A Tale of Two Stars and a Flawed Mystery

Netflix's latest offering, "His & Hers, " promised a lot but delivered little. Based on Alice Feeney's book, the series follows two leads, Tessa Thompson and Jon Bernthal, as they navigate a murder mystery in a small town. The story is told from both their perspectives, but the execution falls flat. The series starts with a murder in Dahlonega, a town near Atlanta. The victim is stabbed multiple times, and the crime scene is staged with a taunting message. The local detective, Jack Harper, played by Jon Bernthal, takes charge of the investigation. He's joined by Anna, a former news anchor played by Tessa Thompson, who sees the case as a chance to revive her career. However, the series struggles to maintain momentum. The plot is filled with coincidences that strain credibility. The murder victim just happens to be Anna's high school frenemy. Jack just happens to have a past with the victim. And Jack and Anna just happen to be married, though their relationship is strained. The series tries to build suspense by making both Jack and Anna suspects in the murder. But the writing fails to make either character convincing as a killer. Instead, the audience is left distracted by the characters' ineptitude. Jack is a poor detective, and Anna is a poor reporter. Their shared incompetence is the only thing that makes their relationship believable.The series is also let down by its narration. Each episode begins with a voiceover that recites ominous clichés. The narration is meant to keep the audience guessing, but it only serves to bore them. The series also fails to capture the book's structure. Instead of feeling like a story told from two different perspectives, it feels like standard TV omniscience. The characters in the series are poorly developed. They lie to each other and to themselves, but the audience is never given a reason to care. The series also fails to make the most of its supporting cast. Chris Bauer, Marin Ireland, and Sunita Mani deliver the best performances, but they are given little to work with. The series is also let down by its direction. The scenes are lit in a way that feels artificial and hollow. The direction fails to capture the tension and suspense that the story demands. In the end, "His & Hers" is a disappointment. It's a series filled with missed opportunities and poor execution. It's a shame, because the premise had so much potential. But the series fails to deliver on that promise.