*Mild spoilers follow, I wish I had known going in...*
It is really difficult to rate this series. It really depends on how this series is being viewed. As a first season with a planned second season, this would be an exceptional season of television. As a mini-series that is supposed to tell a contained story, well this series gives us 7.5 episodes of absolutely riveting television, followed by a final half that is shocking, upsetting, and does not answer the central question of the series. I don't feel like this is spoiling much; I wish I had known going in. At least I would have had leveled expectations. At least I wouldn't have gone the entire series, absolutely absorbed in having the most central question of the series answered - only to be left hanging. Chris Stuckmann said it best. The series presents a central question - did Jacob do it? And in the end, the show shrugs it's shoulders. "Eh, heck if I know." Perhaps the writers did it on purpose, as sometimes in life we really never know. But what comes before is so devastating, so upsetting, it demands answers. It is almost cruel to leave the audience without them. As a first season, it is an exceptional first season, with a shocking and devastating end that requires a second season to wrap things up. As a mini-series, this was just major emotional manipulation without any resolution.
*Major spoilers follow*
Not knowing, after all, that is what drove the mother of the series off the deep end. Just simply not knowing, and living with the guilt that it was possible. It was possible that her son took the life of another, and left another mother grieving an incomprehensible loss. But this series is not real life, and it just feels like a major cop-out. The show spends half of its runtime presenting itself as a murder mystery "who-dun-it". There is a massive revelation at the end of episode two, that is never directly addressed. It is information only we, the audience, is given - and then it is left without any explanation. And only a lot of speculation. Then the final episode rolls around, and I just have to talk about the ending. It really is why I am here.
It's been days since I finished the series and I am still bothered by how it all wrapped up. Or failed to. I think I've expressed my frustration that we never find out who killed Ben Rifkin. There is a lot of reason to believe Jacob may have, but just as much evidence to believe it was a pedophile, Patz. (Can't remember his first name) Through the course of the series, we really see the mother (can't remember her name) slowly falling apart. She remembers a moment from Jacob's childhood, when he tried to hit another boy from behind, on the head, with a bowling ball. She is constantly questioning whether her son could have done this. Her first thought when the news came out about Ben's death was that she was "glad it wasn't her son." And she wondered if she should feel awful for that. Andrew assured her everything was feeling that way, and it was completely normal. And possibly it was. But we see her mental state become very fragile over the course of the series, staring endlessly at a painting in the office of a biological doctor they see for her son. I was pained that the show kept beating her up. She had one happy moment grocery shopping, and she ran into Ben Rifkin's mom. Word on the street was that Jacob was the killer. Instead of having a heartbreaking moment between these two mom's, Ben's mom spat right in her face. She leaves the store distraught. This is the kind of series we are watching here. This family is destroyed, it could all be for nothing as in the end of it all we STILL don't know if Jacob did it. The mom absolutely loses it driving Jacob to a hair cut, and grills him on whether he did it, as she continues increasing the speed. Many random Youtubers commented that it seems he's innocent, as he maintains his innocence even as his life is in danger. As she goes past 70. Eventually, he finally says "Fine, I did it! If that's what you want to hear!". She tells him she loves him and plows the car into a tunnel. She is left relatively unscathed with supposedly no recollection of the accident. Jacob is in a coma. Andrew is lying to her about it being an accident and is all alone in the house. Whether Jacob was innocent, will never be known. Unless a season two takes place. I hope it does. I really want to love this show. I did for the first 7.5 episodes. (It is only an 8 episode series) But that final half of the last episode. As a series finale, it is one of those endings that are so bad, it ruins the entire film. But in this case, it's an 8-hour film. The first 7.5 hours were so good, so riveting. This series needs a proper ending. I hope the powers that be will find a way to give it one.
It is really difficult to rate this series. It really depends on how this series is being viewed. As a first season with a planned second season, this would be an exceptional season of television. As a mini-series that is supposed to tell a contained story, well this series gives us 7.5 episodes of absolutely riveting television, followed by a final half that is shocking, upsetting, and does not answer the central question of the series. I don't feel like this is spoiling much; I wish I had known going in. At least I would have had leveled expectations. At least I wouldn't have gone the entire series, absolutely absorbed in having the most central question of the series answered - only to be left hanging. Chris Stuckmann said it best. The series presents a central question - did Jacob do it? And in the end, the show shrugs it's shoulders. "Eh, heck if I know." Perhaps the writers did it on purpose, as sometimes in life we really never know. But what comes before is so devastating, so upsetting, it demands answers. It is almost cruel to leave the audience without them. As a first season, it is an exceptional first season, with a shocking and devastating end that requires a second season to wrap things up. As a mini-series, this was just major emotional manipulation without any resolution.
*Major spoilers follow*
Not knowing, after all, that is what drove the mother of the series off the deep end. Just simply not knowing, and living with the guilt that it was possible. It was possible that her son took the life of another, and left another mother grieving an incomprehensible loss. But this series is not real life, and it just feels like a major cop-out. The show spends half of its runtime presenting itself as a murder mystery "who-dun-it". There is a massive revelation at the end of episode two, that is never directly addressed. It is information only we, the audience, is given - and then it is left without any explanation. And only a lot of speculation. Then the final episode rolls around, and I just have to talk about the ending. It really is why I am here.
It's been days since I finished the series and I am still bothered by how it all wrapped up. Or failed to. I think I've expressed my frustration that we never find out who killed Ben Rifkin. There is a lot of reason to believe Jacob may have, but just as much evidence to believe it was a pedophile, Patz. (Can't remember his first name) Through the course of the series, we really see the mother (can't remember her name) slowly falling apart. She remembers a moment from Jacob's childhood, when he tried to hit another boy from behind, on the head, with a bowling ball. She is constantly questioning whether her son could have done this. Her first thought when the news came out about Ben's death was that she was "glad it wasn't her son." And she wondered if she should feel awful for that. Andrew assured her everything was feeling that way, and it was completely normal. And possibly it was. But we see her mental state become very fragile over the course of the series, staring endlessly at a painting in the office of a biological doctor they see for her son. I was pained that the show kept beating her up. She had one happy moment grocery shopping, and she ran into Ben Rifkin's mom. Word on the street was that Jacob was the killer. Instead of having a heartbreaking moment between these two mom's, Ben's mom spat right in her face. She leaves the store distraught. This is the kind of series we are watching here. This family is destroyed, it could all be for nothing as in the end of it all we STILL don't know if Jacob did it. The mom absolutely loses it driving Jacob to a hair cut, and grills him on whether he did it, as she continues increasing the speed. Many random Youtubers commented that it seems he's innocent, as he maintains his innocence even as his life is in danger. As she goes past 70. Eventually, he finally says "Fine, I did it! If that's what you want to hear!". She tells him she loves him and plows the car into a tunnel. She is left relatively unscathed with supposedly no recollection of the accident. Jacob is in a coma. Andrew is lying to her about it being an accident and is all alone in the house. Whether Jacob was innocent, will never be known. Unless a season two takes place. I hope it does. I really want to love this show. I did for the first 7.5 episodes. (It is only an 8 episode series) But that final half of the last episode. As a series finale, it is one of those endings that are so bad, it ruins the entire film. But in this case, it's an 8-hour film. The first 7.5 hours were so good, so riveting. This series needs a proper ending. I hope the powers that be will find a way to give it one.