Erin (Cailee Spaeny) is a teenage single Mum. Bringing up a child is not easy for her, and though she loves him to bits, she is struggling. She never gets out much, and rarely meets up with friends her age, or goes on a date. Then one evening she arranges for her son's Father to look after the kid, and goes to a wood where all the young set hang out, to meet a blind date. Erin never returns from this trip. She is found the next morning her body abandoned in a stream, murdered.
Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet) is a local detective. She's pretty much known or is related in some way to everyone. Divorced, she lives with her catty Mum Helen ( Jean Smart), her eldest daughter, and the boy her son had before he took his life. Her ex-husband lives with his new girlfriend just across the lawn from her house. Mare. Is bad tempered and unpredictable, doesn't really look after herself. She's never really come to terms with the suicide of her son. Solving crimes keeps all that messy emotional stuff at bay, just about. Her police department aren't sure she's able to handle this case alone. so bring in Colin Zabel ( Evan Peters ) as her side kick, which she initially deeply resents. But as the investigation progresses the case and everything related to her starts messily coming home to roost.
Mare of Easttown is by far and away the best crime drama since The Killing. And it shares a few common qualities. It has a great sense of place, the character and landscape that Easttown sits within, the range and type of individuals who live there. The script does not put a foot wrong. It's a crime procedural, but this one has a heart and a soul, that paints a vivid picture of the consequences for people of the murder of someone you loved, of people not being able to handle their grief. The characters are all believably well rounded. They take their time just letting you get to know and love them for all their flaws and eccentricities. All of this makes Mare of Easttown dramatically punchy. By the time you reach the final episode you are left drained and emotionally moved by the overwhelming sadness and tragedy, with all the hurt, betrayal, guilt and loss on screen. Deservedly it won Emmys for the scriptwriting, and the performances of Kate Winslet, Julianne Nicholson and Evan Peters all won gongs.
Highly Recommended
CARROT REVIEW - 8/8
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