"Unbelievable" (Netflix series)

OP, "SJW" is Neo-Nazi for "Nigger Lover". Go fuck yourself.

The Merritt Wever character is a dumpy Christian detective, and she looks like a blonder and less well-groomed Sarah Huckabee Sanders--but she has, against all probability, a muscular and attractive husband who so far seems to be almost perfectly supportive and loving.

Maybe their marriage is what the title refers to.

r1, please seek professional help.

I've heard good things about this show and I like Colette, but I'm not really interested in the subject matter, so I doubt I'll watch it.

r3 Why? He's right. Who even uses that tired fucking acronym anymore, aside from alt-right turds? And it's constantly deployed by them and other bigots whenever gays appear on TV, so it's bizarre you would claim it as your own. Not everything you personally don't understand or which isn't immediately relatable to your point of view is automatically "SJW".

[quote]Not everything you personally don't understand or which isn't immediately relatable to your point of view is automatically "SJW".

Not everyone who doesn't immediately relate to your view automatically a "neo-Nazi", "bigot", or "alt-right turd". However, it does highlight the all-too-common SJW practice of spewing juvenile pejoratives at those who don't agree with them.

I like Collette.

I like Wever.

I like using the term SJW in reference to histrionic dipshits who hijack legitimately concerning issues in order to manipulate others into giving them their negative-attention fix.

I’m not alt-right.

I’m not a Trump supporter.

I do think assholes and wrong-doers need to be called out.

I don’t have a problem with doxing said assholes.

I don’t have a problem with assholes and wrongdoers that are stupid enough to pull their shit publicly going viral and losing their jobs.

I am not a Social Justice Warrior.

I am not the OP.

I am not R1.

[quote] Not everyone who doesn't immediately relate to your view automatically a "neo-Nazi", "bigot", or "alt-right turd". However, it does highlight the all-too-common SJW practice of spewing juvenile pejoratives at those who don't agree with them.

Which part of social justice do you not agree with:

1. (casual) racism is not OK

2. (casual) misogyny/sexism is not OK

3. (casual) homophobia is not OK

4. (casual) xenophobia is not OK

Don't get upset with R4 for pointing out that if a shoe fits...

"Social justice" is a euphemism for the rationalization of hectoring and harranguing. See R7 for further details.

^^ And hypocrisy. Lots of hypocrisy.

Self-appointed Language Police Officers do not interest me.

This is not an Oberlin College safe space.

Interesting. Both writers have been lightening rods for haters for various reasons (Chabon for writing a lot about gays, including sex scenes, but actually being hetero and for taking himself way too seriously, and Waldman for saying she loved her husband more than her kids and generally fighting with Mommy Blogger types and also taking herself way too seriously.)

Unsurprisingly, they live in Oakland.

[quote] (Chabon for writing a lot about gays, including sex scenes, but actually being hetero

Chabon is bi.

On DL he is no doubt R12. But so is everyone.

Has he ever fessed up to it IRL?

Yes, he has said his first long-term partner was a man, and has written about it. The relationship inspired The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, his first novel.

Is she the microdoser?

Yes, she has written about microdosing LSD to control her mood disorders. She is a real piece of work--a hugely self-absorbed and narcissistic woman.

I’ll watch because I like everyone except Chabon and Waldman.

I love it, OP, but seeing what was done to the first victim is horrifying, especially since it’s true.

R18 is correct, this is based entirely on a true story, but I just read this morning that the creators/writers of this program actually downplayed a lot of it

Yes this is a true crime adaptation based on this case. Doesn't seem OP realized that.

Funny, I just googled it R14 and funny which website came up. (The thread is from 2009!)

I did realize that, r20. I don't understand what about my original post made you think i didn't.

Sorry to be off-topic but there are some that believe LSD helps with mood disorders? Never heard that.

I just started watching it. One of the young actors is Kaitlyn Dever who is very talented. I'm not sure what I think about it yet (3 episodes in), but I do love Toni Collette and Merritt Wever as the detectives.

Wever and Collette are brilliant and the rest of the cast is excellent. Cameos by actors from some of the better films and television series of the last several years.

[quote]this is based entirely on a true story, but I just read this morning that the creators/writers of this program actually downplayed a lot of it

Time Magazine has a story this week, comparing the real facts with the show facts, and concludes the producers were remarkably faithful to the facts. "Marie" is actually the real first victim's middle name. The article gives the real names of the two female detectives and the rapist, but not of any of the victims (beyond that middle name).

OP, what's your problem with the third series of Broadchurch? I thought is was the best one. And it has a 98% approval rating from Rotten Tomatoes.

Finished bingewatching "Unbelievable"! It was terrific--really sensitive, really thoughtful, and beautifully acted all around. Toni Colette is always marvelous, but the real stars here were Caitlyn Dever and Merritt Wever--I would be surprised if they don't both get Emmys (and they will certainly both be Emmy nominated).

And Austin Hebert is very sexy as Merritt Wever's character's husband.

Dong alert!

