I don’t think I’ve ever seen a TV show like this - it’s the story of the arrest and investigation of a 13-year old boy for a murder and is compelling just for the acting and subject matter, but what really sets it apart is the way it’s shot.
Each of the four episodes is an hour-long single take, which I’m still trying to wrap my brain around.
100% Rotten Tomatoes score too, if that’s anything to go by.
Whoa.
Watched it with the wife yesterday. I didn’t catch the entire thing. The last episode with the parents beating themselves up about whether they screwed up raising the boy kinda hard to take. What does one do with a 13 year old who kills somebody? Whatever incarceration likely turns him into a hardened person. The series doesn’t really provide any answers.
Not that I expect answers from the film industry. There is a question raised. Is there a thing such as absolute evil or is that just up to us to decide
I’ve only seen the first episode. Amazing show. Once I realized it was a single take I re-watched most of it again, just to see how they did some of the scenes. Whoever the camera operator was, they knew what they’re doing. I wonder how much they rehearsed. Outstanding acting, in particular with the single take, with all the emotion involved.
Wait until you see the end of episode 2.
Started it last night and we are hooked. Watched the first two and hope to see another one tonight.
I just started watching this and only an episode in. So far it is very interesting.
Watched the final 2 episodes. Both my wife and I felt the show lost all momentum in these two episodes. I was looking forward to it being over and now I wish I had skipped all 4 episodes.
Well that’s a bummer. I watched the first episode last night based on this thread and was gobsmacked.
Loved it. Very well done and a super creative take on a murder procedural. I read it was the lead actor’s (Owen Cooper, only 15!) first role and episode 3 was his first time shooting a TV episode … astounding!
I will admit he did an outstanding job. I was just expecting a few twists and turns which never happened. It was more a step by step review of what happens in a murder case.
I was as well, but I was satisfied with how it played out and with only 4 episodes, it was a small time commitment. I found the incomplete motive to be satisfying and accurate, especially for a crime committed by a 13 year old.
I really liked episode 3. It demonstrated Jamie’s irrational volatility and you can see how he could have gone from normal to homicidal to normal in a short amount of time. And, than truly believed he did nothing wrong.
I felt in episode 4 they really didn’t know how to end the series. So they created the phone call from Jamie to his dad to wrap things up without providing what made the change of heart.
finished this last night, outstanding in every way. Swede I took the call as a sign that Jamie had finally grown up enough to fully appreciate what he did, hence his dad . . . SPOILER
putting the teddy to bed in the last scene
Something I didn’t get and maybe our resident Britis did . . . why ‘nonce’ on the truck? My sense is that means dumbass, and it didn’t quite fit – or maybe it did in a way I don’t see.
my biggest takeaway was the acting chops on the kid, unbelievable. That scene in the interview where he floated from boyish to manipulative to homocidal was astonishing, especially in one take.
Nonce (misspelled as ‘nonse’ on the van) is a slang term for a sex offender, especially a pedophile - not sure why it was used in that context other than just being a particularly nasty insult to use in that way.
Also - Stephen Graham and the director made a single-take movie called Boiling Point, which spun off into a series. Haven’t watched either yet but they’re also excellent, apparently.
Spoilers ahead.
I watched all four episodes last night. I thought it was excellent. As someone with two now adult children who I think were/are deeply affected by social media - I found the show to be really disquieting.
Episode 3 was the standout. The acting was just top notch and you really, I think for the first time, truly understood he murdered the girl. Yes, I know they showed the “murder” in the first episode, but it was hard to see what was going on from the vantage of the viewer - and having seen so many shows where its not what you think at first - I was cautious in my judgements about whether he actually did it or not. Anywho - I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I thought it was really well done.
That was a standout episode for me also. Both lead actors absolutely nailed it.
I’ve interviewed many young juvenile offenders over the years and the vacillation between sweet, childish and out of control is very accurate. Children contain multitudes.
The writers did their homework.
Hopefully. I finished E2 last nights and it’s interesting but tedious so far. Half of the episode or more played out at the school and none of it was compelling, just a few non surprising plot development points.
E3 was interesting, strong performance from the kid actor, but otherwise hasn’t been worth the time invested for me. I made it though 10 minutes of E4 before pulling the plug. Reading reviews, seems I’m not alone in thinking it was overwrought, gimmicky, and poorly written/executed at times. I sense an anticlimactic wrap-up and don’t plan to sit through it.
Maybe The Pitt E12 can redeem this night if binge watching.