by Jack Kerwin | ydkjack1@gmail.com
I got hooked.
Oh, it took a while. Just as it usually does for me when it comes to pop culture, especially with regard to the big screen or little screen.
Whatever is trendy or the talk of the proverbial town, I tend to avoid. Until I can’t anymore, because the little dribs and drabs of, say, whatever hot show or series eventually scroll across my “periph” somehow, in some way, tell me that, yeah, suck it up, bud, this is worthy of your time and a spot in your head space.
Such is the case with “Mare of Easttown,” the gem of HBO set in a supposedly fictitious small town outside of Philadelphia, that exposes the world to the Delaware County (Delco) accent made infamous by, ironically, the likes of people living near the real town of Easttown in neighboring Chester County.
Actually, it was a spoof on Mare done by Saturday Night Live titled “Murdur Durdur” that triggered my interest. The skit was so ridiculous, so over-the-top and, yet, so well done … it just got me thinking.
Then it got me researching, until I was fully invested in the show.
And now await, with bated breath, along with millions of others for tonight’s finale that is expected to answer oh, so many questions, including the most important of all: Who’s the killer?
Who is the dastardly individual that sent a town into complete upheaval by taking the life of a young single mom named Erin?
Without delving into all the plotlines, the pivots, the characters, the little details that have helped pave the way for Mare being a riveting crime story wrapped within the gritty reality of everyday life in this town, if not most towns, here is my take:
It’s not going to be someone playing a supporting role. Creator Brad Ingelsby’s work has been too good than to see it, at crunch time, turn into a Hail Mary option to fulfill the most critical answer to the series.
That being said, take the following off your killer options:
Dylan. Erin’s former boyfriend and current surrogate father for her infant son has been so slimy that he’s given d-bags a bad name, but, reality is, he isn’t listed as part of the main cast – so he’s out.
Billy. Yeah, sure, he’s the real father of Erin’s son as well as the self-nodding killer of her. Not buying it, and, again, reality is, he isn’t listed as part of the main cast – so he’s out.
Kenny, Ryan and Brianna. Erin’s father, cousin and arch enemy/attacker in the park, none of their potential rationales to be the murderer supersede the fact that none of them are part of the main cast.
That leaves, in my opinion, a handful of legit, primary-role candidates to consider:
John. At this point, the obvious choice, being the cheating husband, manipulative father, brother and son. To me, he’s too obvious and his mind-effing Billy, his younger sibling, into admitting things he more than likely didn’t do just doesn’t seem worthy of killer status for this series. Still …
Lori. John’s long-suffering wife and best friend of Mare, the detective in charge of uncovering the murderer, though, does. It would be a classic betrayal to her friend Mare if, say, she lied about so many things just to cover for her cheating husband, say, if he had fathered Erin’s child.
Richard. The dashing-but-down-to-earth writer who has chipped away a little at Mare’s stone-cold heart is the classic, “Hmmm, what about him” character to consider after the candidate list seems complete before someone asks if they were forgetting anyone. Put it this way, the dude is shady.
Siobhan. Mare’s daughter may be smart, resourceful and willing to right by people, especially in caring for her nephew after the death of her brother (and Mare’s son), Kevin, but she is tormented as well. The idea is floating out there that Erin broke Kevin’s heart before he committed suicide. Perhaps an axe to grind.
Father Dan. Deacon Mark has been the man of the cloth under siege all along in regard to the killing. But what of the superficially perfect cousin of Mare. He seems to be the only character in the series up to now without a flaw.
I like him for the crime. It’d be the perfect, final eye-opening twist in a series filled with them.
Father Dan is the killer.
I got hooked.
Oh, it took a while. Just as it usually does for me when it comes to pop culture, especially with regard to the big screen or little screen.
Whatever is trendy or the talk of the proverbial town, I tend to avoid. Until I can’t anymore, because the little dribs and drabs of, say, whatever hot show or series eventually scroll across my “periph” somehow, in some way, tell me that, yeah, suck it up, bud, this is worthy of your time and a spot in your head space.
Such is the case with “Mare of Easttown,” the gem of HBO set in a supposedly fictitious small town outside of Philadelphia, that exposes the world to the Delaware County (Delco) accent made infamous by, ironically, the likes of people living near the real town of Easttown in neighboring Chester County.
Actually, it was a spoof on Mare done by Saturday Night Live titled “Murdur Durdur” that triggered my interest. The skit was so ridiculous, so over-the-top and, yet, so well done … it just got me thinking.
Then it got me researching, until I was fully invested in the show.
And now await, with bated breath, along with millions of others for tonight’s finale that is expected to answer oh, so many questions, including the most important of all: Who’s the killer?
Who is the dastardly individual that sent a town into complete upheaval by taking the life of a young single mom named Erin?
Without delving into all the plotlines, the pivots, the characters, the little details that have helped pave the way for Mare being a riveting crime story wrapped within the gritty reality of everyday life in this town, if not most towns, here is my take:
It’s not going to be someone playing a supporting role. Creator Brad Ingelsby’s work has been too good than to see it, at crunch time, turn into a Hail Mary option to fulfill the most critical answer to the series.
That being said, take the following off your killer options:
Dylan. Erin’s former boyfriend and current surrogate father for her infant son has been so slimy that he’s given d-bags a bad name, but, reality is, he isn’t listed as part of the main cast – so he’s out.
Billy. Yeah, sure, he’s the real father of Erin’s son as well as the self-nodding killer of her. Not buying it, and, again, reality is, he isn’t listed as part of the main cast – so he’s out.
Kenny, Ryan and Brianna. Erin’s father, cousin and arch enemy/attacker in the park, none of their potential rationales to be the murderer supersede the fact that none of them are part of the main cast.
That leaves, in my opinion, a handful of legit, primary-role candidates to consider:
John. At this point, the obvious choice, being the cheating husband, manipulative father, brother and son. To me, he’s too obvious and his mind-effing Billy, his younger sibling, into admitting things he more than likely didn’t do just doesn’t seem worthy of killer status for this series. Still …
Lori. John’s long-suffering wife and best friend of Mare, the detective in charge of uncovering the murderer, though, does. It would be a classic betrayal to her friend Mare if, say, she lied about so many things just to cover for her cheating husband, say, if he had fathered Erin’s child.
Richard. The dashing-but-down-to-earth writer who has chipped away a little at Mare’s stone-cold heart is the classic, “Hmmm, what about him” character to consider after the candidate list seems complete before someone asks if they were forgetting anyone. Put it this way, the dude is shady.
Siobhan. Mare’s daughter may be smart, resourceful and willing to right by people, especially in caring for her nephew after the death of her brother (and Mare’s son), Kevin, but she is tormented as well. The idea is floating out there that Erin broke Kevin’s heart before he committed suicide. Perhaps an axe to grind.
Father Dan. Deacon Mark has been the man of the cloth under siege all along in regard to the killing. But what of the superficially perfect cousin of Mare. He seems to be the only character in the series up to now without a flaw.
I like him for the crime. It’d be the perfect, final eye-opening twist in a series filled with them.
Father Dan is the killer.
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