Recovery Road Review: The First Three Episodes

Recovery Road is ABC Family’s (Soon to be Freeform’s) new original drama series based around a group of young adults in a sober living facility. From executive producer Holly B. Sorensen of Make It Or Break It fame, the series will be one of the latest original offerings from the network — set to premiere this January with the highly anticipated new series Shadowhunters.

Continue reading below for our Recovery Road review:

If I’m being honest, I loved Make It Or Break It so much that Holly was a big draw for me in deciding to check this series out. The first three episodes of the show are available On Demand and on the Watch ABC Family app if, like me, you’re impatient.

The show kicks off with lead character Maddie, played by Jessica Sula, getting busted for being intoxicated in school, after her mother sounds the alarm about her drug and alcohol abuse. It is definitely a cautionary tale about deciding to drink in progressive schools. Back in my day, officials couldn’t be bothered. The storyline escalates very quickly and before you know it Maddie finds herself choosing between expulsion and joining a sober living facility.

The series also stars Kyla Pratt, who plays a bubbly recovering addict who is a welcome form of comic relief. “I’m in for meth. You can’t tell ‘coz of my teeth right?” David Witts plays Craig and resident cutie with an accent (Thanks, Holly!). The series also stars former Glee Project cast member Lindsay Pearce, Mean Girls star Daniel Franzese (Four for you, Verne!), and Sebastian De Souza.

Out of the two original programs set to debut on Freeform this January, I find myself being more optimistic and looking forward to Recovery Road. As a network that is attempting to branch out into an older audience, I just find myself more invested and interested in this type of a plot over whatever it is that a Shadow Hunter does.

I will admit that I found myself questioning some of the characters. I felt a couple of the characters were written in such a way that I was supposed to root for them but I still wound up finding them unlikable and hard to get invested in. But the majority of the characters had me hooked and by episode 3 I was happy to see the focus shift onto other characters that may have been relegated to the background in another show.

If given the chance by the network, I think this show could have the opportunity to blossom into another hit for its demographic. I do worry that the promotion just hasn’t been there so far. I’ve noticed that Shadowhunters seems to be where the network is investing more of it’s time and I hope that the viewers give this series a chance.

All in all, my advice to you ABC Family and future Freeform fans and viewers, Recovery Road is definitely one to check out and given a chance. I hope for big and good things for this series if it continues to focus and develop on all the positive things I felt about it.

Thanks for reading my Recovery Road review! Have you watched the first three episodes? Let us know what you think below!

Recovery Road Premieres on Monday, January 25th at 9PM/8c on Freeform, the New Name for ABC Family!