Crystal Lake prequel series to premiere on Peacock

The upcoming horror prequel series ‘Crystal Lake’, a spinoff of the ‘Friday the 13th’ franchise, is set to premiere on Peacock on October 15. Produced by A24, the eight-episode series explores the origins of Pamela Voorhees and her son, Jason. Set in the early 1970s in Crystal Lake, New Jersey, the story follows Pam, played by Linda Cardellini, as she grapples with the psychological trauma and grief following the tragic drowning of her son.

Showrunner Brad Caleb Kane has noted that the series aims to capture the spirit of the original films while allowing for creative flexibility regarding the franchise’s historically inconsistent continuity. Early critical reception on Rotten Tomatoes has been notably high, with the series debuting at an 85% to 86% score, marking it as one of the highest-rated projects in the franchise’s history. The cast includes Callum Vinson as young Jason, William Catlett, and Devin Kessler.

The production features original music contributions from franchise composer Harry Manfredini and focuses on the descent of Pamela Voorhees into the character seen in the original 1980 film.