Be prepared to clutch your pearls and sit on the edge of your seat as Amazon gives you a good time-travel tease with its upcoming series, “Paper Girls.” The show starts off in the 80s, but spans decades as it follows four paper delivery girls, Tiffany, Mac, Erin, and KJ – who find themselves at the center of some serious drama that involves time traveling. Talk about an unwanted benefit to the job.
Adding to the list of captivating sci-fi adventures that have the people in a proverbial chokehold, “Paper Girls” is a beautiful intersection of weird and exciting– in the best ways.
“It’s the day after Halloween in 1988 when four young friends accidentally stumble into an intense time war and find themselves inexplicably transported to the year 2019. When they come face-to-face with their adult selves, each girl discovers her own strengths as together they try to find a way back to the past while saving the world of the future,” Amazon noted as the show’s premise.
21Ninety had the opportunity to get some inside information from Emmy-nominated actress Adina Porter who portrays Prioress in the upcoming series.
Representation Matters – Even Across Dimensions
Prioress is a time-traveling warrior who uses her intellect to navigate the spaces of time. Porter believes that people could see her character as a control freak, but she thinks Prioress is a zealot – using what she’s got to get what she wants.
Jumping into the world that exists beyond “Paper Girls” for a moment, the show is setting the landscape for audacious choices in television. Porter described how she is given autonomy to make bold choices with her character, but the work doesn’t stop there. The Amazon series prioritized diversity by having varied representation among its cast.
“I adore that the leads in this show are Asian girls and Black girls. They are not relegated to cute, sassy best friends. Of course, this is a ‘coming of age,’ story with universal themes to which we can all relate, but there are unique aspects specific to Asian American and African American cultures,” Porter said.
This representation in the show is critical to Porter and her work as an actress. She believes representation leads to relatability, especially in sci-fi and horror genres.
“Wearing my natural hair in performances is important to me; I want girls who look like me to be able to relate to my characters. And maybe, in a small way, help give them permission to shine, as well,” Porter added.
It’s Not An Isolated Journey
But while Porter is grateful for the opportunity to be in roles like the one she has in “Paper Girls,” she understands she didn’t get here on her own.
“I am grateful to the pioneers whose shoulders I stand upon. Cicely Tyson would refuse roles if they were not dignified enough. My mother never watched True Blood because she didn’t like the fact that I was playing a poor drunk. I am thankful that more opportunities have presented themselves. I am so pleased not to be playing maids or ‘whores with hearts of gold,” Porter continued.
Paper Girls Is The Real Deal
Porter admits that when she got the role of Prioress, she was new to the series. Initially a graphic novel series by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang, the show offers the same cliff-hanging suspense, great storytelling, and excitement. For Porter, these elements make the show as epic as the book.
“I appreciate how well written and how well acted these four very different characters are. I fell for each of their different personalities. I found myself rooting for all of them,” she said. “I think viewers will see a bit of themselves in each girl. And they’ll understand how they could make the decisions they do. We can all relate to an innate desire to guide our younger selves.”
“Paper Girls” premiered on July 29 on Prime Video. Secure your edges and get ready for your nerves to be challenged as you tap into all the twists and turns this new series offers.