Unveiling the Unconventional: A Review of Netflix’s “His & Hers”
Netflix‘s “His & Hers,” based on the acclaimed novel by Alice Feeney and adapted for television by William Oldroyd, appears, at first, to be a typical, albeit engaging, mystery thriller full of death, secrets and lies. Yet, as the limited series unfolds, audiences quickly realize there is nothing normal about this show. At the center of the narrative is a sidelined Atlanta news anchor, Anna (a fascinating Tessa Thompson), trying to reclaim her career through a shocking murder case. However, a volatile detective, Jack (Jon Bernthal), leading the investigation, becomes increasingly concerned that Anna has other motives. A delectable, detailed story spotlighting revenge, women’s rage and deceit, “His & Hers” seeps into your psyche, shifting everything you thought you knew.
As many mysteries do, “His & Hers” opens with a tragic scene. In the woods surrounding Dahlonega, Georgia, a dead woman, Rachel (Jamie Tisdale), is sprawled on the hood of a cherry red sports car. The unrelenting rain beats down on her, washing away the majority of the evidence. Elsewhere in Atlanta, Anna walks into her luxury apartment drenched and weeping. Her apartment is in complete disarray. Papers, takeout containers and half-drunk alcohol bottles are strewn everywhere. But this is Anna’s last day wallowing in her own self-pity. Disgusted after seeing a massive billboard of the anchor who took her job, Lexy Jones (Rebecca Rittenhouse), Anna has decided her year-long work hiatus is over. It’s time to return to reclaim her desk.
In Dahlonega, Jack gets a call from his partner Priya (Sunita Mani) telling him that a dead body has been found. Though Jack tries to keep the news quiet, word is already beginning to spread across the small town. In fact, Anna has convinced her boss to let her work as a field reporter covering the case in an effort to salvage her career. With her cameraman Richard (Pablo Schreiber) in tow (who also happens to be Lexy’s husband), she heads to her hometown, determined to win back the network and viewers.
But this will be no straightforward investigation for Anna or Jack. Following a devastating loss, which led her to becoming a recluse, Anna is still acting strangely, and always conveniently showing up in odd places across Dahlonega. For his part, Jack is also an erratic figure. Though he appears to be a decent investigator on the surface, his choices are beginning to alarm Priya, who begins eyeing him suspiciously as more facts about Rachel’s demise come to light.
At its core, “His & Hers” has all the delicious elements of a stellar thriller. Thompson and Bernthal are formidable in their roles, and there are enough twists and turns to keep even the most eagle-eyed viewer on their toes. The pacing is fantastic, and at just six zippy episodes, the show is crammed with detail from Anna’s past into her present. Still, this is not the show you think it is, and that’s why it’s masterful.
While murder and mayhem are at its core, “His & Hers” is a series about the anguish we feel as human beings, the incidents we wish we could forget, how we try to absolve ourselves after harming others and what anger can do when it’s carefully cultivated and used willfully and deliberately. Society pressures people to move on after horrible things happen to them, and while many do, others choose to respond differently. After all, fury can be one hell of a motivator.
There’s no shortage of limited series on TV, especially as streamers try to pull in A-list talent who would otherwise be unwilling to commit to extended shows. However, “His & Hers” is one of the most unhinged shows ever seen on television. It has a jaw-dropping, layered ending that will leave viewers gobsmacked. (I literally sat in shock, screaming “WHAT?!!” continually as the final credits rolled.) The series’ conclusion is so astounding because it taps into our own societal biases. We constantly overlook and underestimate those seen as “worthless,” and, according to this tale, it’s to our own peril.
“His & Hers” is now streaming on Netflix.
