Kate Mara and the Shifting Landscape of the ‘Messy Mom’ Thriller
The once-compelling genre of crime-solving housewives seems to be losing its grip on audiences. While Apple TV+’s Imperfect Women, featuring Kate Mara, possesses all the ingredients for an addictive watch – a gripping whodunit, beguiling red herrings, and a stellar cast – it hasn’t quite captured the zeitgeist in the way shows like Desperate Housewives or Big Little Lies once did.
The thriller, centered around a group of friends whose suburban lives unravel after a murder, feels reminiscent of a bygone era of television. It’s a glossy, elevated soap opera that, a decade ago, would have seamlessly fit into networks like ABC. However, the increasingly crowded television landscape makes it harder for any show to break through, and similar attempts – like NBC’s Grosse Pointe Garden Society and Prime Video’s The Better Sister – have failed to gain traction.
The Slow Decline of a Genre
Recent series exploring the lives of middle-aged women with hidden depths, such as Yellowjackets and Palm Royale, are either concluding or nearing their end, further signaling a decline in the “messy-mom thriller.” This genre, where violence and mystery disrupt the suburban ennui of female protagonists, once resonated deeply with viewers. But after numerous iterations, the formula feels stale.
In an age saturated with real-life scandals dominating social media and unscripted media, fictional tales of women embroiled in crime can pale in comparison. The guilty pleasure of watching characters break free from societal norms has become, for many, simply noise.
A New Approach: How to Get to Heaven From Belfast
One recent exception that cuts through the banality is Netflix’s How to Get to Heaven From Belfast. While it shares the broad strokes of the messy-mom thriller – three dissatisfied women whose lives are upended by a suspicious situation – it prioritizes the complexities of their relationships. The show understands that audiences may be craving something beyond the mystery itself.
Created by Lisa McGee (of Derry Girls fame), Belfast boasts authentic Irish dialogue and believable characters. The three central women – Saoirse, Dara, and Robyn – are relatable in their weariness from the compromises of aging. The show’s strength lies in its exploration of their evolving dynamics, treating their friendship with the same seriousness as the central conspiracy.
The Importance of Connection
Belfast doubles as a poignant portrait of female friendship, delving into the reasons why Saoirse, Dara, and Robyn can still rely on one another after years of drifting apart. The characters are motivated by a genuine desire for companionship, a resonance often missing from other messy-mom thrillers where friendships often serve merely as exposition dumps.
Where Imperfect Women Falls Short
Imperfect Women, despite its promising premise and the presence of stars like Kate Mara, Elisabeth Moss, and Kerry Washington, suffers from a lack of defined connection between its heroines. The show’s fragmented narrative, shifting perspectives every few episodes, hinders the audience’s ability to empathize with the characters. It packs in numerous subplots – infidelity, domestic violence, and career-threatening scandals – but ultimately feels overstuffed and emotionally distant.
While not every thriller can avoid relying on long-buried secrets, How to Get to Heaven From Belfast demonstrates that the greatest pleasure may lie in the simple act of spending quality time with close friends. It understands that older women may need a break from reality, but also crave authentic connections and relatable experiences. Read more at The Atlantic.
