Panic Season 1 (Mini-Review)

Panic is an Amazon Original Series based off of the Young Adult novel of the same name by Lauren Oliver. The series focuses on an annual game called Panic that is played in Carp, Texas by the graduating class of each year. Heather Nill never had any interest in playing the game, but when she runs into financial trouble she is forced into participating. This year's Panic proves to be hiding a dark secret. Added to that mystery is the fact that the police now know about Panic and are doing their best to end the game once and for all.

How fiction affects reality isn't anywhere near as simple as someone watching/reading/ect. something and then being able to not do anything else but repeat what they saw/read/ect. in fiction. Even young adults are fully capable of realizing something is fictional and knowing those actions would be dangerous in a real setting. Yet for some reason the show has a warning before each episode that says the show is fictional and the stunts are not safe for viewers to replicate. The only time I thought a warning before an episode was warranted was a suicide content warning. Nothing is shown in detail, but it felt good to be warned beforehand.

I wanted to watch Panic because it was another 'killer game' show. By the trailers I saw I knew not to expect something overly gory. So does this show hold up to the 'killer game' sub-genre? It is a good way for young adults to become interested in the sub-genre. It has good challenges and an overarching mystery. Plus the show has standard Young Adult cliches and tropes so newcomers won't become overwhelmed.

For more experienced viewers, certain twists and turns are easy to spot. I didn't know the exact nature of some revelations but they made sense with other theories I had. This doesn't mean the twists and turns fall flat since you come to care for the characters. Heather Nill has to deal not just with Panic but also some friendships that begin to fall apart because of the game.

This Season doesn't answer all of the questions and ends on a cliffhanger with even more questions. Some questions that aren't answered are pretty big and I can see why they were left for future Seasons. It wouldn't do to have every question answered by the first Season of a series. Viewers need to have a reason to come back for future Seasons.

There is, of course, a love triangle because of course there is. Heather has to choose between her friend Bishop Moore and the bad boy with a heart of gold Ray Hall. I will say I began to prefer Ray Hall as there was much more to his character. It was more interesting to see someone with a rough exterior become more likable than a good character that did standard good character stuff. Even while said good character was conflicted at certain points. Though with the secrets Bishop seemed to be hiding in this Season, that might change if things are revealed in a second Season.

I would recommend Panic to those interested in a high stakes mystery. I would also recommend Panic to those who are fans of Young Adult fiction.