‘Paper Girls’ Recap: ‘It B Over’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the finale of ‘Paper Girls’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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There is prevailing belief and fear in our world, that the future is not yet set and that we can adjust it at any time through the right decisions and actions so that the best possible future can find its way to us. Which doesn’t sound like a fearful concept, but the thought of ending up with a bad future, is what engenders that fear… to the point where we honesty worry about what it would be like to meet our future self. Because that would tell us proof positive, what kind of choices we made and if by chance, those choices stink… what we would become is an unsettling idea indeed. Granted, that’s really a fear that is grounded more in pushing us to always make the right calls… but it is one whose inspiration extends beyond our own late-night musings.
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For storytellers often dig into that notion and explore just what the worst possible choice could transform us into, all before falling back on that same ‘moral’ line of thinking that each of us use to escape that very fear. But such explorations do beg some important questions. In that, what if we learned that our future was not going to be bright? Not because we were arrogant and dumb, but because fate took us from this Earth in a surprise moment? Or because our bodies failed us? How we would we respond to that knowledge and more so… what would we do if by chance… that knowledge would allow for us to change our future? Well, those are questions that the finale of Paper Girls on Prime Video works to answer in a dynamic manner.

For when we catch up with the Paper Girls in ‘It B Over’, they’re facing a dark time. For they come to learn they’re caught in a causality paradox, and that the Old Watch will do little to help them escape their futures. Which was troubling for Erin and Mac, since death found them along the way. But a fascinating choice on the part of the Grand Father, and the nonsense he spewed when the girls pressed him on the rules a little further, led them to wonder if what he was saying was indeed nothing but lies. When in fact, they could change tomorrow and save Mac and Erin from unrealized futures and dreams. Which in turn motivated them to fight and well… therein lies the big answer to those questions. In that, if we were given that chance… we’d fight like hell to change things. For this is our life we’re talking about, and fate be damned if we can alter it.

But of course, such a fight would be difficult for four twelve-year-old girls to finish, and well… they found that help from an unlikely ally… Prioress. For she was struggling with the fact that KJ put down her brother back in the premiere and well… rather than let the Old Watch and death be his fate, she took the opportunity to release all of the girls and she worked to send them off to a different time period to change everything. But alas, the plan went sideways. For the loyal members of this group entered into the fight, wounding Prioress in the process and changing the destination for the girls. Not to mention, an effort to repay Prioress for her kindness also ended in disaster since it split the girls up. Putting them heaven knows where in time and leaving their future open ended in just about every imaginable.

For unfortunately, this might be where the story ends… period. Because Prime Video opted to not renew Paper Girls for a second season, and hey, no insults or mudslinging here, the decision is the decision. But the show is indeed being shopped around and we certainly hope someone picks it up. Because this series toyed with some fascinating ideas and concepts and it featured a great cast and a fun story and we would all like to see it come to its logical conclusion and ironically, only time will tell if we get that. But for now, all we can do is bask in a masterful finale, one that upped the stakes like never before and offered up a grand cliffhanger and if that’s how this one ends, on a high note, then that will be okay. Because at least this series gave us its all, and of course, we can always spend a little more time with the Paper Girls if we so choose… by watching this season a second or third time around. Until next time.

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