3 Things I Want to See in the Upcoming Crystal Lake Friday the 13th Series
News has been quiet lately on the upcoming Crystal Lake Friday the 13th series. I thought we might receive an update on Friday, February 13th, but no such luck. Of course, there is another Friday the 13th in March. Perhaps a teaser and/or a release date will be announced that day?
We do know that the eight episode series is expected to premiere on Peacock sometime in 2026. Linda Cardinelli will play Pamela Voorhees, with Callum Vinson taking on the role of young Jason. Here’s three key things that I want to see in the series.
Adult jason
Friday the 13th‘s rabid fanbase has been starved of a full fledged Jason rampage since the 2009 reboot. While Jason will obviously appear as a kid in the series, there are conflicting reports about whether the adult version of the character will play a role.
Including him would mean that the writers would have to juggle multiple timelines, but I think it would be much better for the series, especially commercially, if they can work grown up Jason into the story somehow. If not in the first season, perhaps in future seasons. Perhaps the story could be framed as memories that adult Jason is having about his childhood?
An Explanation for How Jason Survived Drowning
Crystal Lake is the perfect opportunity to explain something that has always been ignored or glossed over – the circumstances around Jason’s drowning. Did Jason somehow survive by himself as a hermit in the woods? Was there some sort of supernatural event that resurrected him? Was there someone who secretly took care of him?
The series is the perfect opportunity to finally answer this question. Pamela clearly believes that Jason is dead in the original movie. Why wouldn’t Jason have tried to find her during all those years that he was living in the woods?
More Voorhees Family Shenanigans
There are virtually no interactions between Jason and Pamela in the movie series. Jason sees Pamela talking to him in Friday the 13th Part 2, but this is a hallucination. He also has visions of his mom (who is really Freddy in disguise) in Freddy vs. Jason.
Crystal Lake is the first time that the franchise will have an in-depth look at their relationship. They were obviously close, and she meant a lot to Jason. With Linda Cardinelli’s acting talent, I’m confident that the series will be able to create a believable, and perhaps even moving, relationship.
And what about Jason’s rarely mentioned father, Elias? He has never appeared in any of the movies, although he has shown up in franchise comic books and novelizations. Elias is generally portrayed as a violent abuser who abandoned his wife and child. He is mentioned by name in only one movie installment – Jason Goes to Hell.
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives initially planned for Elias to have a cameo, but this was cut from the script. There’s no word on whether Elias will appear in Crystal Lake, but I hope he will at least be mentioned. If he was abusive and neglectful, that will emphasize Jason’s emotional attachment to Pamela even more.
