Some of us are meant to wear masks".
(This review is based on a preview screening at the Regent's Street Cinema, London, on 12th October 2026 of the first two episodes and quotes from the Q&A with showrunner Brad Caleb Kane and Emmy award winning lead Linda Cardellini).
Mild spoilers ahead...
Four actresses have portrayed Pamela Voorhees on screen in the feature films within the Friday the13th franchise. Betsy Palmer, the iconic original in Friday the 13th (1980) and briefly in Part 2 (1981), Paula Shaw in Freddy vs. Jason (2003) - or at least Freddy's trickster version of her, Nana Visitor in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance in the opening of the 2009 reboot, and now (finally) Linda Cardellini in A24's 8-episode TV series premiering on Sky and Now TV in the UK from 19th October 2026.
Friday the 13th fans (I include myself in this) have been (im)patiently waiting for a new full-length official film for 17 years, and whilst that wait still goes on, we do at least have this substantial prequel TV series to satiate us. Crystal Lake is a deep dive (no pun intended) into not only the tragic 'drowning' of young Jason and the fatal repercussions of this further down the storyline, but also into Mrs Voorhees' backstory and an exploration of how both Pamela (and Jason) respectively transition into the legendary fictional serial killers that we know (and love) today.
As Linda Cardellini explained: "I knew her from the movie, but there's so little to see of her, but there's this incredibly wild mesmerising performance that Betsy Palmer gives". As the series is set 8/9 years before the events of the first Friday the 13th film, there's time to: "...figure out who she was until she gets to that point and who Jason was. And I'm always interested in the sort of making of the monster..."
"There's a big opportunity there for somebody that the audiences really loved but didn't get quite enough of. So I just thought it could be fun - and daunting, of course, because people feel very, very devoted and serious about the franchise..."Well, on the evidence of the first 2 episodes I caught it would appear that the project is in safe hands with both its showrunner Brad Caleb Kane, and in Linda Cardellini's nuanced and committed portrayal as Mrs Voorhees. As Brad stated in the Q&A, being a self-declared "die-hard, long-time fan" of the franchise himself, "I know also what Friday the 13th fans want".
Brad recognised the need for authenticity (as much as possible) in terms of the setting - "We shot this whole thing in New Jersey...no trees look like New Jersey trees" , this included the original Blairstown (even though the original camp wouldn't grant permission). The title credits mirror the original's and Brad even secured original composer Harry Manfredini to write original music for both the opening of the first episode, the regular title and end sequences - and yes, the infamous 'Ki,Ki,Ki, Ma, Ma, Ma' refrain is back too. In later episodes, Brad confirmed that the show will have: "shot-for-shot recreations of scenes from the movies" , including a whole episode where: "...we go full Friday the 13th, and it is a full night of like eight bodies dropping..."
Fans will delight in seeing younger versions of 'Crazy' Ralph (Nick Cordileone), Officer Dorf (Cameron Scoggins), future camp owner Steve Christy (Dan Thompson), and truck driver Enos (Daniel Stewart Sherman). New characters include recently widowed police chief Levon Brooks (William Catlett) and his investigative journalist sister who I understand will uncover the full picture in later episodes. And of course there's Jason himself, played initially by Callum Vinson under a ton of prosthetics. His scenes with Linda Cardellini are poignant and beautifully played by both (although I defy anyone not to feel an amusing fission of foreshadowing when he playfully picks up a machete...)
There is a significant change in terms of the original's timeline - in Friday the 13th (1980), Jason supposedly drowns in 1957 whereas in Crystal Lake this has been updated to the early 1970's. There is also an additional story element involving a sinister organisation who come looking for Pamela. This is already in play in the first two episodes...
Linda Cardellini is superb as the Camp Crystal Lake cook, former lounge-singer (who knew?) and fiercely protective and loving mum to her son Jason - the boy with significant physical deformities, who is prone to episodic fits and who is not a very good swimmer. She brings real pathos to the role and also (already after only 2 episodes) is chillingly convincing as someone who will do whatever it takes to defend all she holds dear.
In the first two episodes there's a couple of very gnarly deaths with copious amounts of spilt blood, although not from characters related to the original film, and showrunner Brad teases that there's plenty more where that came from: "There's a lot of brutal kills and gory moments in the season. There's a really, really brutal one in [episode] 3 where the switch really does gets flipped: so rage full." And music to the ears of Friday fans, Brad assures that: "The original movies are all practical effects. We knew that we would have to do all practical effects for this".
I'll be honest I could have watched the whole series then and there, but all good things come to those who wait.
To finish I'll leave you with Linda Cardellini's hopes for Crystal Lake: "I just hope people enjoy it...it's a wild ride."
And Brad Caleb Kane's promise: "You ain't see nothing yet!"
****
Paul Worts
