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This week Netflix will release the original seriesThe Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in theWindow. From this point forward I’ll just refer to it asThe Woman in the House.The series’ title, which is too long to even fit into the title of this review, is a riff on films likeThe Woman in the Window. The types of thrillers that the series is spoofing with a slick blend of dark humor and mystery.
Kristen Bell (The Good Place) plays Anna, a grieving, newly single woman who spends the majority of her time drinking wine and glaring out the first floor window of her suburban home; watching neighbors and day dreaming as an escape from the past traumas that now consume her. After witnessing a murder in the house across the street, Anna begins to question everything when the police tell her no such murder occurred. Did she imagine the whole thing? Was it a wine and pill induced hallucination, or is there a dark and twisted secret unraveling in her neighborhood?
To the series’ credit, it spoofs the genre incredibly well. To the series’ detriment, it almost spoofs ittoowell. It mimics its intended target so closely, weaving the standard tropes and gimmicks into its plot so seamlessly that at times, I forgot I was watching a satire. The genre, which was perfected by Alfred Hitchcock withRear Window, is rife with clichés. Easy pickings for a series looking to satirize them; however,The Woman in the House’sblend of mystery, suspense and comedy feels, at moments, unbalanced. At times, it swerves into the territory of the absurd. And this is when the series shines its brightest. But more often than not, it walks the middle path. Slightly silly, but with a straight face that dares you to take it seriously.
Kristen Bell feels at home in the role of Anna. She returns to her sleuthing roots like an older and more cynical Veronica Mars. The mystery at the core of the series is a strong one. With an episode runtime that averages a half hour, the 8 episode series feels brisk and the mystery is chipped away at with each episode. At times you’ll think you’ve got it all figured out, butThe Woman in the Househas a way of making you question what’s real… just like Anna.
The Woman in the Housedelivers a darkly humorous, violent mystery with twists and turns. Kristen Bell has a charisma and comedic timing that lends itself to satire so perfectly. Her performance elevates the series to another level. It will likely fly under the radar for many, but those who find it will be in for a fun few evenings of entertainment. 7/10
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Joshua Ryan
Lead Film & TV Critics Editor
Articles Published :322
Born and raised in Central Florida, Joshua Ryan has harbored a love for cinema since the earliest years of his childhood. Through endless hours of watching Turner Classic Movies, especially the works of Alfred Hitchcock, his passion for film and film criticism grew. As an adult, he channeled that passion into a career as the editor and lead critic of FandomWire’s film and television department.
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Kristen BellMysteryNetflixSatireThriller
