Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies is a Fun, Modernized Prequel Series
A prequel to the iconic original film, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies has just about everything you’d want from a musical television series. The musical numbers are elaborate and well done, and the story includes conflict that’s relatable despite being set in the 1950s.
From the first musical number, the nostalgia is there, with an ambitious take on “Grease is the Word.”
It’s also the moment we start to want to root for Jane Facciano (Marisa Davila). Jane is our central character who walks a line of being everything that’s expected of her as a girl in the 50s, and being the kind of person she wants to be.
In fact, the first major conflict of the series has to do with her reputation when she’s spotted in a compromising position with Buddy, one of the popular boys in the school.
It’s from there that series questions the double standard of men and women when it comes to sex, tackling similar themes from the original film.
Of course, the series is called Rise of the Pink Ladies, and Jane’s conflict is only one piece of the puzzle in watching how this girl gang comes together.
They begin as a group of outcasts who wind up finding each other and supporting each other, and uniting behind Jane who stands up for herself and decides to run for Student Council President.
It’s a bold move considering her status at the school, and even bolder because she’s female. They’ve never had a female president before.
The other outcasts, Nancy, Cynthia, and Olivia, have interesting backstories of their own that I hope get more exploration and things move forward. They all support Jane and her vision, and they band together. It’s the beginning of major change for them, but also for the school overall.
Because Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies is a television series, it has a chance to dig deeper into the characters and also into more societal issues.
Part of what makes the series more modern is the way it tackles issues of class and race.
It’s not a just a diverse cast on the surface. That diversity also adds depth to the story being told. That includes the fact that Jane is part Puerto Rican and part Italian, which has an effect on how her campaign for Student Council President takes shape.
Many of the kids at Rydell, in fact, don’t feel as welcome or popular because of their race. One storyline involves a wealthy athletic club that only allows in Black students when it’s for a school dance. This speaks to the prejudice of the time period in a way that makes this story a whole lot more profound.
There are plenty of nods to the original film too, and we get to see some early connections right away.
One fun reveal here is some additional backstory of two of the first Pink Ladies to ever grace the screen. Jane is Frenchie’s older sister. And Frenchie’s friend Betty (last name Rizzo!) is said to be a bad influence on her.
And on Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, the assistant principal, who we know will later become principal, is Ms. McGee. It’s really fun to see those details.
As strong as the story, the musical numbers, and the nostalgia are, though, the series does have its flaws.
The first few episodes would have done better to slow down and give more backstory on Jane and the other girls who eventually make up the Pink Ladies.
And as the episodes move forward, a lot of the conflict starts feeling redundant, especially when it comes to Jane’s campaign.
The richness of the world is there, but it doesn’t offer much else to keep us wanting to come back to more. That’s where exploring the other characters in more detail early on could have made a big difference.
Still, what’s been done with the series is incredible so far. It certainly has potential, especially if it continues to explore some of the more substantial issues.
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Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies streams Thursdays on Paramount+.
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Fiona Vroom Talks ‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies’ [Interview]
Ashley Bissette Sumerel
Ashley Bissette Sumerel is a television and film critic living in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is editor-in-chief of Tell-Tale TV as well as Eulalie Magazine. Ashley has also written for outlets such as Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, and Insider. Ashley has been a member of the Critics Choice Association since 2017 and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. In addition to her work as an editor and critic, Ashley teaches Entertainment Journalism, Composition, and Literature at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.