
Dialogues
The casual bonhomie that usually surrounds teenagers is well-presented in Paper Girls. An important thing is we are not too used to the feminine side of quirky interactions. Yes, we have seen it, but not as much as we should have.
Therefore, the exchange of dialogues between the kids is plotted remarkably in Paper Girls.
Intriguing
Undoubtedly, the show’s story is intriguing and keeps you in anticipation of what will come. The excitement is helped by mystery than anything else. Though the makers could have been much more subtle while connecting the dots, they did a decent job.
Performances
Riley Lai Nelet, as Erin, does a wonderful job in bringing calmness to the fore in Paper Girls. She ensures every tiny bit of her talent is showcased in the series. Although I would have loved seeing her fierce side, I also think that was not possible. Her character sketch was aptly suited to the show’s narration, and she works like a charm.
Fina Strazza as KJ Brandmann is now synonymous with sweetness. She is probably the one who holds the others together in Paper Girls. Her fluent portrayal left me quite stunned, and I was more than willing to keep listening to her dialogues. Her delivery of words, soothing expressions, and the ability to be your emotional savior are things to look out for.
Playing Mac onscreen, Sofia Rosinsky is the fieriest of the four teenagers. Her intense performance is at the heart of Paper Girls. The angry outbursts, the egoistic attitude, and the urge to stand for her compatriots are all well executed by Sofia. Despite her overpowering nature, you will love how she handles emotions and soft scenes.
Camryn Jones as Tiffany Quilkin can easily be stamped as the smartest fellow of the group. She instills hope for discovering a way out of any situation. Her determination and grit as an actor make Tiffany enjoyable. Jones’s role will get more prominent in the second season of Paper Girls. Furthermore, the thing I liked the most about Camryn was the authority with which she spoke.
Everyone else in the series is brilliant and well suited to their respective parts.
What Doesn’t Work for Paper Girls?
Not Thrilling Enough
A science-fiction show, in my opinion, should have a decent amount of thrill. Unfortunately, Paper Girls is deficient in it, and that is why I cannot see it in the zone of series like Dark and Stranger Things.
More enthralling ingredients were needed to hook the audience to the screen. In the present form, the show feels more like a drama fantasy than a science-fiction adventure.
Some Loose Ends
I have noticed that time travel is a genre that demands immense detailing. You cannot skip a beat for the sake of keeping the narration swift. There has to be a lot of intricacy with regards to connecting the dots, a factor which Paper Girls lacks on occasions.
Final Word
Paper Girls is a well-intended series that I would instead call a starting point in feminine science fiction made at a large scale. You won’t find it thrilling, but the story and setup must be given a watch.
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