CREATED BY: BRAD INGELSBY DIRECTED BY: CRAIG ZOBEL
STARRING: KATE WINSLET, JEAN SMART, & JULIANNE NICHOLSON
RATED: TV-MA
7 EPISODES (58-76 MINUTES)
Every once in awhile there's a show that sneaks up on audiences and suddenly takes the world by storm. It's happened time and time again and while there's plenty of shows that already have signs of being smash hits before they even drop their first episode; there's those certain kinds of series that continuously build an audience. The HBO limited series Mare of Easttown is the latest example of this trend. Directed by Craig Zobel and written by Brad Ingelsby; the show stars Academy Award and Emmy Winner Kate Winslet alongside an all-star cast of hidden gems, TV legends, and movie stars.
Mare Of Easttown is set in a small town in eastern Pennsylvania, it's one of those towns where everybody knows each other, they all attend the same church, and word spreads around fast if any drama occurs. Mare (Winslet), is a former high school basketball star, who now works as a detective for the local police department. She has a bit of strained relationship with her family after a tragedy and is living with her mother Helen (Jean Smart) and daughter Siobhan (Angourie Rice) as she helps raise her grandson Drew. When Erin (Cailee Spaeny) a single teen mom, is found dead; Mare is paired with county detective Colin Zabel (Evan Peters) to investigate. Though the further she gets into the case, the more her own personal life starts to crumble.
Mare of Easttown is one of the best shows in years, plain and simple. It's especially rare for every single aspect of a series to work, there's always that one annoying character or unnecessary subplot that sidetracks the show. Thanks to the talented cast as well as Ingelsby and Zobel that isn't the case. What sets Mare apart from other shows like it, is just how deeply human and grounded the show truly is, there's no melodramatic beats nor are there any aspects that feel overly unrealistic. This doesn't feel like your classic detective story, the internal stakes that Winslet's Mare faces feel just as significant as the murder case itself. To top that off, all of these plots feel balanced and none feel as if they are overstaying their welcome.
Winslet gives her best performance in years as the titular detective, clearly committed to the Philly accent and is able to carry all of the emotional elements as well. Winslet's performance perfectly accompanies Ingelsby script, making the show feel raw and powerful. Smart also gives a stellar performance as Mare's mother and helps bring in some much-needed comedic relief whenever it feels needed. Peters gives his best performance to date as Zabel, in a role that's so different than anything we've seen from him before. Though it's Julianne Nicholson's tremendous performance as Mare's closest friend Lori. Particularly in the final episode, where she gives some of the best acting you'll see all year. It will be quite the disappointment if Nicholson doesn't walk home with that best supporting actress in a miniseries trophy come Emmys night.
Red Herrings in the mystery genre can often feel like more than a barrier than something that adds anything to the story, especially if there's too many. Yet Mare of Easttown plays on this trope brilliantly and helps compliment the show's compelling nature. Not only does the use of this narrative device help flesh out the characters but it makes the show feel more lifelike.
Mare of Easttown is one of the best series in quite some time, from the brilliant performances, assured direction and writing, and a more than engaging story all leading up to an emotionally devastating but fulfilling finale. This is one you don't want to miss.
5/5 Stars
All episodes of Mare of Easttown are now available to stream on HBO Max.