Syfy's Astrid & Lilly Save the World is like Buffy the Vampire Slayer without the male gaze

TIME

The supernatural comedy created by Noelle Stehman and Betsy Van Stone and starring Samantha Aucoin and Jana Morrison in the title roles breaks the mold when it comes to portraying female freaks and geeks, says Judy Berman. She adds that Astrid and Lilly's "quest entails vanquishing a series of monsters-of-the-week, with lots of campy special effects and story lines that draws parallels between the girls’ showdowns with evil and the battle to love yourself when you’re growing up different in a world that hates you for it. If that sounds a lot like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, minus now-controversial creator Joss Whedon‘s sexualized male gaze, rest assured that creators Noelle Stehman and Betsy Van Stone know what they’re doing; Brutus even invokes Buffy’s mentor Giles by way of introducing himself. Offbeat running gags (Lilly’s chronic leg cramps and Astrid’s oversensitivity to foul odors are the first signs the duo is developing superpowers) and sharp, foul-mouthed dialogue ('I refuse to let some idiot chode-bag tell us who we are!') keep the show fresh. But what makes Astrid & Lilly unique is the authenticity of its lovingly written, endearingly portrayed outsider heroines."

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• Astrid & Lilly has a shagginess that is kind of charming: The premiere contains references to Buffy, Alias and Law & Order: SVU. "But in the first three of its ten episodes, Astrid & Lilly emerges with a shaggy charm all its own — not as a copy of what’s come before it, but as a worthy successor," says Angie Han, adding: "For a show as cheerful and funny as Astrid & Lilly, though, some shagginess isn’t just forgivable, it’s kind of charming. If the monsters look a bit janky, that’s what makes them so endearing. (Think 2008’s The Middleman for a sense of their general vibe.) If the plot doesn’t always hold up under scrutiny, it’s hard to mind when you’re busy grinning at its jokes. One of the series’ most disarming qualities is its utter disinterest in taking itself too seriously. In Astrid & Lilly, a demonic killer is not above busting out some rave-worthy dance moves — and his sobbing captives are not above wondering, 'I know this monster thing is disgusting but is he also kind of sexy?' The girls’ defenses aren’t much slicker; in one episode, a humble oboe plays a key role in defeating a baddie."
• Astrid & Lilly Save the World is a warmhearted comedy that feels like it could be an adaptation of a comic book written by Astrid and Lilly themselves: "Its mysteries are self-aware and referential, and rarely hard to solve. Bullies lurk everywhere throughout the show’s candy-colored sets, but are restricted to the softest of PG insults," says Caroline Framke. "When the resident Cool Guy sneers that Astrid and Lilly should be called 'The Pudge Patrol,' they take it hard before taking the term back as their own by episode’s end. Just about every character outside Astrid & Lilly feels like they’re playing to a studio audience, as if ripped from a Disney Channel sitcom set. Despite the occasional gruesome death and dire stakes, it all feels rather…safe. There’s never really a doubt that Astrid and Lilly will save the world."
• Astrid & Lilly struggles at times to match the charms and cleverness of its spiritual predecessors: "The series is riddled with broadly-drawn, standard high school archetypes. Few of the characters stand out for their depth," says Andrew Bloom. "Instead, most are hastily introduced with a flurry of the usual teen tropes, shortly before our protagonists are hating/admiring/saving them or the monster of the week steals them away. The humor is cheesy, and the tone is over-the-top. To call the show’s approach ungrounded would be an understatement. But the latest supernatural drama has its merits. As much as the title characters are zany quip machines (Astrid especially), the girls’ friendship is endearing. Every once in a while, Save the World drops the wackiness and gives the audience more genuine moments that show the series’ potential, particularly with respect to its title characters."
• Astrid & Lilly feels like a junior version of the kind shows The WB and The CW used to air: "All of Astrid & Lilly Save the World's supernatural elements seem designed primarily to keep the budget low, but the limitations just force creators Noelle Stehman and Betsy Van Stone to be more inventive, focusing on humor and character development rather than big monster battles," says Josh Bell. "Brutus specifically references Buffy the Vampire Slayer, referring to himself as Astrid and Lilly's 'Giles,' and Astrid & Lilly Save the World channels some of the deft combinations of teenage angst and supernatural threats of Buffy's early seasons. The writing here isn't as clever, and the mythology isn't as complex, but Astrid & Lilly Save the World works best as a junior version of the kind of supernatural dramas that The WB (and then The CW) aired for decades."