Have you ever wondered what you from a decade ago would say to you now? Would they be proud of you? Ashamed? Surprised? Prime Video's newest sci-fi thriller Paper Girls doesn't let you get to the end without wondering. After finishing this, I wish I could go back and give my thirteen year old self a handbook and give her the biggest hug in the world.

 

In 1988, four teenage girls set out to do their paper route. After a wild early morning of setbacks, instead of making it to the end of their route, they find themselves 20 years into the future and have to figure out how to get back. Sofia Rosinsky plays Mac Coyle, the rough around the edges punk. Fina Strazza plays K.J. Brandman, the sporty lacrosse star. Riley Lai Nelet plays Erin Tieng, the shy new girl in town, and Camryn Jones as the spunky brainiac Tiffany Quilkin. I was thoroughly impressed with the chops each of these actresses brought to the spotlight, but they share it beautifully as a group too.

 

I will say, the pilot was a little muddled due to the editing. Normally I don't like to comment on stuff like this, but it stuck out to me. It had a hard time placing beats and making them punch when they needed it most. It flew by at a fixed speed so certain moments that should have been built up fell really flat. However, as the season goes on, that's not much of an issue. Some familiar faces like Ali Wong, Adina Porter, Nate Corddry bring exquisite talent to the screen. 

 

There's a lot of theming surrounding growing up in the vein of coming to terms with the person you inevitably become. The episodes can feel slow at times compared to how quick the pilot felt, but mostly to its advantage. If it were rushed, I don't think the situations would have come across as organic. 

 

Having never read the "Paper Girls" comics, I'm not too sure how much it transfers to the screen. From the cover of the first release, it seems they nailed the overall look of the characters. What I like most about this show is it's emphasis on the character's relationships with themselves and each other and not so much the futuristic time travel sci-fi-ness. It’s all around campy fun. 

 

Since the release of it's trailer, I've noticed a sea of highly expert observations coining it a "Stranger Things rip off" and "ST bUt WiTh GiRLz". We're not here to gatekeep the iconic nature of the 80s. Other kids, (including girls!) rode bikes together too. Wild, I know. So to say it's a Stranger Things knockoff is just plain silly. "Paper Girls" #1 was released in early 2015, a year before Stranger Things. So basically, get over it. If anything you should be giving it the fattest chance you can because it's just what ST fans like us are looking for in the genre. 

 

Paper Girls is now streaming exclusively on Prime Video!