Amazon has releases first looks at two very different TV Originals that'll debut on Prime Video soon – but I don't think I'll watch either of them.
"Why not?", I hear you ask. Well, yesterday's (October 24) trailer reveal for Prime Video's TV remake of 1999 steamy teen drama movie Cruel Intentions did little to convince me that it'll be any better than its film namesake. Okay, its stylish and modern aesthetic are sure to appeal to anyone who hasn't seen the original movie. With eight episodes to explore its darkly comedic, dramatic, and erotic narrative, plus its morally complex characters, in more detail, Amazon's Cruel Intentions remake may even surprise me and become a big hit for one of the world's best streaming services.
Still, nothing jumps out to me from Cruel Intentions' first trailer, which you can watch below, that suggests it'll do any of that. Heck, if Amazon's 2021 TV adaptation of another cult classic 1990s young adult movie in I Know What You Did Last Summer is anything to go by – it was a massive flop, for those wondering – the chances are that Cruel Intentions will, well, suffer a similarly cruel fate.
Anyway, if you're intrigued by what's on show in the above teaser, you'll be pleased to hear that Cruel Intentions will be released on November 21. Here's the series' official story brief, too: "In this new adaptation, Cruel Intentions follows the elite students of Manchester College, a Washington, D.C.-adjacent university, where reputation means everything, fraternities and sororities are the gold standard, and two ruthless step-siblings, Caroline Merteuil (Sara Catherine Hook) and Lucien Belmont (Zac Burgess), will do anything to stay on top of the cutthroat social hierarchy.
"After a brutal hazing incident threatens the entire Greek Life system, they’ll do whatever is necessary to preserve their power and reputation – even if that means seducing Annie Grover (Savannah Lee Smith), the daughter of the Vice President of the United States. Hearts will be broken, loyalties will be tested, and secrets will be revealed in this modern-day royal court that is Manchester College."
Drilling into the heart of The Rig's overarching mystery
As for the second announcement, Amazon MGM Studios has released a bunch of new images for season 2 of its supernatural thriller series The Rig. The show's next installment, which comprises six episodes, will debut on the streaming platform in January 2025 – and, alongside its release window and first-look images reveals, Amazon also provided more information about this season's plot.
"Helicopters have taken the surviving crew of the Kinloch Bravo to a new secret offshore facility called the Stac, nestled deep in the extraordinary and deadly landscapes of the Arctic Circle," an Amazon press release reads. "Here, the trapped crew must deal with the emotional and physical fallout of the devastating tsunami that destroyed the Bravo, and contend with swirling conspiracies, corporate conflicts, and new threats from the dark depths of the world’s ocean.
"The second series will continue exploring global themes – weaving together the past, present, and future of the planet while taking the viewer to spectacular environments and drawing on the frontiers of cutting edge ocean technology –including the controversial world of deep sea mining."
Big #TheRig news incoming: As our first look shots drop today, I can now finally reveal the question basically everyone who has watched Series 1 always asks me… “Where are they going next?”And the answer is…October 25, 2024
Iain Glen, Emily Hampshire, Martin Compston, Rochenda Sandall, and Mark Addy will reprise their roles from The Rig's debut outing, while Alice Krige, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Ross Anderson, Phil McKee and Johannes Roaldsen Fürst join the cast for its sophomore season.
Amazon has a tendency to renew shows that perform extremely well on its primary streaming service, so I should be more excited for The Rig's return, right? You'd think that but, based on its 67% critics and 44% audience Rotten Tomatoes ratings, The Rig isn't considered to be one of the best Prime Video shows around. Season 1 failed to sink its hooks into me after I watched a couple of episodes, too, so I won't be finishing its debut season or returning for round two when The Rig rises back to the surface in early 2025.
