While the premise of a detective trying to solve a murder during personal crises may seem cliché, the HBO original miniseries “Mare of Easttown,” released on April 18, manages to captivate its audience with new twists and refreshing performances.
Director Craig Zobel’s direction in “Mare of Easttown” is different from typical crime drama series, such as “Twin Peaks” or “Sharp Objects,” because it is more straightforward and doesn’t contain any gimmicks to keep viewers from coming back. With all seven episodes directed by Zobel, the show maintains a consistently honest tone. Written by Brad Inglesby, the series comes not only with mystery but also weighty performances and well-built characters. Kate Winslet, who is credited as a producer in this miniseries, stars as Mare Sheehan, a blunt and hardworking detective determined to solve the murder mystery of her small town.
Filmed on location in southwestern areas of Philadelphia, “Mare of Easttown” has an authentic ambiance of a town where everyone knows one another; the series’ location is based on Inglesby’s hometown of Easttown Township, Pa. Inglesby’s background allowed him to incorporate these small-town elements without overpowering the importance of its cases. For instance, Winslet’s character is a town celebrity for scoring the game-winning shot of a basketball game 25 years before. Another character tells her it must have been “some shot.” She responds with “In most places, no. Around here, yeah.”
From her spot-on Philadelphian accent to her pensive drags of smoke, Winslet manages to form a complex yet familiar character. Even when viewers don’t always agree with the character’s choices, they find that they cannot help but root for her. It is encouraging to see such an interesting role for a woman over 40, something that is seldom seen in the media. In fact, Winslet has said that she can relate to this character more than any other she has played before. But even if the part does seem to come easy to her, Winslet’s character is in almost every frame of the series, and this ultimately challenges the actress to compose herself for longer periods of time than the rest of the admirable cast. Winslet does manage to rise to this challenge; although she has the weight of the world on her shoulders as Mare, she still remembers to focus her attention on every detail and surprises the audience with unexpectedly observant questions.
The other actors also succeed in bringing this sincerity to their roles. While there are several plotlines crisscrossing in each episode, the cast makes everything direct enough to easily follow. The ensemble cast includes a diverse group of characters with plenty of personality that pops onscreen. One notable cast member is Evan Peters, who plays Mare’s eager new partner, Detective Colin Zabel. The chemistry between Winslet and Peters as a duo plays out very well, and their section of the show is deep-seated in crime with details examined from every possible angle at the police station. Other parts of the show, however, provide less crime and more drama.
Mare’s home life is no less chaotic than her work, and family scenes are just as intriguing as case scenes. Jean Smart plays Mare’s mother Helen, who is always ready with a deadpan remark delivered with just the right timing. Smart and Winslet are convincing as mother and daughter, with argumentative rapport any child can easily associate with their parents. Angourie Rice also gives off a perfectly balanced teen-angst attitude as Mare’s daughter, and whenever she splits off to a subplot of her own, Rice manages to carry just enough interest to keep audience members glued to their screens. Mare’s other family members are just as simple to keep track of — not only because of strong performances from the actors but also because each connection is so unique in its own way. Winslet is at the center of it all, and viewers cannot help but be captivated.
The first four episodes of the miniseries “Mare of Easttown” are now available on HBO original, with new episodes premiering every Sunday. The shocking endings every episode has managed to tie in have intrigued viewers and kept them coming back for more. These endings manage to be organic to the story, yet have the element of surprise that keeps viewers guessing what will happen next. Having to wait an entire week to find out may seem torturous; however, by the time each new episode arrives, it is well worth the wait. Even when some storylines seem to be pushed to the side, the next episode reminds viewers that it hasn’t been forgotten, but is just simmering quietly until the most opportune moment. There are no doubt several more surprises in store for the rest of the series, but a fairly safe prediction is that this series will be very memorable.
Lucia Arreola is an Entertainment Staff Writer. She can be reached at arreoll1@uci.edu.
