Fans of the 80s and science fiction, rush to Paper Girls, a tasty series available on Amazon Prime Video, and a very successful adaptation of a famous comic book.
A little nostalgia, a little paranormal , we take the same and start again?
On paper, it looks a lot like Stranger Things : Paper Girls is set in the 80s, with resourceful teenagers glued to their bikes, who find themselves thrown into the future and embroiled in a war that threatens their world… but it would be very simplistic to see in it only a pale copy of the Duffer brothers’ successful series. We explain to you why the little news from Amazon Prime that arrived at the end of July is worth much more than a comparison.
Already because Paper Girls is originally a comic book, and even a very good one, scripted by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Cliff Chiang, available in French in 6 volumes published by Urban Comics. Proof of its high quality, it received the prestigious Eisner Prize in 2016.
Paper Girls: Four Girls in Time
So Paper Girls , what does it say? On the night of October 31, 1988, in the boring residential suburb of Cleveland, four teenage girls woke up at dawn to earn some pocket money by delivering newspapers. They don’t have much in common: there’s Erin, the new, shy and reserved, KJ, the sportswoman from a rich family, Tiffany, the geek with a bit of a big mouth, and the insufferable Mac.
Their tour will be cut short: they will be propelled into 2019 and chased by strange soldiers from another time and rescued by a group of resistance fighters…
If the comics finely dug each character, it focused above all on the SF dimension of the story and how the four heroines find themselves at the heart of a conflict that goes beyond them.
In this series adaptation by Stephany Folsom, this struggle of a group of resistance fighters to save the world is ultimately nothing more than a pretext to explore the repercussions of time travel on these four heroines .
Each of them will be confronted with its future, even with itself. Each will have to face up to their own choices, failures, disappointments, surprises, dashed hopes. Like a hasty farewell to the innocence of four touching and resourceful little girls.
A skilfully conducted confrontation, sometimes full of melancholy, but also of humor as through the discovery of today’s technologies ( “what is the Internet?” they ask when disembarking in 2019). When you read the comics by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang, the series takes a few liberties , but without ever betraying the spirit of the original Paper Girls and bringing them great depth.
It is also thanks to its promising cast that Paper Girls hits so right , with four very young actresses, Sofia Rosinksy, Camryn Jones, Riley Lai Nelet and Fina Strazza, whom we hope to see again very soon. And if the series sometimes fishes a little in rhythm or if certain special effects lack a little finesse, we stay despite everything to see them live this adventure which surpasses and transcends them.
Another highlight of Paper Girls , a hypnotic soundtrack by Bobby Krlic (the suffocating music of Midsommar , that was him), embellished with perfectly chosen eighties hits. And that’s without forgetting some impeccable supporting roles with comedian Ali Wong, Adina Porter and even Jason Mantsoukas.
Between Yellowjackets or The Wilds (which will unfortunately not be renewed), the series landscape is finally full of stories that feature teenage girls with complex and exciting trajectories.
In short, we can only advise you Paper Girls , in the form that suits you the most, while waiting for a second season…