I watched it in one sitting on Friday night. I couldn't stop watching, it was so odd. I don't know, I think I liked most of it, but the pacing sometimes felt off, or just unusual. The first case, that focuses on Marie Adler, was horrifying. But it was such a slow burn. I don't think Colette shows up until the 3rd episode. And while it may have been going for sensitive, I felt like the level of detail was almost gratuitous. What was really bizarre was that the Adler character lives in Lynnwood, Washington and I am pretty sure they filmed in the DMV I used to frequent off Hwy 99. I think I even recognize which building they filmed the fake store Marie works at.

I watched it fairly quickly because it's addictive. It's very well written, and I generally never watch detective shows or crime stories. Chabon's interest in technical details is evident, especially when they're talking about DNA evidence. The victim's story was painful to watch. It did have a very pro-women tone, but it's a true story about female heroines so that fits.

We do get several good long looks at the fit-fat actor playing the serial rapist completely in the nude.

He is NOT well endowed.

Why are there only 30 posts on here?

Que?

[quote] Why are there only 30 posts on here?

It just premiered.

There's not much buzz about it yet.

Shows about investigating rape do not sell as easily as shows about investigating murder.

Dataloungers tend as a whole not to be very pro-feminist.

Can't wait to watch this, the subject matter sounds terrifying and Toni Collette is one of the most reliable actors. I don't even think she's ever been 'average' let alone bad. And I like Wever from Nurse Jackie.

There’s few better than Toni Collette.

[quote]It did have a very pro-women tone, but it's a true story about female heroines so that fits.

We’re so relieved you weren’t offended by the “pro-women” tone r30!

Fucking Hell.

Actually, Toni was trash in this. Like shockingly lousy. Checked out. Wever and Dever, lol, were both pretty great, as was the fat girl from Bird Box. The script was heavy handed and the pacing clumsy.

OP must be that fuckwit who asked if Elena Ferrante is chick lit.

A show about about a rape investigation makes you think of SJWs? Really?

I've already addressed the question of having my language policed.

p.s.--Bye-bye!

You’re still stupid as shit.

[quote]I am not [R1].

Oh, can I steal that for the title of my memoirs?

I AM NOT R1

A life

By R42

It was great although the first episode is hard to watch because it's a long series of horrible events that happen to the first victim Marie.

I spent much of the series fantasizing about being raped by Merritt Weaver's hunky cop husband. Am I going to hell?

I love Toni Collette but this show is so shitty! MEH!

Merrit Wever's hunky husband was so sexy. He wears a tight t-shirt tucked into tight pants in every scene he's in.

At the end, he sings a karaoke song way to well and you suddenly realize that the actor is a stud muffin/gay former theater major.

I got about halfway through the first episode and tapped out. Life is too short to waste it on people who fake rape.

You idiot, r47. She didn’t fake the rape, that’s the whole point of the series.

She didn't fake rape, r47--that was the whole point of the miniseries. She was really raped.

Whoever set Toni Collette's makeup gun to the "trump" setting should be fired. It was so distracting.

Love this; the young actress who plays Marie was excellent. Marie broke my heart.

Any idea why 57-year-old Dale Dickey (RoseMarie) has the skin of an 85-year-old?

I binged yesterday and LOVED it! Not enough hot men to look at except at the end where you get to see the rapist NAKED!!! OMG he’s so hot and has an ass like I’ve never seen! He’s totally built solid in arms/shoulders but has a tummy. I don’t mind not having a 6 pack abs, he can pound me all night long!!

R53 you sick puppy

i watched it. i thought it was too heavy handed at times and some of the story was confusing, like Merritt Wevers character had kids. in the first episode they were talking on the phone about one of the little girls being sick with a fever-i thought it was eluding to the daughter having cancer or some awful disease. it just didn't fit into the story. Too much husband/wife talk with Toni Collette and her partner. Just seemed like filler. Marie was the most interesting.

Also they never explained why the rapist was in the Seattle area, what he was doing there.

I binged it over 2 days last weekend. The Marie story is a bit frustrating because you see her sabotage herself after being lead on to deny the truth by all too typical cops and her foster mother. But the two women detectives are very inspiring in their determination and persistence. Won't give it away, but I like how far they went for the ending--no loose ends at last. I think it will get an Emmy nom next year for sure. Well-acted all around (maybe the Toni Collette character a little over the top but not her acting), well directed. Very affecting, not sensationalized for once.

Loved it though it took me until around the end of the second episode to really get into it. From there I was hooked.

Merrit Wever and the ‘Dumplin’/Birdbox actress look like they should be playing sisters so that was a bit distracting.

I want Brooke Smith to be my shrink!

I happened to click on this while surfing Netflix yesterday. Man, I got sucked in! I was ready to give up after the first episode because I couldn't imagine watching a whole series about the one girl's tragic rape. Then, Merrit Weaver showed up. What a phenomenal actress! I adore Toni Collette but she definitely took a backseat to this Merrit actress (I never heard of her before this). IMDB says she is best known for Signs but I can't remember her in that for the life of me.

She had a small role in Signs. Best known for Nurse Jackie for which she won an Emmy, and a thankless role on The Walking Dead.

