Netflix’s Trinkets wants to be a show about friendship, grief, and the quiet rebellions of adolescence. It mostly succeeds, but the execution keeps getting in its own way. Created by Kirsten Smith, Amy Andelson, and Emily Meyer, the series follows three teens who find each other in Shoplifters Anonymous. That premise is sharp, and the show spends its first season building a world around it — but the writing often forgets that its own premise is funny.
Trailer, via Netflix.
Shoplifting As A Hook
Elodie Davis, Moe Truax, and Tabitha Foster are the three leads. Elodie is the introverted one, Moe favors punk style, and Tabitha comes from a wealthy family. Their common ground is Shoplifters Anonymous, a support group where they reveal their shared habit of stealing. That setup is clever, and it lets the show explore class, shame, and the ways teenagers hide their selves from the world.
The show understands that shoplifting is not just about money. It is about control, boredom, and the feeling that nothing you have is really yours anyway. That understanding carries the first half of the season. The second half, not so much.
Three Girls, One Secret
The trio keep their friendship a secret from everyone else at school. That secrecy is the engine of the show’s early episodes. It creates tension, it creates intimacy, and it gives the characters room to grow without the judgment of their peers. The show leans on this dynamic for most of its runtime, and it is the best part of the series.
Each girl brings a different problem to the table. Elodie is grieving, Moe is angry, and Tabitha is trapped by her privilege. The show does not solve these problems in a neat way. It lets them fester and bubble, which is a fair approach. The show’s approach to these problems is uneven, and some viewers may find themselves frustrated by the pacing.
Brandon Butler And The Male Lead
Brandon Butler plays Brady Finch, the male lead. His character is the wildcard of the group, the one who shows up uninvited and changes the balance. Butler sells the role with a mix of charm and menace that keeps him interesting. He is not a villain, exactly, but he is not a friend either. That ambiguity is a smart choice, and it pays off in the later episodes.
The show also introduces a recurring cast for its second season, including Austin Crute, Nik Dodani, Andrew Jacobs, and Chloë Levine. These additions shake up the group dynamic, though the show does not always know what to do with them once they arrive.
Comedy That Misses Its Mark
The show tries to be funny. It wants to be a dramedy, balancing heavy themes with lighter jokes. That ambition is admirable, but the comedy often lands flat. Gags about school, family, and social status feel forced rather than natural. The show seems unsure whether it is a serious drama or a sitcom, and that uncertainty shows on screen.
There is a scene in the first season where the girls plan a small rebellion that goes badly wrong. It is meant to be tense and funny at the same time. It works for a moment, then loses steam. The show keeps trying to be both things at once, and it rarely pulls it off.
Plot Weaknesses
The show’s central weakness is its plotting. The first season has a strong throughline, but the second season feels rushed. Events happen for no clear reason, and resolutions come too quickly. A major storyline about one of the characters gets resolved in a single episode, which feels like a missed opportunity.
The pacing suffers from this. Episodes that could have been tight and focused stretch out into filler. The show is not afraid to leave questions open, but it is also not willing to let those questions sit for long. The result is a finale that feels like it is rushing to get there.
Casting Choices
The casting is strong across the board. Brianna Hildebrand, Kiana Madeira, and Quintessa Swindell carry the show with ease. Their chemistry is real, and it is the reason the show works at all. Larry Sullivan and Linden Ashby round out the adult cast, playing the parents of the girls with the right mix of warmth and frustration.
The recurring cast for the second season adds texture, but it also adds complication. The show does not always know what to do with these new characters, and some of them fade in and out without much purpose.
A Premise Worth More
The premise of Trinkets is better than the show it supports. Shoplifting as a shared secret among teenagers is a rich idea. It could have been a show about identity, about the things we hide from each other, about the ways we cope with loss. Instead, it becomes a show that keeps explaining itself.
The show’s own premise is its best argument. A group of teens who steal together are bound by a shared secret. That secret gives them a space to be honest with each other. It is a simple idea, but it is effective. The show should have trusted that idea more.
Final Score
Trinkets is a show with a great idea and a middling execution. It is watchable, occasionally moving, and almost always earnest. But the earnestness can slip into sentimentality, and the comedy can slip into awkwardness. The show is at its best when it is quiet, and at its worst when it is trying too hard to be everything at once.
| Element | First Season | Second Season |
|---|---|---|
| Tone | Earnest and funny | Earnest and rushed |
| Plotting | Strong throughline | Rushed resolutions |
| Comedy | Forced gags | Less present |
| Recurring cast | Introduced late | Integrated unevenly |
The show deserves credit for taking a risk. Shoplifting is not a topic most shows want to touch, and Trinkets handles it with a light touch that is rare. The result is a show that is worth watching, even when it is not doing its best work.
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