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Dead of Summer – Season 1 Review (no spoilers)

deadofsummerDead of Summer

TV Series on Freeform
Created by: Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kistis
Starring: Elizabeth Mitchell, Elizabeth Lail, Alberto Frezza, Mark Indelicato, Ronen Rubinstein, Paulina Zinger, Zelda Williams, Eli Goree & more

Set in the late 1980s, school is out for the summer, and a sun-drenched season of firsts beckons the counselors at Camp Stillwater, a seemingly idyllic Midwestern summer camp, including first loves, first kisses – and first kills. Stillwater’s dark, ancient mythology awakens, and what was supposed to be a summer of fun soon turns into one of unforgettable scares and evil at every turn.

My rating: 3 Stars

*This review is for the entire first season. No visible spoilers, any included will be hidden. Feel free to read!

I went in with somewhat low expectations for this show. It is on Freeform, and it is a horror mystery. It just seemed like a pairing not made in heaven. However, while this show is not perfect, I was pleasantly surprised. 

At first, the story is a slow start. There are a few odd things happening here and there but nothing cohesive to really draw in my attention. About halfway through, things started to come together. The mysteries start piling and some connections start being made. I actually enjoyed the overall plot, but I don’t want to give too much away. I’ll just say it’s not unique for the genre, but unique for the channel and for the target audience.

In each episode, the background of a character is highlighted. It’s similar to Orange Is The New Black — each episode reveals the past of one character. This was the series attempt to create a little depth to the characters, sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. However, if you’re looking for a television show that is rife with teen angst and plenty of diversity, this show has it. Whether you find it to be done correctly or not is up to your interpretation. Also, where Stranger Things really embraced that 80’s nostalgia, Dead of Summer almost looked a little too modern to me.

deadofsummer1

As for the scares, there isn’t much of them. Sure, there are some creepy situations, but nothing that actually made me jump or be frightened. I will say there are a few times that this show got pretty brutal for a Freeform show (FYI, Freeform used to be ABC Family, so that was kind of a big deal to me for it to be even slightly gory).

So the story was good and there were a few gory-ish scenes, and the acting was, well, pretty bad. I honestly don’t have much to say about it except that you should keep in mind this is the same channel that puts on Pretty Little Liars and the creators are behind Once Upon A Time.

Overall, this isn’t a terrible show. It’s a short 10-episode season, so it’s perfect for a lazy day when you have nothing else to watch — or if you want a little bit of a laugh and a mystery sprinkled together.

dead of summer 3

8 Comments

  • Reply brunettegirl27 09/05/2016 at 6:59 am

    It was my guilty pleasure for the summer.
    I agreed with the brutality.. some scenes were a little too much for me; I liked all the flashback stories and the mistery about the satanic followers.
    But at the end it was kind of disappointed for me: a little too much predictable.

    • Reply Molly 09/05/2016 at 7:43 am

      I definitely agree with that. I already knew most of the ending by around episode 6 haha I still think it was a fun show to watch to pass some time 🙂

  • Reply Tracy 09/05/2016 at 5:45 pm

    I’ve never even heard of this show but those kids all look like they’re totally out of it! XD I’m not sure if I can watch dumb characters… Are these characters dumb? It really bugs me that it’s marketed as horror but there isn’t much actual horror. Thanks for sharing this!

    Tracy @ Cornerfolds

    • Reply Molly 09/06/2016 at 6:56 am

      hahaha the acting was….meh. I think its a fun show to watch if you want some easy entertainment and few laughable special effects. But yeah, I wouldnt say it’s scary. they tried, but it didn’t freak me out really. It’s more of a mystery.

  • Reply Michelle 09/05/2016 at 9:11 pm

    I’m SO excited to watch this. I hope it comes to Netflix so I can!! I’m not good with watching series on tv anymore. Also, I’m still not feeling the Freeform name. Just go back to ABC Family!

    • Reply Molly 09/06/2016 at 6:55 am

      It probably will! All the other Freeform shows are on there aren’t they? I think…haha Also, same…Freeform kind of sucks. But maybe they changed it so that they could do less “family-friendly” things?

  • Reply Genesis @ Latte Nights Reviews 09/06/2016 at 12:20 pm

    I wanted to watch this one show but I’m such a scaredy cat so I don’t know if I’ll actually be able to watch it. I can watch gory and suspense. I don’t mind gory at all. This show gave vibes of paranormal stuff, which I only tolerate in TVD and The Originals since it has vampires and werewolves (they don’t exist in real life), but actual paranormal stuff like possessions and stuff like that in the modern world, creeps me out and I won’t watch it at all.
    I’m glad ABC Family changed their name (although Freeform isn’t the best choice) because they had started to show things that weren’t family-friendly.
    Genesis | Latte Nights Reviews

    • Reply Molly 09/08/2016 at 8:42 am

      Hmmm, this show might not be for you then? It’s all about the more possession side of paranormal & not werewolves and what not. It’s not SUPER scary, though. At least, not to me. It was actually a little humorous. Maybe just watch it during the day? lol >.<

      Also, I agree. I think they wanted a name that allowed them to show more "dark" things. And having FAMILY in your name doesn't really allow for that lol But yeah, Freeform isn't the best choice haha

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