Freeform has released a new show called Siren on March 29. This is one of the strongest shows in terms of plot and the hype around it to be released on Freeform, previously ABC Family. The show was interesting, and mermaids is not a topic that has been beaten to death like zombies, vampires, and werewolves.
The show is centered around Ryn, the mermaid, who shows up in Bristol Cove naked, but not afraid. She meets a Marine Biologist named Ben who shows a lot of interest in her and you think it will be a very obvious story we have seen a million times before. However, Ben is a descendant of Charles H. Pounder a man obsessed with mermaids which made Bristol Cove famous for the myth. The problem with history is that it can remove the dark times no one wants to remember, like trying to wipe out all of the mermaids.
This show shows a new type of mermaids that go closer to the Greek mythology origins, probably why they named the show “Siren” vs. Mermaid. Sirens were not the most pleasant and they would kill sailors, this show portrays them as slightly more aggressive than the myth, but the reasons behind this have more merit than “The Little Mermaid” which shows mermaids as flesh eating machines.
The show was overall interesting and it will be fun to see where it goes in the upcoming episodes. The interesting spin on a typical mermaid tale makes this worth watching, and seeing a strong woman lead in a way that she does not need someone to protect her is nice to see in a YA show. Example of a show that had a female lead that needed a savior is Vampire Diaries, the show took seasons before Elena was able to survive on her own. This show has promise and an interesting plot. Watch it on Freeform Thursday nights.
