By: Orlando Arechiga
The Paramount+ series takes place 4 years prior to the events of the film. We meet four unique ladies who are ready to change the world. The series mainly focuses on Jane who wants to make things right at Rydell High. With the help of her three friends, she campaigns to become the first female president of her school. This is an origin story of how the Pink Ladies came to be, but for a reason, doesn’t feel like it. The series includes well-performed musical numbers and themes that are relatable to our times.
In Hollywood, it’s hard for a TV musical series to stick. I can name a few like ‘Glee’, ‘Smash’ and ‘Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist’ which after the first season struggled to keep viewers engaged. I am happy to say ‘Grease: The Rise of the Pink Ladies’ won’t have that problem if the creative team focuses on what is in front of them, that is its characters.
‘Grease’ is very special to many people for its memorable songs and characters, so the pressure was on once a prequel, was announced. The series has potential and is enjoyable, but its main issue falls on its characters. Way too many characters, and not enough time to really understand them. Also, by the fifth episode, there are still many questions that need to be answered, especially how the pink ladies came to be. In the fifth episode, there is a number that showcases all the actors in a very clever circular shot. That’s when I realized the problem of the series, Again, there are so many characters and I still don’t know too much about them.
The first episode is definitely the best of the five episodes I screened. There were more musical numbers than any other episodes. There are also a bunch of Easter eggs that make the viewer feel like Grease is the word! Overall, the musical numbers are filmed very well in each episode, showcasing creative shots to immerse the viewer. The high-level choreography is a theatrical experience, some numbers even feel like music videos.
The new series tries to include storylines that show representation, but it’s easy to notice where representation feels forced. For example, it’s easy to notice the bad casting they did with Jane. Jane in the series is Puerto Rican. Her background is introduced in episode 3 but oddly doesn’t seem very authentic, as the actress who plays Jane is first-generation Mexican American. I think the series would have a higher impact if a Puerto Rican Latina was cast as Jane. It just doesn’t feel very authentic, but I do appreciate the effort.
The whole cast is great, but who stands out the most from the bunch is Cheyenne Isabel Wells as Olivia Valdovinos who is the best singer in the series. She also showcases acting that is believable. I can see her being the ‘it’ girl in a horror franchise. Another stand-out is Ari Notartomaso as Cynthia, who is charming and is breaking all the rules, interpreting a character never seen in the Grease universe. In episode 4, she steals the episode with a unique take on finding yourself and true love.
Overall, ‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies’ is fun and a delight, I just hope the purpose of the series is found by the end of the season. The series is now streaming on Paramount + with new episodes every Thursday.
beyonddisway.net 