Olive Kitteridge
2014
Original language: English
- drama
The story
A look at a seemingly placid New England town that is actually wrought with illicit affairs, crime and tragedy, all told through the lens of Olive, whose wicked wit and harsh demeanor mask a warm but troubled heart and staunch moral center. The story spans 25 years and focuses on Olive's relationships with her husband, Henry, the good-hearted and kindly town pharmacist; their son, Christopher, who resents his mother's approach to parenting; and other members of their community.
What it’s like
Cold Maine light does most of the work here: grey harbor skies, clapboard houses, pale winter interiors and the blunt green of pine country, shot with an unhurried eye that lets scenes breathe for long beats. The palette is muted and weathered, with warm lamplight in kitchens and pharmacies offering the only real comfort against the chill. Camera work is patient and observational rather than showy, often holding on faces as they decide whether to speak. Sound is sparse, with wind, gulls, clinking dishes and the occasional piano figure that arrives like a held breath. Its vibe is wry, wintry melancholy, the kind that stings and then softens. It suits a slow weekend in with a pot of tea, or a quiet evening after a hard week. The intensity is moderate: a few sudden deaths, one brief and disturbing act of violence, sexual affairs handled frankly but not explicitly, and plenty of cutting cruelty in dialogue. Emotionally it follows a difficult woman and her long-suffering husband across twenty-five years, watching a prickly mother and a resentful son slowly, painfully circle a truce. It is for viewers who like character studies, dry humour, and grown-up stories about marriage, aging and the private sorrows of small towns.
More TV shows like Olive Kitteridge
Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved Olive Kitteridgeand we’ll explain which ones fit you.
