This Peacock thriller starts with a simple mystery and gets wild
This Peacock thriller starts with a simple mystery and gets wild
‘All Her Fault’ turns a missing child mystery into a powerful story about family and blame.
Peacock doesn’t do a ton of original drama TV shows. One peek at their top 10 list and you know this is the place you come for reality TV. But occasionally they drop something so watchable, Tara and I rip through it in just a couple of days. Something with such a simple, powerful hook that it’s nearly impossible not to watch at least the first 15 minutes of the next episode before bed, just because we have to know what that cliffhanger really means. For us, that show was “All Her Fault.” Here’s why I think this is one of the best under-the-radar drama shows on Peacock.
Best under-the-radar drama TV show on Peacock
Why ‘All Her Fault’ is the most underrated drama series on Peacock
“All Her Fault” starts with one of the most effective yet simple mystery setups I’ve seen in a long time. A mother, Marissa Irvine (played by Sarah Snook), shows up at the house where her son is having a playdate. Except he’s not there. And the person who answers the door has no idea who she or her son is… BOOM, if that doesn’t grab you, then you better check your pulse. Everything flows from this strong opening mystery. And all the questions (and tangles of lies) that come out are the result of a very raw, natural instinct: a mother (and father, played by Jake Lacy) trying to find her missing son.
So the mystery is what will keep you watching. But look at the title of the show: “All Her Fault.” Very different from Netflix’s latest hit, “I Will Find You” even though the premise is almost the same. And it’s different because the theme of creator Megan Gallagher’s show is far more interested in how the family system crumbles (and who takes the blame) when a crisis like this strikes. Of course, it’s the women who not only handle the childcare schedule, but the medications (which ends up being VERY important), school logistics, house routines, etc., etc. And that’s the part that makes this show so different than a standard mystery. It has something to say about the load the women in all our lives carry and the expectations society puts on them.
But the thing I kept coming back to is the relationship between Marissa and Jenny Kaminski (played by Dakota Fanning). Jenny is the mother of the boy whose family was supposed to be hosting the playdate, and at first she definitely seems like she could be another part of the mystery. But a mother vs. mother rivalry is something we’ve seen countless times before, and so the show flips it, and slowly, very slowly, turns them into friends. And it’s this friendship and camaraderie that helps build the theme I mention above.
Now, some people think the story has so many twists and turns it enters the realm of melodrama. I disagree for two reasons: 1) it’s entertaining as all hell, and 2) the emotional core actually works to motivate the actions of the characters (both good and bad). Even when someone makes a terrible decision, you understand what fear, guilt, love, or desperation pushed them there. The plot might get crazy, but the characters never feel like they’re just moving pieces around a mystery board. There’s always a human reason underneath it. And that’s great writing.
Finally, the cast deserves a huge shoutout. Sarah Snook drives this thing, and after watching her play Shiv Roy on “Succession,” it’s really fun seeing her take on a completely different kind of powerful woman. She has great access to the entire range of emotions she needs: the panic, the anger, the guilt, and the determination to keep going even when the worst has happened. Dakota Fanning is fantastic as Jenny too — she’s a little quieter, obviously, as more of the support system, but I totally buy how these women become friends. Then you have Jake Lacy, who is making a heck of a career playing the love interest where you’re never quite sure what’s underneath the surface. I also loved Daniel Monks’ performance as Lacy’s brother. The whole cast is great, but Snook and her raw (at times animalistic) performance is the reason the whole thing stays locked in.
All Her Fault
In Chicago, Marissa Irvine arrives at 14 Arthur Avenue, expecting to pick up her young son Milo from his first playdate with a boy at his new school. But the woman who answers the door isn’t a mother she recognizes. She isn’t the nanny. She doesn’t have Milo. And so begins every parent’s worst nightmare.
What is ‘All Her Fault’ about?
“All Her Fault” is about what happens when a normal afternoon turns into every parent’s worst nightmare. Marissa Irvine thinks she’s just picking up her five-year-old son Milo from a playdate, but when she gets to the address she was given, the woman who answers the door has no idea who Milo is. No kid, no playdate, and no explanation. And just like that, Marissa’s entire world implodes. As the search for Milo begins, secrets start coming out from every direction, and suddenly everyone around this family has something they’d rather keep hidden.
Other underappreciated drama TV shows on Peacock
One of my favorite very early Peacock original series is “The Resort” — it looks like a classic resort-based mystery, but quickly turns into something much weirder.
I also recommend “Dr. Death” for a very disturbing look at doctors who somehow get to do unbelievable harm in the medical system over and over again before getting caught.
Finally, check out “The Burbs” for a lighter mystery set in a quirky suburban neighborhood. All great shows with slightly different vibes.
Peacock
Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” “The Office,” and original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports and NBC programming, including the NFL, MLB, WWE, the Olympics, the Premier League, NASCAR, the French Open, college football and basketball, and the PGA Tour. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.