I agree that Toni Collette took a back seat to Merrit Weaver in this. And yes I definitely noticed her husband's very tight wardrobe r45.

I remember thinking this story was devastating when I read the article, seeing it in live action was devastating. So happy that Marie and the other victim's story is getting more attention. It deserves more attention.

Also was impressed how they didn't Hollywood it up too much, they kept it fairly true to life.

He was living in Washington at the time r56, then moved to Colorado in 2009.

He pleaded guilty to two rapes in Washington, Marie and another girl.

Also the real Marie is now a truck driver who is married with two kids. She was a big fan of the show.

I'm curious--if you've watched the series (I have), is it worth reading the source material from Pro Publica (and I forget where else--another online source)?

I was so afraid that Marie would commit suicide. I’m so glad she didn’t.

I thought the contrast in police procedural between episode 1 and 2 was the best of the series and Wever’s performance was terrific. I though the series was preachy at times when the characters spouted rape and domestic abuse statistics. The writer’s agenda was too obvious.

Define "worth it" r64. It depends on how interested you are in the case. There is the ProPublica article, the This American Life Podcast, a CBS 48 hours special and even a whole damn book.

There is a lot of material about the real life case which I find fascinating cause I think it is an interesting case. There are some differences from choices the show made and real life, and you can hear from some of the real people.

The actress who was on Nurse Jackie is a GREAT actress. She is so natural and believable.

In contrast, Collette, whom I really like, seems very theatrical and mannered.

And who the fuck did Toni's makeup? Trump?

Merritt Wever is wonderful. Whoever said she looked like Sarah Huckabee Sanders had me snorting. You're right and SNL should get right on that.

The husband with his ill-fitting toupee was an odd note. Why so gay? Is that Michael Chabon's influence? Sometimes straight women have bisexual husbands?

this was good... will there be a season 2 with another crime?

A season 2?

This was based on a very specific case, the name of the series comes from the name of the ProPublica article.

If you want to cover some other true crime story you would just make a new miniseries.

I didn't like Toni Collette in this. She was very mannered.

I’d like to see this. The true story it’s based on is sad but riveting. I think the rapist would’ve eventually escalated to murder if cops didn’t get their heads out of their asses and find him. Might’ve prevented the subsequent rapes too.

Is this done by the people who made the western about a a town of mostly women who fought off the bad guys ?

Godless ?

I liked Toni in this. Merrit is always good....

I’ve got a storyline for a season two!

No r74. The executive producer behind "Godless" was Scott Frank.

The people behind this miniseries were Susannah Grant, Ayelet Waldman, and Michael Chabon.

No relation between the projects except Merrit Weaver was in both.

R77 you bitch! I chuckled.

So good! Watching it now

Toni probably would have been a bigger star if she didn’t have offbeat looks but I think she looks good on this show.

My heart broke for little Marie. Her rape probably wasn't the worst thing that happened to her. We have thousands of Maries in America, kids who age out of the foster care system, and are forced to function as adults when all they know is survival. Foster kids often carry their dysfunction and disadvantages into adulthood where they must compete with middle-class Madison and Hunter for jobs.

The series was almost boring, yet riveting. Glad I watched it.

The actress who played Marie should win an Emmy. Merrit is a sure thing for Lead...

Best non-documentary thing I've seen on Netflix. I liked that the cops who got Marie to deny her own allegations weren't bad guys at all. They weren't deliberately mean to her and they gave her the chance for another turnaround. They were just time-servers who were happy to believe the surface - but then, so were her foster mothers. (I was, however, confused that they then went on to charge her with misleading them: that didn't seem in character for them and you didn't see pressure on them from above to do it.)

Merrit Weaver had a relatively small role in the greatly underrated Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, but she was adored by everyone who did watch that show. I'm an Aussie who has never loved Toni Colette, but I thought she was really good in this. Caitlyn Dever was remarkable, and the part is remarkably written too.

What’s with Merritt Weaver’s supergay husband?

I hated that that one foster mother who caused all the trouble didn’t get her comeuppance.

I hated that that one foster mother who caused all the trouble didn’t get her comeuppance.

[quote]I hated that that one foster mother who caused all the trouble didn’t get her comeuppance.

Agreed. She should have been raped in the penultimate episode.

But I also think it made for superior writing that she got away with causing all that trouble. Because that's real life, not trite, Production Code storytelling.

Hearing the story on This American Life and the foster mother interviewed, her actions made more sense.

Watched the first episode today. Got up after watching 6 episodes. Terrific show. Love Toni and Merritt. Kaitlyn Dever is amazing.

I didn't mind the religious references. In real life, many people are casually religious and Christianity does imbue you with certain perspectives.

I didn't get the other stepmother was a villain just misjudged her.

I meant foster mother.

R90 here. Finished it today. Again Merrit Wever and Kaitlyn Dever were brilliant. Very well done show.

The series picked up a golden globe nomination and all three lead actresses were nominated. Strong showing.

I watched this over the past couple of days. Terrific performances from the main three actresses. I hope karma visits the dipshit detectives who didn't believe the real Marie.