TV: Mare of Easttown (HBO)

[Osprey]

Still haven't seen the 6th episode so I'm not fully caught up, but in regards to Guy Pearce:

Spoiler

I've read he was a late casting decision because some other actor, Ben Miles, who's certainly not a Hollywood star like Pearce, had to drop off due to a scheduling conflict. So Kate Winslet called up Pearce, who is her friend, to replace Miles for the role. So take that information how you will, but Pearce's casting may be the perfect red herring because of that

Oh, interesting! That would certainly explain it and be the perfect red herring, as you said. I even thought that it would've been clever of the producers to do that on purpose, but then I couldn't imagine why he'd take such a role. Your explanation works and also answers something that was curious to me, which is that both stars are Brits playing Americans. I wonder if she called up her friend and said:

Spoiler

"Wanna have a sex scene with me?"

 

[Pink Mist]

Oh, interesting! That would certainly explain it and would be the perfect red herring, as you said. I even thought that it would've been clever of the producers to do that on purpose, but then I couldn't imagine why he'd take such a role. Your explanation works and also answers something that was curious to me, which is that both stars are British. I wonder if she called her friend up and said:

Spoiler

"Wanna have a sex scene with me?"

Wouldn't be the first one since they both starred in Mildred Pierce (that's how they know each other) and had a couple of naughty scenes together.

 

[Hivemind]

I feel like they tried to throw too many twists into the last couple episodes, pointing from one person to the next in rapid succession.

That being said, still easily the best show of 2021 so far.

 

[Osprey]

Ok, who guessed that last twist? It didn't make a lot of sense to me, but at least it was unexpected.

I agree that the series leaned a bit too much on misdirection...

Spoiler

...especially with the priest, whom I never for one second suspected because he was too obviously a red herring. In fact, it even felt a bit insulting that we were encouraged to assume that the pedophile priest did it. To a lesser extent, this was also done with the heroine addict brother.

Also, Siobhan's personal life seemed to have no story purpose. I was hoping that she'd end up having more to do with the murder or disappearances (like being abducted, herself) to make all of the time spent on her pay off, but it didn't.

To me, the great grandmother was the best character. She was great.

I just learned that the actress who played Carrie, Drew's birth mother, is Kevin Bacon's daughter. I knew that that chin looked familiar...

Spoiler

 

[RayP]

Started the finale and saw it was like 75 minutes long and was expecting a roller coaster of a ride. Thought the finale was quite boring and a disappointment. Episode prior to the finale for that matter too.

 

[deadinthewater]

Spoiler

I really liked the cut to black as Mare made her way up to the attic. Very poignant. On another note, does anyone else think Lori raising DJ is completely whack?! He should not be growing up in that house, period.

 

[GKJ]

Ok, who guessed that last twist? It didn't make a lot of sense to me, but at least it was unexpected.

I agree that the series leaned a bit too much on misdirection...

Spoiler

...especially with the priest, whom I never for one second suspected because he was too obviously a red herring. In fact, it even felt a bit insulting that we were encouraged to assume that the pedophile priest did it. To a lesser extent, this was also done with the heroine addict brother.

Also, Siobhan's personal life seemed to have no story purpose. I was hoping that she'd end up having more to do with the murder or disappearances (like being abducted, herself) to make all of the time spent on her pay off, but it didn't.

To me, the great grandmother was the best character. She was great.

I just learned that the actress who played Carrie, Drew's birth mother, is Kevin Bacon's daughter. I knew that that chin looked familiar...

Spoiler

I actually saw the theory come across my timeline early in the day and decided it made sense given how all the misdirections so in that sense I did see it coming. It would be interesting to go back and watch and see how heavy the clues are in hindsight, but they were so into Mare’s daily life that it could be easy to not see.

 

[Osprey]

Spoiler

I really liked the cut to black as Mare made her way up to the attic. Very poignant. On another note, does anyone else think Lori raising DJ is completely whack?! He should not be growing up in that house, period.

Spoiler

Yeah, Lori is a mess, the kid's dad is in jail, the kid's half brother is in juvenile jail and it seemed like Lori only begrudgingly took the kid in. DJ's parents would've been better, since they're stable and actually wanted him. Of course, they have no legal right to him, but they'd be better for him. Also, it's a bit of a strange development considering how the series ended with Drew not being better off with the woman who had the legal right to him.

I actually saw the theory come across my timeline early in the day and decided it made sense given how all the misdirections so in that sense I did see it coming. It would be interesting to go back and watch and see how heavy the clues are in hindsight, but they were so into Mare’s daily life that it could be easy to not see.

Spoiler

It actually crossed my mind, too, maybe halfway through the series. It was more of a joke, though, as in "I hope that he's the murderer. No one would see that coming," which I dismissed with a laugh. I didn't think that the series would actually go there.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Wow

I get that people found the last two episodes boring, and I would even agree the height of the show was probably episode 5 from one perspective.

But the show from the very beginning was all about Mare and those last two episodes only further drive home that point. The amount of emotional trauma she has had to endure in her life is just beyond comprehension.


By far the best show I've watched this year, hell in quite some time. I truly dont remember the last time I've felt such strong emotions for a character as I do right now for Mare. The pain and suffering she's endured, and how its caused her to be so closed off from everyone around her...

Yeah, just an amazing show and an utterly remarkable performance from Kate Winslet. The entire cast for that matter were tremendous.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

I actually saw the theory come across my timeline early in the day and decided it made sense given how all the misdirections so in that sense I did see it coming. It would be interesting to go back and watch and see how heavy the clues are in hindsight, but they were so into Mare’s daily life that it could be easy to not see.

They did show that one moment of rage he had in the lunch room, but obviously he was defending his autistic sister so you don’t think much of it.

