hayesmikiet Review of Death and Other Details

Death and Other Details (2024)

Hang in there... (I blame the director for what doesn't work)

[7/10 · 27 January 2024]

There are hardly any gripping new detective shows... most, understandably, have borrowed from one or another. What is critical for watchability, though, is an otherwise captivating plot and engaging dialogue, superb acting, well-cast actors, great set and filming, etc., etc. The plot of this is very Agatha Christie or Hercule Poirot. Check. The setting is gorgeous. Check. The cast is legitimately interesting and mostly well-cast. Check. The dialogue is actually good. Check. Mandy Patinkin is, well, Mandy Patinkin - a commanding presence even in a purposely nuanced performance such as this. I think he (Cotesworth) and the Imogene character have a lovely and fun platonic chemistry - as he also has with Agent Eriksen. Enjoyable banter. However, there is no authentic chemistry between Imogene and her seemingly best friend, Anna. And even less chemistry between Anna and her wife, Leila. Anna is no Shiv Roy but believable as the competitive sister and daughter of a billionaire in line to take over. While she definitely needs more juice, it's not distracting. That said, there are two main distractions that cause you to want to give up and rewatch Death in Paradise for the fifth time. 1. The forced, dreadful, cringeworthy sexual relationship between Anna and Leila. It's just so out of place, it does not make sense. The lack of chemistry between the actors makes it that much worse. 2. and this is the biggie... Mandy Patinkin, unfathomably, cannot land on an accent, which is indistinguishably bad. Is it British? Is it Australian? Did he live between two continents? It's distracting (and I hate to say embarrassing) at first to the point where you're not sure you can watch the show at all. You just want to ask the director why he didn't suggest that Patinkin drop the accent completely. Just when you think - episode 3? - that you'll be OK with one of many not great English dialects, it mysteriously wanders into Australia. All of that said, I finally have settled into blocking it out and enjoying the acting and the plot and where it's going. I think the fact that Teddy's entire family is on the boat and reports to her is hilarious and feels like there will be a funny story payoff in the end... I could be wrong. My advice is if you like this style, stay with it. Hopefully they'll be a respectful payoff, ala this genre, in the end.