'Big Sky' Review: Can Hoyts save teen girls from becoming Ronald's sex slaves? Pilot uncovers shady dealings
When it comes to indulging in tropes of the crime genre, 'Big Sky' checks off every box. Women in peril? Check. A love triangle between the detectives? Check. Sleazy men on deserted highways? Double check. From the creator of shows like 'The Undoing' and 'Big Little Lies', comes the next ABC offering, 'Big Sky', which is a very glossy crime thriller drama that is here to entertain. While it's enticing for sure, it's nothing new, as you will be able to tell which way the story is headed in the first few minutes itself. The pilot is sprawled with strange characters, all of whom harbor secrets that will probably be revealed as the show progresses.
Sisters Danielle (Natalie Alyn Lind) and Grace (Jade Petty) are on their way to visit Danielle's boyfriend in Montana. They're normal teenagers, with Lizzo blaring out of their stereo. However, they are accosted by a creepy trucker on the highway, Ronald Pergman (Brian Geraghty). It's every girl's nightmare, and they vanish from the scene after that. There's no secret about what they're in for, it's clear in Ronald's eyes. Ronald has a strange relationship with his mother, which is strikingly similar to Alfred Hitchcock's characterization of Norman Bates in 'Psycho'. The mother fondly calls Ronald "booboo", and he tells her to go wash her dishes. Perhaps she doesn't know about his rather upsetting and shady dealings, or is she in it with him too? Only time will tell.
Detectives Cody Hoyt (Ryan Phillippe) and Jenny Hoyt (Katheryn Winnick), along with Jenny's best friend Cassie Dewell (Kylie Bunbury) are thrust into a disturbing mystery, as they realize that there have been several girls who have gone missing in the same area. For some reason, you need to know that Cassie slept with Cody, which results in a catfight between her and Jenny at a bar.
Why showrunners feel the need to show women as either vulnerable and broken or fighting with one another over some drudgey man, we'll never know! There's also some unnecessary exposition in the beginning of Episode 1 about how Cassie has feelings for Cody. We're sure this will become the premise of the plot in the upcoming episodes. Nevertheless, they need to keep it aside and solve the case at hand.
'Big Sky' airs on ABC Tuesdays at 10 pm.