Paramount+’s latest series, School Spirits, gives us a glimpse into the metaphysical world of teen specters stuck in literal high school purgatory. The eight-episode YA drama is based on the upcoming graphic novel of the same name written by series creators Nate and Megan Trinrud and illustrator Maria Nguyen. While the source material is set to release in fall 2023, you can watch the Trinrud duo’s story of lost souls coming to life (ha) on screen this month.
The first episode of School Spirits begins with a pep rally (yes, a pep rally) at Split River High about the disappearance of student Madison, a.k.a. Maddie, Nears (Peyton List). An invisible Maddie watches on as a handful of people show genuine concern, while others get over the announcement rather quickly and turn their attention to a bizarre cheer routine in honor of “Maggie.” Another student who goes unseen is Charley (Nick Pugliese), Maddie’s guide to the school’s ghost world.
Maddie didn’t just vanish — she was murdered. Since it was on school property, her soul is stuck in Split River High limbo, forced to roam around and observe the living. Charley brings her to her first afterlife support group meeting led by Mr. Martin (Josh Zuckerman), some kind of spiritual guidance counselor. She meets Rhonda (Sarah Yarkin), the group’s resident sarcasm queen who’s “really into Kerouac,” and Wally Clark (Milo Manheim), a surprisingly happy-go-lucky jock from the 1980s. There are three other members who don’t speak (at least in the first three episodes available for review).
On the other side of the veil, we’re introduced to Simon (Kristian Flores) and Nicole (Kiara Pichardo), who are currently mourning the loss of their best friend, Maddie. Her boyfriend Xavier (Spencer MacPherson) is understandably upset, but his lack of external emotion makes him a suspect to some, mainly Simon. Think Twin Peaks’ Bobby Briggs and Laura Palmer sans the secret drug addictions and public outbursts. There’s also Claire (Rainbow Wedell), but she has maybe two lines in the first three episodes, and all we know about her is that she’s a cheerleader.
You’d think the deceased teenagers would have the living teenagers beat in the angst department, but honestly, they’re all evenly filled to the brim with doom and gloom. Though the cast consists of talented young actors, there’s not much for them to work with in terms of characterization. They’re either humorous and self-deprecating (Walley, Charley, Rhonda), or we only get a vague idea of their personality based on their interactions/reactions with/ to others (Nicole, Claire, Mr. Martin). Maddie, Simon, and Xavier have more defining characteristics.
The trailer shows Maddie waking up in the school’s boiler room, and as she finds out, that’s where she was murdered, and where she ends up every time she attempts to leave school grounds. Local law enforcement and school officials don’t seem quite as useless as the authority figures in Riverdale. However, considering Maddie’s blood is found all over the wall and classes go on as usual, it’s safe to say they’re dropping the ball.
In trying to solve the mystery of her own murder, Maddie continues to uncover the secrets of people she trusted when she was alive. She also has to navigate this otherworldly high school hell, and with the series’ ambiguous rules for being a ghost, it’s not something she can easily wrap her head around. Charley has to keep telling her that no one can hear or see her, but that doesn’t stop her from trying (and failing) repeatedly.
Other than a few dramatic slow-motion moments, nothing about the production elements really stands out. We see various flashbacks to Maddie’s life, but there are no distinguishing factors between past and present, real-world and metaphysical world. A change in cinematography, even just muted tones for the past, would’ve been an effective tool in those instances.
While it’s not as over-the-top fashionable like Pretty Little Liars or Euphoria, costume designer Beverley Huynh (Honor Society) crafted a distinct style for the series. Aside from the ghostly characters of defined eras, Maddie and the living students have a 90s-inspired fashion sense, which is back in style in the 2020s. It’s mostly denim, flannel, and Maddie’s cropped tees, a look that one teacher described as “Kurt Cobain cosplay.”
School Spirits is a teen drama with a cool concept, but it falls short when it comes to an intriguing mystery, likable characters, and fully fleshed-out supernatural elements. While the central whodunnit draws you in at first, the series struggles to build and maintain tension other than ending episodes on cliffhangers. The story will likely work better as a graphic novel, especially if Maddie narrates the surreal experience. The series is good for a casual watch, if only for Milo Manheim’s Wally, but this might be a case of the source material being better than the adaptation.
The first three episodes of School Spirits premiere on March 9, 2023, on Paramount+, and the remaining five episodes drop weekly on Thursdays.
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