Cruel Intentions, an eight-episode romance and suspense series, was released in late November and quickly reached the number two spot on Prime Video’s Top 10 TV Shows in the U.S. It is a remake of the 1999 movie Cruel Intentions.
Starring Sarah Catherine Hook, Zac Burgess, and Savannah Lee Smith, the show explores Greek life at the elite Manchester College in Washington, D.C. Step-siblings Caroline Mertueil and Lucien Belmont – who are the respective heads of the top sorority and fraternity at Manchester – will do anything to maintain their position at the top of the social hierarchy.
Cruel Intentions, the series, attempts to capture the same intrigue and manipulative drama that made the 1999 movie so popular. While the show updates the story to a more modern setting, the characters have the same motivations as those in the original movie. One of the central storylines revolves around Caroline, the president of Delta Phi Pi, who hopes to recruit Annie Grover, the daughter of the Vice President of the United States, to her sorority. Caroline aims to redeem her sorority after a hazing incident the previous year where a recruit of Alpha Gamma, Manchester’s top fraternity, was injured. From the start of the show, I was hooked. The university is investigating both organizations and if Caroline can secure Annie Grover as a pledge, the investigations will be halted. The series clearly presents the characters’ motives, making it easy for viewers to follow the plot. Beware: spoilers ahead!
Lucien is in love with his step-sister Caroline–creepy, I know! Caroline uses this to her advantage and manipulates his feelings – telling him that if he can charm Annie and convince her to pledge Delta Phi Pi, she will do anything he wants. Annie’s parents push her to pledge to a sorority, and she quickly makes friends from many different social groups. Her friend, Beatrice Worth, despises the “Greek System” and is motivated to take it down. While Lucien, on the other hand, tries to convince Annie to rush Delta Phi Pi. Annie becomes torn between continuing her friendship with Beatrice or rushing Delta Phi Pi. I was on the edge of my seat as many unexpected plot twists unfolded. I was rooting for Annie to rush the sorority because I knew it would spice up the story.
The storylines in Cruel Intentions are quite idealized but interesting to watch nonetheless. For example, CeCe, a member of Delta Phi Pi, falls in love with the teacher she works for. I was shocked. This would have serious consequences in college, so it was a little unrealistic. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen but it certainly is rare! If you’re looking for a show that accurately reflects college life, this isn’t it, as it’s filled with dramatic twists and over-the-top situations. However, if you want to be entertained by a cast of intriguing characters and plenty of drama, I recommend it.