I had heard such great things about this mini-series that I believe that my expectations may have been a bit too high. First off, the acting was top-notch! There were so many stellar performances in this, it was really hard to single any one particular individual out, although given that the series focused prominently on Kate Winslet's character, she did just a remarkable job. Julianne Nicholson, Angourie Rice, Jean Smart, Chinasa Ogbuagu, Sosie Bacon, Evan Peters, Enid Graham..the list goes on. All of these actors were really tremendous in this project.
I also have to commend the production for creating a female-centric police drama/murder mystery. It isn't often that we see casting such as this for a show of this type, and not only was it was quite refreshing, but it really gave this series that extra emphasis, when it came to the character-driven drama that was the other half of the storyline. It really worked particularly well in this production.
All of this having been said, what I was not impressed by was the writing, particularly how the pieces of the storyline flowed together, some of the dialogue, the apparent lack of research, and the odd character arcs. The script that Brad Ingelsby wrote came across to me as something less that he'd spent time researching the topics of and more drawing from previous television productions. On more than a few occasions, I found myself realizing that specific bits of dialogue or storyline were quite derivative of other shows. Obviously, stories are rehashed, but this seemed much more like a patchwork of pieces taken from other productions and put into this one storyline.
Due to the derivative nature of the story, some of the dialogue came across as very clichéd and out of place, as in it really didn't fit w/ the storyline. For instance, in the scene at the waterfront after Mare and Zabel’s date, Mare made a comment about she just couldn’t let go of this case, b/c it’s one of those that just “gets inside you, you know?” I thought to myself, “Really? This cold case that you’d moved on from, b/c there were no leads and no evidence, where you didn’t want any outside help, but you weren’t actively working it, either.” This is exactly the type of clichéd statement you’d hear in any generic detective drama, and in this particular case, it literally made no sense in terms of the storyline.
As for some of the characters, they came across as really incredibly awful human beings. Then, they seemingly and miraculously grew hearts that allowed them to do selfless things that put them in harm’s way? Again, this was something that just didn’t fit w/ the nature of the story, and it threw the characters into disarray, b/c there was really no need for this type of role reversal. Additionally, one of the characters who was portrayed as this small-town girl w/ no prospects, looking for trouble around every corner, we suddenly find out was a strong student w/ collegiate potential? Some of these character traits and attributes just came out of nowhere and served no purpose in moving the storyline forward.
The last thing about the writing that I didn’t care for was how the pieces around Mare were shifted. It was almost as if she were in a room w/ one door, and everyone else was in a circle that constantly rotated around the outside of the room. Every time Mare opened the door, a new character would be standing before her, and she would interact w/ them before closing the door. She would then reopen it, and new character would be standing there for her to interact w/. It was almost as if many of these individuals were simply pieces of furniture in her life, there as set-dressing, rather than as characters to drive the storyline deeper.
I believe that the one exception to this was Mare’s mother. Her interactions w/ her showed that this script could have been refined in such a way that many of the characters could have been made fuller and richer w/ more meaningful interactions w/ Mare.
The bottom-line for me was, while the cinematography looked fantastic, and it provided a genuine look and feel that really gave this story series credence, there is a big difference in looking spectacular and actually being spectacular. I believe that the director and producers very much went for a True Detective esthetic, but looking like True Detective isn’t the same thing as being True Detective.
True Detective Season 4?
I thought this was a fun miniseries. Like The Queen's Gambit, I feel like this turned into the talk of the town mostly because of the pandemic (this probably the last show to be labelled as a pandemic show as vaccinations are rolling out). It's escapism, however like Anya-Taylor Joy playing chess, it feels more like a guilty pleasure than something I'd call a game changer in the medium of TV, which doesn't dismiss this as bad rather that something like The Underground Railroad is something I'd tell people to watch where this I tuned in for to quench my HBO Sunday nights (watching both this and The Nevers was fun though neither were strong efforts, both were very mere escapism as Succession and Euphoria are on hiatus).
I'd also say this has one of the worst titles for a show like Halt and Catch Fire and Terriers, though this one got viewers. Kate Winslet is great and if there's one thing I'd even care to see this get a nomination for at the Emmys, it's her performance. It looks like the series will have a heavy presence this year but stuff like I May Destroy You and Small Axe deserve a lot more attention even if they didn't take over Twitter like this series. There's always going to be an HBO mystery show that has us wanting to know the ending, we just can't treat all of them like they're the next Twin Peaks. True Detective has the King in Yellow, Sharp Objects has a scarred Amy Adams in the Antebellum, this has hoagies. By that I mean, there's nothing iconic about it, though it did make Evan Peters a lot more likeable.
I was unsure of what to expect of this series. While I have enjoyed a few movies/shows featuring Kate Winslet, I am not a follower of her career or work. However, after watching this series, that will probably change! This is set in a small town in Pennsylvania, where a local detective grew up. Everyone in this working-class town knows everyone, including all their closet-skeletons. It's a who-dun-it with several twist & turns; a few unexpected. None of the characters are clean-cut and "wrapped with bows", just like real working-class people are not. All have their flawed relationships with family, friends, & co-workers. I'm sure folks from Pennsylvania will not agree, but from a person born & raised in the South, the entire cast nailed the Pennsylvania dialect - especially Ms. Winslet. The writer/creator wrote a great story and did an excellent job of bringing it to the screen. But it's the actors that make you believe you are watching real events that took place in real people's lives that caused real pain and suffering, as well as real happiness....sometimes. Every episode left me wanting to know more of the story.
I would highly recommend this series for anyone that enjoys a good police drama that involves personal, background stories of the characters. It is not a "shoot 'em up, macho-police" drama nor is it a really gory, bloody show. It is a highly entertaining, very smart, realistic show - worth every minute of your time.
Kate Winslet will definitely receive Emmy nominations for this show......as she should.
Review by SuitBlockedParent2023-03-18T18:54:19Z
HBO has once again proven its mastery of the prestige television genre with Mare of Easttown, a riveting and nuanced series that transcends the familiar tropes of the small-town murder mystery. Fans of the network’s previous small-screen masterworks, such as Sharp Objects and Big Little Lies, shall find themselves within familiar territory.
As this labyrinthine tale unfurls, each episode ascends to new heights, captivating the viewer in its intricate web of intrigue until the ending’s staggering revelations.
Brad Ingelsby’s script, a deft mix of the familiar and the innovative, refining a well-trodden premise—a murder investigation in a tight-knit community—into a sublime concoction of character study, whodunnit, and poignant exploration of weighty themes. He avoids the pitfalls of sensationalism and cliché, instead creating a richly textured portrait of a place and its people that feels authentic and compelling.
Kate Winslet shines as Mare Sheehan, a flawed but formidable detective who must confront her demons as she investigates a series of crimes that shake her community to its core. Winslet delivers a masterclass performance as ‘Mare’, skilfully bringing the character to life with exceptional finesse. The supporting cast, including Jean Smart and Evan Peters, come together as a seamless blend of talent, with no hint of inconsistency in their performances.
Every element, each character, feels startlingly real: the inhabitants of this skilfully crafted world are living, breathing souls rather than merely devices in service of the plot, a rare feat in this overcrowded television landscape. In the realm of whodunnits, ‘Mare of Easttown’ emerges as something special, transcending the banal trappings that so often beleaguer its contemporaries, a cut above the rest, an experience that warrants a watch for any fan of high-quality television. So, dear reader, prepare to be captivated.
Mare of Easttown (2021): 8.1/10 (Great)