The Girlfriend

A satisfyingly wicked domestic thriller. Robin Wright is perfectly passive-aggressive as a mother who won't let go, while Olivia Cooke delivers a career-best performance as a maybe-maybe-not con artist. The dual-perspective format is clever, and the show embraces its own soapy excess. Think Big Little Lies meets The Talented Mr. Ripley-with better coats.

I just binged all six episodes in one stretch! It was great to see the very talented and naturally beautiful Robin Wright in front of and behind the camera. Even though she has been busy, this was my first time seeing her since the final season of House of Cards - which was a 10/10.

The graceful Olive Cooke, who very convincingly played an unstable outcast in Thoroughbreds, was in top form in The Girlfriend and the perfect rival for Wright's character.

I enjoyed the story's easy to follow point of view format. The scenery is spectacular. Initially, the music seemed aggressive but grew on me. The acting was excellent by the supporting actors, too.

Very importantly, The Girlfriend has realistic representation of race and sexuality without being over the top. Shows like And Just Like That...tried too hard for representation and IMO inadvertently came off as racist, bigoted, and prejudiced by trying to check off all the boxes.

Lastly, despite The Girlfriend having a couple of plot holes, this psychological thriller is an easy and fun viewing experience! I definitely recommend.

This is a slick and entertaining drama with a very well paced story, through the lens of two controlling women in a man's life. Throughout the series you can pretty much guess most of the outcomes, although there are some nice little twists and turns.

Olivia Cooke plays her role magnificently and its worth watching just for her amazing outfits. I feel they missed a trick and could've made this a dark comedy drama, as there were situations between the mother and son that the girlfriend picked up on, which could've been comedic.

What let's this show down is the penultimate scene in the final episode.....no spoilers. Watch for yourself as it doesn't completely ruin the experience, but it does make you think they could've written it better and the ending would still have the same impact.

After the first episode, I was unsure how this show would qualify as a thriller. It opens on a lighthearted, almost cliché note, reminiscent of Monster-in-Law with J-Lo and Jane Fonda. It begins with the classic overprotective mother versus new girlfriend dynamic with comedic exchanges and rising tensions.

However... the story quickly takes a much darker turn and tone. The pacing is excellent and it's nearly impossible to stop watching once you start. It's a shame that it's a limited series because I could easily see the story continuing for at least a couple more seasons.

The acting is far better than I expected. Cooke, Wright, and Davidson have fantastic chemistry on screen and each inhabits their role perfectly. The emotional tension, good and bad, is authentic and palpable. There's a few plot holes and some unresolved storylines but for a limited series, they are forgivable albeit a touch annoying.

The more I reflect on the story, the more nuance I see. Without giving too much away, the characters background and upbringing shape how each of them responds to trauma, loss, and major life changes, with those responses unfolding on screen.

I'll just end it with, Daniel gets exactly what he deserves in the end.

This 6-part series hit today, September 10th, streaming on Prime. Episodes run about 52 minutes. A show like this is meant to entertain and it does that very well.

The very first scene shows a residence at night, curtains lit up, and what sounds like some heavy arguing. Then we see a movie projector running but don't glimpse the movie. Then we see a swimming pool, a knife, then a person or body splashing into the water. So quickly cut that we can't discern what or who it might be. Only during the final six minutes of episode 6 do we find out what happened.

Then the story cuts to "5 months earlier." The editing technique used features rather short scenes which are re-visited later showing a different perspective. It works very well, the production value is top-notch and also includes many beautiful aerial shows of London.

First we see Robin Wright (who also directs) as Laura Sanderson, in her home. She is a wealthy, high-powered art dealer and very demanding and controlling. Then we see her swimming and then frolicking in the water with a man. We quickly find it to be her grown son, they apparently have a very close relationship. Maybe too close and that will become the root of the issues that develop.

The series is called "The Girlfriend" for a reason. That is played by Olivia Cooke as Cherry Laine. On her first visit she is dressed in a "F-me" red dress cut all the way down in front to her navel. Soon mom observes them upstairs in an "activity."

Cherry is smart but appears to be duplicitous, and she and Laura, who is also duplicitous, are destined to clash early and often. The six-part series is primarily about that clash and it plays out interestingly and entertainingly. Both actresses are in top form.

Is it any good? Yes, it is for anyone who likes this sort of drama with a healthy dose of sex thrown in. Some of it turns darkly comedic, it is hard to find any characters to root for. All fiction of course.

All the actors are excellent, the script is tight, it is a nicely entertaining drama series with an ending which could set it up for an additional season.

My wife, who usually enjoys this sort of program, abandoned it after episode two, she was not invested.