Earlier than I watched advance screeners of the Max restricted collection Love & Dying, I knew nothing of the real-life homicide that rocked a small city in Texas within the early ’80s on which the collection relies. I additionally hadn’t watched Hulu’s Sweet with Jessica Biel, which examines the identical story and premiered practically a 12 months in the past, in Might 2022. What’s extra, apart from American Crime Story: The Individuals v. O.J., true crime tales have by no means fairly been my factor.
That each one modified once I watched Love & Dying, which is probably the most riveted I’ve been in years for any present, not to mention a real crime collection. The seven-episode collection from Emmy winner David E. Kelley (Massive Little Lies, The Follow, Ally McBeal) and multiple-Emmy nominee Lesli Linka Glatter (Homeland, Mad Males, Now and Then) is so addictive and compelling, it should stick with you lengthy after you’ve completed every episode.
Due to a surprising efficiency by Elizabeth Olsen (who performs Sweet Montgomery, a churchgoing housewife and mom of two who yearns for extra), plus a powerful supporting forged (Lily Rabe, Patrick Fugit, Jesse Plemons, Tom Pelphrey), it is a story much less about whodunnit and extra in regards to the human psyche and the secrets and techniques folks by no means reveal.
In episode seven, titled “Ssssshh,” viewers see the grotesque struggle that ensued between Betty (Lily Rabe) and Sweet (Elizabeth Olsen) that resulted in Betty’s demise. Whereas it’s clear that Sweet needed to at first defend herself from an axe-wielding Betty, what doesn’t make sense is why Sweet felt the necessity to brutally strike Betty 41 instances. Nonetheless, the hypnotist on trial reveals that Sweet was emotionally disconnected within the second and dissociated instantly after the killing.
Ultimately, Sweet is acquitted, however she’ll by no means have her former life again. And so, every week later, Sweet and Pat (Patrick Fugit) resolve to depart Texas, however not earlier than driving to Allan’s (Jesse Plemons) home to say goodbye. They each apologize for the way uncontrolled issues obtained (ya assume?!), but it surely’s additionally so like Sweet and Allan to behave and converse as if it was only a minor velocity bump. Ultimately, Sweet drives off with Pat and the youngsters, passing the Como Motel, which seems so empty—and distant.
