Off-topic: This is my first review on IMDb - I'm certainly not a cinephile but I think I can recognize something wrong when I see it.
Specifically, this series plays some tricks in the course of its episodes that I did not enjoyed at all. I felt led in certain directions only to be misleaded, plot paths whose only aim was to "stretch the soup". I did not feel respected as a viewer. Perhaps these words may seem a bit drastic... but the closed paths the plot takes you to are too many that it is impossible to ignore them.
1) First of all, Johnathan's guilt was already clear to the aware viewer starting from the second / third episode: in fact, Johnathan's "business trip" had been scheduled for a few days (we learn about it during the first episode). However, he says he ran away the day after the murder because he was afraid of the situation that would inevitably put him in an uncomfortable position. It is therefore clear that the murder was premeditated but... No character, ever, emphasizes this fact. For me it is just unbelievable, such neglect disturbed me up to the last episode.
2) For several episodes we are led to believe that Grace is the killer. The agents even name a series of phone calls that Grace would have received from Elena, phone calls that take place off-camera and initially make us believe in a surprise epilogue in which it turns out that Grace and Elena knew each other much more deeply than presented during the first episodes ... epilogue that obviously will not come. Those phone calls are no longer brought up. That's not sidetracking to me, It's just a pointless waste of screentime.
3) During Johnathan's TV interview, he says he knows who the culprit is. Cliffhanger. We await the next episode to know the answer, most of us are expecting a twist where he says he thinks it was Grace. Twist that does not arrive. Later, and with much less emphasis, we learn that Johnathan's suspect is Elena's husband. Groundbreaking.
4) At some point in the series, for no reason, we see Grace's father secretly going to spy on Mr Alves. We are therefore led to believe that Mr Reinhardt is up to something, but this suspicion turns out to be meaningless and another dead-end plot path.
5) When Haley talks to Johnathan in prison we are introduced to the idea that there is a second woman in Johnathan's past. The subsequent events of the series (at least to me) led me to believe that it could be Grace's best friend, Sylvia, who is introduced to us right away as one of the main characters (we know that she gave some advice to Johnathan regarding his dismissal). Unfortunately, aside from her small role in the epilogue, it seems Sylvia's job is to be ambiguous and carelessly answer Grace's phone calls.
I think that's all... I might have missed something though.
On a positive note, the series had a great photography and the acting was excellent from almost everyone. Sutherland and Grant especially were amazing. Kidman was great too, but at times she seemed a little confused on how to portrait herself: I think this was intentional, or maybe she wasn't sure either about the involvement of her character on the murder.
Lastly, let me just say that I don't demand a thriller series to be immediate or explicit: I'm fine with plot tricks to sidetrack the viewer, I just don't like it when I feel like the plot is treating me like I'm dumb.
My verdict: Not great nor bad. Some major plot holes. Definitively entertaining if you turn off your brain and just enjoy the suspence.
Specifically, this series plays some tricks in the course of its episodes that I did not enjoyed at all. I felt led in certain directions only to be misleaded, plot paths whose only aim was to "stretch the soup". I did not feel respected as a viewer. Perhaps these words may seem a bit drastic... but the closed paths the plot takes you to are too many that it is impossible to ignore them.
1) First of all, Johnathan's guilt was already clear to the aware viewer starting from the second / third episode: in fact, Johnathan's "business trip" had been scheduled for a few days (we learn about it during the first episode). However, he says he ran away the day after the murder because he was afraid of the situation that would inevitably put him in an uncomfortable position. It is therefore clear that the murder was premeditated but... No character, ever, emphasizes this fact. For me it is just unbelievable, such neglect disturbed me up to the last episode.
2) For several episodes we are led to believe that Grace is the killer. The agents even name a series of phone calls that Grace would have received from Elena, phone calls that take place off-camera and initially make us believe in a surprise epilogue in which it turns out that Grace and Elena knew each other much more deeply than presented during the first episodes ... epilogue that obviously will not come. Those phone calls are no longer brought up. That's not sidetracking to me, It's just a pointless waste of screentime.
3) During Johnathan's TV interview, he says he knows who the culprit is. Cliffhanger. We await the next episode to know the answer, most of us are expecting a twist where he says he thinks it was Grace. Twist that does not arrive. Later, and with much less emphasis, we learn that Johnathan's suspect is Elena's husband. Groundbreaking.
4) At some point in the series, for no reason, we see Grace's father secretly going to spy on Mr Alves. We are therefore led to believe that Mr Reinhardt is up to something, but this suspicion turns out to be meaningless and another dead-end plot path.
5) When Haley talks to Johnathan in prison we are introduced to the idea that there is a second woman in Johnathan's past. The subsequent events of the series (at least to me) led me to believe that it could be Grace's best friend, Sylvia, who is introduced to us right away as one of the main characters (we know that she gave some advice to Johnathan regarding his dismissal). Unfortunately, aside from her small role in the epilogue, it seems Sylvia's job is to be ambiguous and carelessly answer Grace's phone calls.
I think that's all... I might have missed something though.
On a positive note, the series had a great photography and the acting was excellent from almost everyone. Sutherland and Grant especially were amazing. Kidman was great too, but at times she seemed a little confused on how to portrait herself: I think this was intentional, or maybe she wasn't sure either about the involvement of her character on the murder.
Lastly, let me just say that I don't demand a thriller series to be immediate or explicit: I'm fine with plot tricks to sidetrack the viewer, I just don't like it when I feel like the plot is treating me like I'm dumb.
My verdict: Not great nor bad. Some major plot holes. Definitively entertaining if you turn off your brain and just enjoy the suspence.