Having devoured the book “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” and appreciated its compelling pacing and well-presented evidence, the Netflix series unfortunately fails to meet the lofty expectations set by the source material.
Let’s begin with the characters. The book, while not deeply exploring relationships and character development, still offered more than the series. The Netflix adaptation shows even less interest in highlighting the emotional depth and challenges faced by the characters. Even for the leads, Ravi and Pip, their emotional moments come across as forced and lack significant analysis. The supporting cast – friends, family, and suspects – feel like mere placeholders to fill the episode runtime, lacking the authenticity present in the book’s portrayal.
The acting is adequate but lacks brilliance. It occasionally veers into Disney Channel territory, which, while understandable given the YA nature of the book, prevents viewers from truly connecting during high-impact moments. This diluted portrayal detracts from the series’ potential impact.
The visuals are intermittently interesting, creating a believable small-town backdrop, but the color palette seems slightly off. The saturation feels excessive, akin to watching Descendants on Disney+ rather than a teenage murder mystery. While another Riverdale or Winx Saga imitation isn’t desirable, the show’s aesthetic choices diminish the story’s inherent broodiness and darkness. The visual style detracts from the intended suspense.
Regarding the plot, as a reader of the book, I was almost screaming at the scriptwriters due to the delayed reveal of crucial information (hints about the ending). Six episodes felt insufficient to accommodate that amount of information, and the pacing was uneven, with approximately two episodes feeling stagnant. Vital plot points were stretched thin.
Characters were effectively assassinated for the sake of episode length, leading to disjointed and awkward pauses in the narrative. This artificial stretching impacted the story’s coherence.
Overall, I expected significantly more from this adaptation of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. Much was lost, primarily due to the writing. The directorial choices felt misguided. Incorporating a voice-over or segments that visually presented the evidence, akin to the book’s style, could have enhanced viewer understanding of Pip’s investigative progress and fostered greater engagement.
It’s disappointing because this could have been an easy success. In future adaptations, consider consulting the book’s readership and adhering more closely to the source material.
