Mare of Easttown: Broadchurch Comes to Pennsylvania

My initial plan was to wait until all of Mare of Easttown had aired and then binge it all. Then I started seeing so much good buzz about it that I caved by Episode 3 and got caught up. Which meant that I then got to experience the joy of a genuine watercooler show - granted no one is gathering around a watercooler these days, but every Monday, I would call up my colleague and go "hey, have you watched Mare yet, what's your latest theory on who the murderer is?!" It was a glorious time.

Of course, the first thing this show brings to mind is the British show Broadchurch, which premiered in 2013 and became a global sensation. Like that show, Mare of Easttown is about a female detective in a small town who has to investigate a murder. In Broadchurch, the detective was played by the incomparable Olivia Colman. In Easttown, Mare is played by the incomparable Kate Winslet. With that casting alone, you know you can't go wrong, but the cast doesn't stop there, including the wonderful Julianne Nicholson as her best friend Lori, and Jean Smart as her irascible mother, Helen. David Denman, who I had not seen since The Office, shows up as Mare's ex-husband, Frank, who lives right next door, and Angourie Rice plays their daughter, Siobhan. Guy Pearce shows up as a potentially too-good-to-be-true love interest, while at work she is partnered with Detective Colin Zabel (played by the charming Evan Peters) to help her crack a missing person's case that has been going nowhere for a year and may be linked to this recent murder of a young teenage girl.

I can't go into more detail about the murder and potential suspects because this is a seven-episode limited series and you need to experience each delicious morsel for yourself. Written by Brad Ingelsby and directed by Craig Zobel, this is exactly the kind of storytelling we need more of these days. Every episode is perfectly paced, brimming with potential clues and red herrings, and ending with a dramatic cliffhanger that lets you theorize to high heaven for a week until the next one airs. And the performances are brilliant. Mare is dealing with a great deal of personal trauma, but she is also an excellent detective, so you have to watch her deal with that angsty work-life balance and try to sort out her personal affairs at the same time that she's in pursuit of a killer. The show is also set in a suburb of Philadelphia, so you will instantly notice the distinctive accent which most people never attempt in Hollywood. If you have any Philly friends, they have either already told you about this show or you need to alert them to its existence so they can finally hear some people who talk like them. Which is of course hilarious as a lot of the cast members aren't even American but are nailing that accent like all fine British and Australian actors must.

There's not much more to say here. Mare of Easttown is well-nigh perfect and has my heartiest recommendation. The actual mystery is sublimely plotted and while you may not figure out who the murderer was, you won't feel cheated when you do find out because there were plenty of clues along the way. There are SO MANY red herrings and there was even a moment in the final episode when I was starting to get disappointed before realizing the show had one last fake-out up its sleeve. And the actors are simply a joy. Kate Winslet is impeccable from start to finish, playing this incredibly stoic woman who doesn't say much, but gives away a world of emotion with the look in her eyes or her tightly pursed lips. She knows everyone in this town, and her interactions with the various people who fall on the wrong side of the law can range from comic to heartbreaking. The supporting cast has some real contenders for Emmy season, and by the end, you'll be so satisfied with this show, but so dissatisfied that there isn't more to watch. That's the trouble with great television - it always leaves you wanting more. But if you haven't watched any of this show yet, you have seven splendid hours ahead of you. Go forth!