Paper Girls, a sci-fi thriller series, stars Riley Lai Nelet as Erin, Camryn Jones as Tiffany Quilkin, Sofia Rosinsky as Mac Coyle, and Fina Strazza as KJ. The rest of the cast also includes Ali Wong, Nate Corddry and Adina Porter. Created by Stephany Folsom, the Amazon Prime Video series is based on Brian K Vaughan’s novel of the same name. There are 8 episodes in the series.
The synopsis reads, “It’s the day after Halloween in 1988 when four young friends accidentally stumble into an intense time war and find themselves inexplicably transported to the year 2019.”
Amazon Prime Video’s Paper Girls Review Contains No Spoilers
In the year 1988, the night after Halloween, 4 paper girls stepped out to distribute papers in the wee hours in Cleveland. However, the dark skies change the colour to eerie pink. Some unwanted visitors arrive and clash with the 4 girls – Erin, Tiffany, Mac and KJ. One thing leads to another, and these 4 young girls end up in 2019.
In the future, young Erin meets her older version. The 4 girls learn some shocking truths about themselves, their future, the time travelling war and more. Prioress, the woman who works for something called ‘Old Watch’ is on a mission to get these girls.
Will Erin, Mac, KJ and Tiffany save themselves from all the dangers and return to their lives in 1988?
Paper Girls Review: Discussion and Performances
In the last few years, we have seen several shows based on time travel. Some known ones are Dark, Russian Doll and Marvel’s Loki. We have learned from these shows that if one meddles with time, one must face the consequences.
Similarly, in Paper Girls, the four girls who accidentally meddle with time have to deal with the consequences. While the external threats are always looking out for them, what’s interesting to see is their reactions to their future self. The Amazon Prime Video series packs many emotional scenes despite being a sci-fi thriller.
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We witness the betrayal these girls feel when they see their future version. But will they meet their older selves to seek help or just stay hidden and solve the mystery of why and how they ended up getting there? That’s something to look out for.
Thanks to Stranger Things’ popularity, shows in which kids try to solve the horror or supernatural problems have become widely popular. In this show, these 4 girls become your favourite instantly. You want them to find answers and a way out of the future and back to their lives. In one scene, one of the girls gets her first period, and the entire sequence is heartwarming to watch.
Even though the series has many good elements, it never truly takes us to its root cause. Considering how it ended, it’s possible that we might find answers if there’s another season. But I wish we were given some insight into the exact cause, motive and tragedy behind the time travelling incident.
The young actors Riley Nai Nelet, Sofia Rosinsky, Camryn Jones and Fina Strazza, are exceptional in the show. They are good at displaying confusion, rage, fear and even humour throughout. The rest of the cast is also good.
Paper Girls Review: Final Thoughts
Overall, Paper Girls is an engaging sci-fi time travelling thriller worth watching. After the second episode, strange things happen, and the series gets more interesting. While you wish the makers had given us some answers, you will stick till the end to see the fate of these four 12-year-old girls from the 80s.
Watch the show on Amazon Prime Video.