Summer Streamin' 24 - Cruel Intentions - Season One

Cruel Intentions (tv series) is the latest in the franchise of the same name, it is based on the 1999 film by Roger Kumble, which in turn was a modern retelling of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos' 1782 novel Les Liaisons dangereuses

Landing on Amazon Prime Video, the other week, the series, set in a Washington D.C college among rich students, follows two manipulative step siblings who are ready to do anything to maintain their status. It features a cast led by Sarah Catherine Hook, Zac Burgess, and Savannah Lee Smith.

Now this TV version of the franchise has been a long time coming. Originally planned for a television adaptation of the film started in 1999 at Fox with a prequel series that was later retooled as the 2000 direct-to-video film Cruel Intentions 2 following its cancellation due to creative concerns. 

Then in 2015, NBC picked up a television pilot for a continuation of the film's storyline with Sarah Michelle Gellar returning but later passed on the project. 

Amazon announced a new project's development for Amazon Freevee in 2021, with Neal H. Moritz returning as an executive producer. It was given a series order in April 2023, and moved to Prime Video several months later. Filming for the series occurred last June in Toronto. Now it has had generally negative reviews, however let's be honest, it is just another horny college drama, with a bit of sex and scandal here and there.

Unlike the sexy Ryan Phillippe & Reese Witherspoon film of the late 90's. This take was slightly more woke (less than the equally horny (from a female perspective) Sex Lives of College Girls) with a modern take with social media and smart phones. Oh with a side of revenge porn.

Brief plot please? The latest version for TV, revolves around two step siblings at a Washington D.C. college have worked hard climbing the Greek life social ladder on campus. After a hazing incident goes wrong, however, the two will do anything it takes to maintain the status they have achieved and set their sights on seducing the Vice President's daughter.

Starring Sarah Catherine Hook, Zac Burgess, Khobe Clarke, Brooke Lena Johnson, Sara Silva, John Harlan Kim, Myra Molloy, Sean Patrick Thomas, Laura Benanti, Jon Tenney, Claire Forlani, Nikki Crawford, Isabella Tagliati, and Zeke Goodman.

Overall this was an average, easy, not that sexy watch. I haven't watched a load of Amazon of late, so I gave this a whirl. I would really love to watch Cross next which also landed this month.

Next up, network TV says goodbye to one of the first series for the 2024-2025 season. Superman & Lois will conclude next week. See you then. Or maybe before!