Astrid & Lilly: Save the World, Series Premiere “Tontoom”
Premiere Date: Wednesday, January 26, 2022 at 10/9c on Syfy
Reviewer Rating: 4 Stars
“Pudge Patrol! Ready for some mega ass-kicking!” – Lilly
Everyone has a different story of how high school went for them. Some have fond memories, fun memories, and some care to forget all about it. For those of us with mixed emotions, Astrid & Lilly Save the World comes in and shakes up the notion that the presumed “cool kids” really aren’t as awesome as you remember, and that the misfits or “freaky” kids weren’t really that odd.
For two best friends, Astrid (Jana Morrison) and Lilly (Samantha Aucoin), high school is their life, the good and the bad. They are considered oddballs and deal with constant name calling because they aren’t the right size. Astrid and Lilly are desperate to fit in with the cool kids. They’ve been on “patrol” cruising by some of the popular kids’ houses to gain insight on what they like. From music to hobbies, Astrid and Lilly have collected evidence as if they were detectives in a police procedural.
After a failed attempt in crashing Tate’s (Kolton Stewart) party and being called “Pudge Patrol,” Astrid and Lilly take matters into their own hands. For catharsis, they burn all the trinkets they’ve collected from the not-so-cool kids, howl at the moon, and chant. Little do they know, this ritual opens a portal to a monster dimension, unleashing creatures into their realm.
Astrid & Lilly Save the World is a delightfully fun, entertaining, and quirky new comedy. Both Morrison and Aucoin give compelling performances as their characters deal with ridicule and belittling at the hands of bullies. While the three episodes I watched gives insight into some of the other characters, I appreciate the way the writers avoid demonizing the “cool kids.” Instead, they bring to light certain aspects of their personal lives which may help the audience empathize. We don’t condone bullying, in any way shape or form, but there is a saying, “Hurt people hurt people.” Essentially, people who are suffering in their lives privately may act out and hurt others. It’s not right, but it’s reality.
Tate’s girlfriend Candace (Julia Doyle) is dealing with a lot at home. Her mom is a devoutly religious woman who likes to interject her opinions onto everyone, especially her daughter, and those who are not choosing what she deems as a righteous path. Despite having been friends with Lilly back in the day, Candace shuns her just like everyone else at school but when Tate goes missing, she comes to Lilly for help.
Astrid and Lilly deal with several new issues after opening the portal. They meet the hunky Brutus (Olivier Renaud) who’s there to help them navigate their way through the “So You Opened A Portal and You Need to Close It” guide so they can indeed close the portal and thus, save the world. Along with the pamphlet, Astrid and Lilly get “monster tracker superpowers” that aren’t as cool as they would hope. Astrid smells weird stuff and Lilly gets massive leg cramps.
With their first monster lurking about, the Tearjerker, Astrid and Lilly must pull on their big girl pants to save some cool kids. But this monster feeds off his victims’ tears by invoking their inner most fears. To get the Tearjerker’s “Tontoom” to put into the golden orb of monster bits, Astrid and Lilly must overcome their worst fears. Easier said than done, right.
Astrid & Lilly Save the World gives me such good vibes. I love the way Astrid and Lilly lift each other up. Whether it’s Astrid’s attempts at getting Sparrow (Spencer Macpherson) to notice her or Lilly’s insecurities getting her down, these two besties know how to be there for one another and that’s a beautiful thing. If you’re looking for an interesting, quirky, and entertaining new comedy, check out Astrid & Lilly Save the World.
Tune in Wednesdays at 10/9c on Syfy.
ASTRID & LILLY SAVE THE WORLD Social Media
Official Site – https://www.syfy.com/astrid-lilly-save-the-world
Twitter – https://twitter.com/AstridLillyTV
Instagram – Samantha Aucoin (Lilly) https://www.instagram.com/samanthaaucoin/ and Syfy https://www.instagram.com/syfy/?hl=en
Photos ©2022 Syfy, a division of NBCUniversal. All Rights Reserved.
Judy Manning
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