Series Review: "Lisey's Story" (2021).

From the director of Jackie and Ema comes Lisey's Story. This horror drama miniseries directed by Pablo Larraín, adapted by Stephen King and based on King's 2006 novel of the same name. This terrifying thriller follows widow Lisey Landon as a series of disturbing events revives memories of her marriage to author Scott Landon and the darkness that plagued him.

In August 2017, King expressed an interest in seeing his novel adapted as a television series. In April 2019, it was announced that Apple Inc. had acquired the rights to the novel and gave it an eight-episode straight-to-series order to air on Apple TV+, with all episodes scripted by King, to be produced by J. J. Abrams and Bad Robot Productions. In August, Larraín was hired to direct. By October, Julianne Moore was cast in the title role, with Clive Owen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan, Joan Allen, Ron Cephas Jones, Michael Pitt, Omar Metwally, Sung Kang and Peter Scolari rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and took place in Somerset County, New Jersey and Westchester County, New York. In mid-March 2020, filming was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but ultimately resumed. In April 2021, in a first look with Vanity Fair, it was announced that the series will premiere on Apple TV+ with the first two episodes for a June 4, 2021 release date, and new episodes each Friday after.

The series stars Moore, Owen, Leigh, DeHaan, Allen, Jones, Pitt, Metwally, Kang and Scolari. With a cast that also includes Moore, Owen Leigh, DeHaan and Allen, there's plenty of reasons to keep watching. Leigh is a little iffy as Darla Debusher, and the magnificent Joan Allen needs no introduction, but Moore's Lisey Landon is an engaging female hero and Owen's Scott Landon is compelling in every way.

In 2021, when there's more content out there than any but the shut-in or chronically unemployed can hope to consume, being ignored - as the series deserves to be - is perhaps the unkindest fate of all. Stripping this story of pretty much every shred of dramatic weight and emotional engagement is no easy task, but Apple has accomplished it. This adaptation of Lisey's Story is content to scratch the surface of these individuals. It's an oddly revealing failure of nerve. The source material itself keeps it from being great. But it does keep you interested, and that is the power of King's storytelling. With its many subplots, some more compelling than others, it's an uneven series that's not so much a must-watch as a can-watch. While it may sound as if this would be particularly frightening to watch right now, the truth is that this much-awaited series is a bit of an anti-climax. The first episode of the series shows potential, but chooses a not so easy to follow way of telling the story. It may alienate those not familiar with Stephen King's work.

Simon says Lisey's Story receives:

Also, see my review for Ema.