Let's be real. When news first broke about a Cruel Intentions Prime Video series, the collective internet let out a massive, skeptical sigh. We've been burned before. Remakes usually feel like hollowed-out versions of things we actually loved, stripped of the original grit just to fill a streaming slot. But then you watch it. You see the step-siblings—now Caroline Merteuil and Lucien Belmont—strutting through the elite halls of Manchester College in Washington, D.C., and you realize this isn't exactly the 1999 movie you remember. It’s messier. It’s louder.
Is it good? That depends on what you’re looking for. If you want Sarah Michelle Gellar’s iconic cross-necklace coke spoon, you might be disappointed. But if you want a soap-operatic dive into Greek life, power plays, and some seriously questionable moral compasses, this reboot is actually trying to say something new.
What is Cruel Intentions Prime Video Actually About?
Basically, the show takes the bones of Choderlos de Laclos’s 1782 novel, Les Liaisons dangereuses, and drops them into a modern American university. We aren't in a New York City prep school anymore. Instead, the action centers on Manchester College, where the social hierarchy is dictated by exclusive Greek houses. Caroline (played by Sarah Catherine Hook) and Lucien (Zac Burgess) are the apex predators here. They’re step-siblings, they’re wealthy, and they’re incredibly bored.
When a hazing incident threatens their entire social standing, they do what any sane person would do: they start a bet. The target? Annie Wright (Savannah Lee Smith), the daughter of the Vice President of the United States. It's a high-stakes game of seduction and destruction that feels very 2024, yet oddly nostalgic for that late-90s era of "prestige trash" television.
The show doesn't shy away from the incestuous undertones that made the original film so scandalous. It leans in. Honestly, it’s uncomfortable. But that’s the point, right? The Cruel Intentions brand was never meant to be "safe." It was meant to be provocative.
The Cast Making Their Own Mark
Replacing Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon is a tall order. No one is pretending otherwise. However, the Cruel Intentions Prime Video cast isn't just trying to do impressions. Sarah Catherine Hook brings a frantic, Type-A energy to Caroline that feels distinct from Gellar’s cold, calculated Kathryn. Caroline feels like she’s one bad day away from a total nervous breakdown, which adds a layer of vulnerability to her villainy.
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Zac Burgess has the "smoldering rogue" thing down, but his Lucien feels more like a victim of his own privilege than a mastermind. Then you have the supporting players:
- Sara Silva as CeCe, who brings a much-needed chaotic energy to the mix.
- John Harlan Kim as Blaise, navigating the complex intersection of wealth and identity.
- Sean Patrick Thomas, who actually appeared in the original 1999 film as Ronald Clifford, returns here in a completely different role as Professor Hank Chadwick. That’s a fun meta-wink for the long-time fans.
Why the D.C. Setting Changes Everything
Moving the story to Washington, D.C., was a smart move by showrunners Phoebe Fisher and Sara Goodman. In the original movie, the stakes were mostly social—reputations in a private high school. In the Cruel Intentions Prime Video version, the stakes are political. When you’re trying to ruin the daughter of the Vice President, you aren't just playing with schoolyard rumors. You’re playing with national security, Secret Service details, and the kind of power that can actually end lives.
This shift allows the show to tackle modern themes like cancel culture, political optics, and the way the ultra-wealthy use philanthropy as a shield for their worst impulses. It's cynical. Very cynical. But so was the source material.
The Critics vs. The Fans: A Massive Divide
If you look at Rotten Tomatoes or Metacritic, the professional reviews for Cruel Intentions Prime Video are... well, they're mixed. Critics often point to the dialogue being a bit "CW-lite" or the plot being overly convoluted. They aren't entirely wrong. Sometimes the show tries too hard to be edgy, resulting in lines that feel like they were written by someone who spent too much time on "Elite Twitter."
But fans? Fans seem to be having a blast. There’s a certain pleasure in watching beautiful people do terrible things to each other in expensive rooms. It’s escapism. It’s the same reason people still watch Gossip Girl or Elite. The show knows exactly what it is: a glossy, high-budget soap opera with a dark heart. It’s not trying to be Succession. It’s trying to be the show you binge on a Saturday night with a glass of wine while texting your friends about how much you hate Lucien.
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Addressing the "Woke" Narrative
There’s been some chatter online about the show being "too woke" compared to the original. Honestly, that feels like a lazy critique. Yes, the cast is more diverse. Yes, the characters discuss consent and identity. But these characters are still fundamentally awful people. Diversifying the cast doesn't make the show "soft"; it just makes the world feel more like a real university in 2024. If anything, the inclusion of more diverse perspectives makes the power dynamics more interesting to watch. Seeing how Lucien and Caroline manipulate people across different social and racial lines adds a layer of complexity that the 1999 film simply didn't have the range to explore.
Production Design and That Iconic Soundtrack
You can't talk about Cruel Intentions without talking about the vibe. The original film's soundtrack—featuring Placebo and The Verve—defined an entire generation’s mood. Prime Video clearly understood the assignment here. The music in the series is fantastic, blending modern dark-pop with nods to the 90s aesthetic.
The fashion is another highlight. Caroline’s wardrobe is a masterclass in "old money" styling with a sharp, modern edge. Every outfit feels like armor. The production team spent a significant amount of money making Manchester College look like an Ivy League dream, and it shows. The lighting is moody, the interiors are lush, and the cinematography captures that specific brand of "expensive misery" perfectly.
Is Season 2 Coming?
The big question everyone is asking: will there be more? Without spoiling the ending, the first season definitely leaves the door wide open. There are enough loose threads and simmering resentments to fuel several more years of drama. Prime Video hasn't officially greenlit a second season yet, but the viewership numbers seem to be trending in the right direction.
Streaming platforms look at "completion rates"—basically, did you finish the whole season or stop after episode two? Given the "just one more" nature of the cliffhangers, it’s likely a lot of people are powering through to the end.
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How to Get the Most Out of Your Rewatch
If you’ve already finished the series, it’s worth going back and watching the 1999 movie again. Seeing the parallels—and the departures—is fascinating. You’ll notice how the new show flips certain scenes on their head. For example, the way the "journal" is used in the series is a clever update on the physical diary Kathryn kept in the movie.
Also, pay attention to the background characters. Some of the most interesting commentary on the "Cruel" world comes from the people who are just trying to survive in the orbit of the Belmonts and Merteuils.
Actionable Ways to Dive Deeper:
- Compare the Source Material: Read a summary of Les Liaisons dangereuses. You’ll see that some of the darkest twists in the Prime Video show are actually closer to the 18th-century book than the movie was.
- Track the Soundtrack: Look up the official Cruel Intentions playlist on Spotify. It’s a great mix of indie-sleaze revival and modern synth-pop that perfectly captures the show's "toxic but pretty" atmosphere.
- Follow the Wardrobe: If you're into the fashion, sites like WornOnTV are already cataloging Caroline's outfits. It’s a great way to see how costume design is used to telegraph power and status in the series.
- Watch for Easter Eggs: Keep an eye out for small nods to the original trilogy (yes, there were two sequels to the 1999 movie, though we usually pretend they don't exist). The showrunners have hidden several references in the dialogue and set pieces.
The Cruel Intentions Prime Video experience isn't about high art. It’s about the messy, delicious, and often problematic world of the 1%. Whether you love it or hate it, you can't deny that it’s got everyone talking.
If you're looking for your next binge-watch, give it three episodes. By the end of the third, you'll either be hooked on the drama or ready to delete your Prime account. There is no middle ground here. That’s the magic of the franchise—it demands a reaction. Just remember, in the world of Manchester College, trust is the only thing you can't afford.