Peacock's "Crystal Lake" goes back before the hockey mask. The "Friday the 13th" prequel tells the story of Pamela Voorhees, the mother who did all the killing in the 1980 original. Creator Brad Caleb Kane, who previously expanded Stephen King's world with "It: Welcome to Derry," teams with star Linda Cardellini.
Early reactions center on Cardellini. Movie Files, Elliot Collins shared this, “Crystal Lake nails the franchise’s bloody, campy spirit, with Linda Cardellini, practical gore, and a convincing ’70s setting standing out..”
While, Variety’s Aramide Tinubu stated that ,”Crystal Lake is a brilliantly detailed prologue to a bloody and haunting tale.”
Anchored by Callum Vinson who plays 12-year-old Jason, a sweet kid born with hydrocephalus who is tormented by other children and careless camp counselors. Gwendolyn Sundstrom plays his friend Grace, and William Catlett plays police chief Levon Brooks.
Fans of the franchise will notice the details. Original "Friday the 13th" composer Harry Manfredini contributed a new track, and the practical gore effects are described as some of the most graphic on television.
There are caveats. The review calls the small-town investigation subplots the weakest parts and says the eight-episode season could have been seven. Episode 7 adds a major piece of Jason's origin mythology, which is likely to divide fans who prefer the character unexplained.
"Crystal Lake" is streaming on Peacock.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
