Summary
Sexy, steamy, socially thematic, and thrilling, Tiny Pretty Things nestles nicely into the library of YA series.
This review of Netflix’s Tiny Pretty Things season 1 contains no spoilers. The thriller YA series was released on the platform on December 14, 2020.
We recapped every episode — check out the archive.
It’s not spoken about often, but Netflix is becoming the cornerstone for addictive YA series. While Amazon competes with the likes of The Wilds, Netflix’s library is growing ever-extensive, with fans salivating over the prospect of the second season of Outer Banks. December 2020 brings Tiny Pretty Things, with publicists keeping the content close to their hearts pre-release. They had nothing to worry about — this YA series is an instant hit.
Bringing forth the world of ballet, Tiny Pretty Things blends a range of storylines, ranging from a “whodunnit” to steamy, sexy relationships that will have fans losing their minds. It follows a young aspiring ballet student named Neveah, who is accepted into a prestigious ballet school; the only reason she was accepted is because of the unfortunate fall of Cassie — rumors are that she was pushed off a building.
Netflix’s Tiny Pretty Things opens up a world of paranoia, induced by systematic abuse and raging hormones that are present amongst the students and their superiors. Everyone has an agenda. Everyone has a motive. Like Natalie Portman’s Black Swan, the story delves into each character’s capacity to observe and act out on their inner darkness. It doesn’t feel like there is an overwhelming villain in the opening premise, rather that the characters all have the capability of becoming the villain themselves — whether that be self-inflicted or inflicted on others.
Season 1 presents plenty of female leads who feel powerful — Tiny Pretty Things has an air of resounding insecurity; the women feel replaceable while, on the other hand, being extremely ambitious. Clouding over the story is the downfall of Cassie and what it means for the future. There’s growing momentum as the story continues, that Cassie clouds over the school like a dark fog that will not go away. The writers felt compelled to make Cassie the quiet commonality between all the characters, and it works, in a welcoming way.
Like all YA series, Netflix’s Tiny Pretty Things obsesses with plenty of character development and throwaway subplots, however, by staying true to the thriller-esque style and dark tone, the audience will remain engaged in the 10-part first season. Coupled with impressive performances, 2020 brings yet another addictive series for the younger generations — this one is hard to put down. It’s difficult to see Netflix hiding away for a second season.
While some scenes are a little too dramatic with problem after problem exhaustingly mounting, what’s impressive is how the series tries to implement dance as much as possible. Some episodes grace the screens with impressive choreography and an attempt to resonate with the importance of ballet in the story. Of course, that comes with the known industry problem of masking injuries and the mental toll it can place on the dancers — this, in turn, makes the series feel natural and realistic in terms of the art form.
Yes, this is binge-worthy. Yes, this must be watched. Sexy, steamy, socially thematic, and thrilling, Tiny Pretty Things nestles nicely into the library of YA series.
