‘Crystal Lake’ Showrunner Tried to Include Nudity: “Sometimes You Get Overruled”

Crystal Lake carries over plenty of the violence associated with Friday the 13th, but one familiar franchise staple is noticeably toned down: the nudity. And according to showrunner Brad Caleb Kane, that wasn’t entirely his decision.

Speaking with TheWrap, Kane addressed the absence of the more explicit nudity that became a recurring part of the films, all the way through the 2009 remake.

“I tried. That’s America. You can give the kids the violence, but God forbid they see some breasts. Sometimes you get overruled in these things,” said Kane.

He didn’t specify who overruled him. The series does feature sexual situations and some brief rear nudity, so it isn’t completely absent, but there’s a clear difference from many of the movies.

Whether that makes any difference to you is another conversation. Nudity isn’t imperative to a good Friday the 13th story, and its inclusion wouldn’t determine the quality or success of Crystal Lake. It’s simply worth noting that one of the franchise’s ongoing tropes has been dialed back, and Kane was aware of it. He tried.

All eight episodes of Crystal Lake are streaming on Peacock. Our own Daniel Kurland gave the series 3.5 out of 5 in his review, calling it “a campy, cruel love letter to ‘80s slashers.”

What do you think?