Lady in the Lake | |
---|---|
Genre | |
Created by | Alma Har'el |
Based on | Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman |
Written by |
|
Directed by | Alma Har'el |
Starring | |
Theme music composer | Marcus Norris |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of episodes | 7 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Producers |
|
Production locations | Baltimore, Maryland |
Cinematography | Lachlan Milne |
Editors |
|
Running time | 53–54 minutes |
Production companies |
|
Original release | |
Network | Apple TV+ |
Release | July 19 August 23, 2024 | –
Lady in the Lake is an American drama thriller miniseries based on the novel of the same name by Laura Lippman. The series premiered on Apple TV+ on July 19, 2024.[1]
Thanksgiving 1966, Baltimore. An investigative journalist working on an unsolved murder clashes with a woman working to advance the agenda of the city's Black community. She ditches her abusive, overbearing husband and Pikesville home to pursue a career as a newspaper reporter. She becomes obsessed with unraveling the mystery of two separate killings: a little girl named Tessie Durst and a bartender named Cleo Johnson.[2]
The television series is based on the novel of the same name. Laura Lippman, the author, took inspiration from two real-life murders that happened in her youth.[2] The first was the abduction and murder of 11-year-old Esther Lebowitz, a White Jewish girl whose death was heavily publicized.[3][4][5] The second death was 33-year-old Shirley Parker, a Black woman who was found dead in the fountain of the Druid Hill Park Reservoir.[6] Parker's death was only given attention in African-American newspapers, specifically the Baltimore Afro-American.[7]
The miniseries was given the greenlight in March 2021, with Natalie Portman and Lupita Nyong'o set to star, and Alma Har'el set to direct all episodes of the series.[8] In April 2022, Y'Lan Noel, Mikey Madison and Brett Gelman were added to the cast.[9] In May 2022, Nyong'o exited the series.[10][11] Moses Ingram would be cast to replace her in June.[12] Noah Jupe, Mike Epps, Byron Bowers. Josiah Cross and Pruitt Taylor Vince would be added in July.[13]
Filming began in April 2022,[9] with production taking place in Baltimore.[14] Production paused briefly in late August 2022, when the production purportedly received threats of violence while filming in the city.[15] Police investigation showed the threats to have been unsubstantiated.[16]
No. | Title | Directed by [8] | Teleplay by [17] | Original release date [18] |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Did you know seahorses are fish?" | Alma Har'el | Alma Har'el | July 19, 2024 |
2 | "It has to do with the search for the marvelous." | Alma Har'el | Alma Har'el | July 19, 2024 |
3 | "I was the first to see her dead. You were the last to see her alive." | Alma Har'el | Briana Belser | July 26, 2024 |
4 | "Innocence leaves when you discover cruelty. First in others, then in yourself." | Alma Har'el | Nambi E. Kelley | August 2, 2024 |
5 | "Every time someone turns up dead in that lake, it does seem to lead to you." | Alma Har'el | Boaz Yakin | August 9, 2024 |
6 | "I know who killed Cleo Johnson." | Alma Har'el | Sheila Wilson and Alma Har'el | August 16, 2024 |
7 | "My story." | Alma Har'el | Boaz Yakin | August 23, 2024 |
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 77% approval rating with an average rating of 7/10, based on 61 critic reviews. Natalie Portman received critical acclaim for her acting performance in the miniseries.[19] The website's critics consensus reads, "Dense with intriguing drama if too muddled by digressions and stylistic flourishes, Lady in the Lake is a well-acted mystery with a lot on its mind."[20] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 61 out of 100 based on 28 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[21]