‘Disturbing’ Netflix revenge thriller is being rediscovered by viewers

The eight-episode series blends revenge, witchcraft and 1990s Hollywood in a story unlike most thrillers

Some Netflix series take time to find their audience. Brand New Cherry Flavor is one of those shows, with viewers continuing to discover the bizarre 2021 limited series and recommend it for its unsettling combination of horror, revenge, supernatural mystery and Hollywood ambition.

Based on Todd Grimson’s 1996 novel, the series follows an aspiring filmmaker whose dream of making a movie in 1990s Los Angeles takes an increasingly disturbing turn. What begins as a story about ambition and betrayal gradually descends into a surreal world of magic, violence and supernatural revenge.

Netflix describes the series as a journey through sex, magic, revenge and kittens — an unusual combination that gives the show much of its distinctive identity.

A Hollywood opportunity becomes something much darker

Brand New Cherry Flavor centres on Lisa Nova, played by Rosa Salazar, a young filmmaker who arrives in Hollywood in the early 1990s hoping to turn her short film into a feature.

Her opportunity appears to arrive when producer Lou Burke, played by Eric Lange, takes an interest in her work. But the professional relationship quickly deteriorates after Lisa rejects his sexual advances, leaving her pushed away from the project.

Instead of simply accepting the setback, Lisa decides to seek revenge.

That decision brings her into contact with Boro, an enigmatic woman portrayed by Catherine Keener. Lisa enters into a supernatural arrangement with her, setting off a chain of increasingly strange and dangerous consequences.

What follows is far removed from a conventional revenge story. Lisa’s attempt to settle the score draws her deeper into Boro’s mysterious world, where magic, violence and body horror become increasingly difficult to separate from reality.

Netflix classifies the series as horror, while the U.S. version carries a TV-MA rating.

Rosa Salazar leads an unusual cast

Salazar is at the centre of the series as Lisa Nova, carrying a character whose ambition and vulnerability become increasingly complicated as the story unfolds.

She is joined by Catherine Keener as Boro and Eric Lange as Lou Burke. The cast also includes Manny Jacinto, Jeff Ward, Hannah Levien and Patrick Fischler.

Keener’s Boro is particularly important to the show’s unsettling atmosphere. She is not simply a mysterious figure who helps Lisa achieve revenge; her involvement pulls Lisa further into a world governed by supernatural forces and consequences she cannot easily control.

Viewers have been hooked by how strange it gets

Part of the show’s appeal comes from the fact that it refuses to behave like a traditional thriller.

Viewers have praised its colourful visuals, performances, revenge storyline, witchcraft and 1990s Hollywood setting. One viewer said they watched all eight episodes in a single day because they simply could not stop.

Others have highlighted just how unsuitable the series is for younger audiences, with one viewer offering the blunt warning: “Don’t watch it with the kids.”

That reaction reflects the show’s adult themes, graphic horror and unsettling imagery.

The series has also attracted comparisons to films such as Pulp Fiction, particularly from viewers drawn to its unpredictable structure and willingness to take its story in unexpected directions. At times, the show can be deliberately excessive, but that same quality is part of what has helped it develop a cult following.

Critics were divided, but the overall reception remains positive

The unusual mixture of body horror, surrealism and revenge has not worked for everyone.

Some critics found the violence and deliberately strange approach excessive, while others praised the performances and distinctive visual style. Rotten Tomatoes currently lists the series at 76% from 38 critic reviews and 78% from more than 250 audience ratings.

That response helps explain why Brand New Cherry Flavor has remained more of a cult recommendation than a conventional mainstream hit.

It sits somewhere between a mystery thriller, horror story and dark Hollywood drama, beginning with a familiar tale of an aspiring filmmaker before gradually taking that premise into far more surreal territory.

All eight episodes are available to binge

The entire limited series was released on Netflix on August 13, 2021, with all eight episodes available at once.

The episodes are titled I Exist, Hair of the Dog, Roman Candle, Tadpole Smoothie, Jennifer, Milk Bath, Egg and Bodies, with runtimes ranging from roughly 36 to 51 minutes.

The final episode, Bodies, follows Lisa as she searches for answers after making numerous enemies along the way. The question of who will survive becomes increasingly important as her revenge journey reaches its conclusion.

For viewers looking for something far stranger than a standard revenge thriller, Brand New Cherry Flavor offers a very different kind of binge.

Just don’t expect a conventional Hollywood story.