Despite the efforts of this young cast, who all seem understandably excited about the little they've been given to work with, Pretty Freekin Scary consistently makes dull decisions that fail to take advantage of the show's weirdly dark premise. One would hope for a more offbeat tone à la Beetlejuice or The Addams Family, but instead we get subpar Disney Channel shenanigans rendered in visually unappealing ways, with no coherent concept behind its version of the Underworld. And in the show's absolute resistance to engaging with tricky subject matter such as death (even in a satirical way), it only ends up making light of what its protagonist is living through. Certainly not the most appropriate time in America to release a series that's so nonchalant about children's safety.
Synopsis
Fourteen-year-old Frankie Ripp had a perfect life — a great family, an annoying little brother, a popular boyfriend and a BFF she could always count on. However, her life took a surprising turn after an unfortunate incident. After some heated debate in the Underworld with the Grim Reaper herself, Frankie is forced to navigate life with her new Underworld guardians, Pretty and Scary, in the most challenging setting of all … middle school. Pretty freekin scary, huh?
Storyline
After she is allowed to come back from the dead following a freak accident, 14-year-old Frankie balances everyday life with tasks assigned to her by the Grim Reaper.
TLDR
Parents, your child just came back from the grave; DON'T JUST SEND HER BACK TO SCHOOL
What stands out
Here's to hoping young Yonas Kibreab, who plays Frankie's mischievous younger brother Remy, gets another shot to play around in a different sandbox beyond this show. He proves himself more than willing to do whatever the scripts require from his character—which may not be all that much in the grand scheme of things, but he's got a palpable sense of joy that doesn't deserve to be extinguished.