All in all I very much enjoyed it. I finished Chernobyl last night as well. Thank you HBO miniseries.

 

[Fantomas]

Pretty good show. The heart strings were tugged at quite well.

I have only two complaints. The lesbian subplot was shoehorned and boring and, generally speaking, this show is yet another example of American copaganda. We get to root for cops again. In these times.

Makes me long for The Shield.

 

[Osprey]

They did show that one moment of rage he had in the lunch room, but obviously he was defending his autistic sister so you don’t think much of it.

Also, I believe that it was just after we were led to believe that his dad was cheating again, so it looked like he was raging partly because he was distraught over that. It was definitely a well-disguised clue.

I have only two complaints. The lesbian subplot was shoehorned and boring and, generally speaking, this show is yet another example of American copaganda. We get to root for cops again. In these times.

Why would anyone have a problem with rooting for cops to catch a murderer and kidnapper?

 

[Fantomas]

Why would anyone have a problem with rooting for cops to catch a murderer and kidnapper?

Because that's not what cops actually do, with very rare exceptions.

 

[Osprey]

Because that's not what cops actually do, with very rare exceptions.

That's what detectives do and this show is about a detective. Obviously, murder and kidnapping cases don't come along every day, but you probably wouldn't want 7 episodes of Mare investigating genitalia spray painted on old people's sheds. Speaking of which, she never solved that crime, did she? Talk about a loose end.

 

[Fantomas]

That's what detectives do and this show is about a detective.

Most cop shows are, that's the point. But detectives don't always have to be cops and we don't need to be told for the one millionth time that cops are just like us.

 

[Osprey]

Most cop shows are, that's the point. But detectives don't always have to be cops and we don't need to be told for the one millionth time that cops are just like us.

Most detectives (especially those who investigate serious crimes like murder and kidnapping) work for law enforcement and are just like us. The realism and balance of this show are what make it so intriguing. Mare is a flawed person who has failures and regrets and even crosses the line. I don't see how it's "copaganda." If anything, I can see how some people in law enforcement might feel that it's not particularly flattering, and if it seems unflattering to them and like "copaganda" to others, that probably means that it's fairly balanced.

 

[Fantomas]

Most detectives (especially those who investigate serious crimes like murder and kidnapping) work for law enforcement and are just like us. The realism and balance of this show are what make it so intriguing. Mare is a flawed person who has failures and regrets and even crosses the line. I don't see how it's "copaganda." If anything, I can see how some people in law enforcement might feel that it's not particularly flattering, and if it seems unflattering to them and like "copaganda" to others, that probably means that it's fairly balanced.

Holmes, Poirot, Miss Marple, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys - detectives do not have to be cops.

I get that you like the show, but cops, especially American cops, are bad. Their true function is to protect rich people's property. We don't need them valorized in our fiction.

 

[Osprey]

Holmes, Poirot, Miss Marple, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys - detectives do not have to be cops.

I didn't say otherwise. I said that most detectives are cops, and the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics backs that up by listing 100,000 police detectives and only 30,000 private investigators, so, naturally, most detective shows involve cops. I get that you're tired of police detective shows, but repeating that detectives don't have to be cops isn't any kind of argument against police detective shows. There's a lot of fiction that features private investigators, too. In fact, you just proved it by listing several.

I get that you like the show, but cops, especially American cops, are bad. Their true function is to protect rich people's property. We don't need them valorized in our fiction.

Protecting the property of the "rich people" of Easttown didn't seem to be Mare's function. She mainly investigated a murder and a couple of kidnappings and risked her life doing it. What's bad about that and why should such important work not be valorized? I asked before and you said that that's not what cops do, except with very rare exceptions; however, I just pointed out that there are 100,000 police detectives in the U.S., out of a total 700,000 officers. 1 out of every 7 is hardly very rare. I get that you don't think too highly of some, but why would you paint 700,000 with a "bad" brush and have a problem with shows centered around the ones doing good work? If it's because you believe that it excuses the bad ones, that seems irrational, and if you don't want any cops to look good, that seems prejudicial. Honestly, it seems like the issue is that you're anti-cop, not that the show is pro-cop. No one else seems to think that it's "copaganda" or that Mare is valorized too much, and I imagine that we have posters of all beliefs here, which I think speaks to how relatively balanced the show is. BTW, how much I liked it doesn't have anything to do with my argument. You thought that it was a "pretty good show," as well.

 

[TheAngryHank]

That's what detectives do and this show is about a detective. Obviously, murder and kidnapping cases don't come along every day, but you probably wouldn't want 7 episodes of Mare investigating genitalia spray painted on old people's sheds. Speaking of which, she never solved that crime, did she? Talk about a loose end.

Never forget

 

[TheAngryHank]

Holmes, Poirot, Miss Marple, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys - detectives do not have to be cops.

I get that you like the show, but cops, especially American cops, are bad. Their true function is to protect rich people's property. We don't need them valorized in our fiction.

I guess you missed the covid riots, im not a cop but id be fully strapped if i was in the area..it was lawless.

 

[montreal]

it was ok, only watched it because I grew up around some of the areas it was filmed. lol at one of the victims being from Sun Valley HS.

 

[Stringer Bell]

Holmes, Poirot, Miss Marple, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys - detectives do not have to be cops.

I get that you like the show, but cops, especially American cops, are bad. Their true function is to protect rich people's property. We don't need them valorized in our fiction.

Your thought process...is frightening.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

Your thought process...is frightening.

Twitter/technology is ruining America. Jurassic Park’s theme runs very true today.

 

[Jack Straw]

Just finished watching it. Excellent show and reminded me a lot of Broadchurch.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

Really good show. The cast was well done as was the story telling. That ending made my jaw drop