‘Fool Me Once’ Review | Even Michelle Keegan's stellar acting couldn't save Harlan Coben's corny thriller series
Contains spoilers for ‘Fool Me Once’ Season 1
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND: Netflix has had its share of hits and misses with Harlan Coben adaptations. While 'The Stranger', led by Jennifer Saunders, kept audiences hooked, the 2021 release 'Stay Close' struggled with convoluted plots and exaggerated tension.
'Fool Me Once' released on Monday, January 1, was certainly a miss for us! This eight-part thriller, part of the Harlan Coben Televisual Universe on Netflix, follows Maya (Michelle Keegan) as she navigates the aftermath of her husband Joe Stern's (Richard Armitage) murder.
The plot unfolds with a series of convoluted and implausible events, involving military whistleblowers, mysterious seizures, and a cold-case suicide.
The collaboration between Netflix and Harlan Coben has become known for its intricate narratives, but 'Fool Me Once' takes it to a new level. The storyline seems to stretch the bounds of believability, making it challenging for viewers to fully invest in the unfolding events.
What is ‘Fool Me Once’ all about?
Maya and Joe Stern, a married couple with a 2-year-old daughter named Lily, face tragedy when Joe [played by Richard Armitage] is killed in a robbery. To ease Maya's concerns about Lily's care, a friend gives her a nanny cam.
However, when Maya reviews the footage, she witnesses the seemingly impossible: Joe, alive and visiting their daughter. This eerie sight prompts Maya to delve into the mystery surrounding her husband's death.
In her investigation, she discovers a disturbing connection between Joe's murder and the previous death of her sister, Claire, both linked by the same gun.
Even Michelle Keegan's acting couldn't save ‘Fool Me Once’
The premise of 'Fool Me Once' sparks curiosity with questions about Joe's death and Maya's mental state. However, the series takes a prolonged journey before addressing these queries, introducing numerous extraneous plotlines. These include a challenging mother-in-law, a disgruntled football coach, and Maya's military past.
As these threads converge for a grand reveal, the culmination feels somewhat absurd and, more critically, lacks coherence. Penned by the typically reliable Danny Brocklehurst, the script becomes a cluttered mix of over-explanation and excessive exposition.
It struggles to strike a balance, simultaneously underestimating the audience's comprehension while needlessly complicating straightforward narratives.
Richard Armitage, a regular in Coben adaptations, takes a backseat in this installment, with Michelle Keegan at the forefront. Keegan delivers a reliable performance, though her character's emotional depth is somewhat limited by the script. The supporting cast, including Joanna Lumley, adds a touch of familiarity, but their roles feel restrained.
The show's visual aesthetic contributes to its overall shortcomings. Coben's world, portrayed as an upscale suburban nightmare, features extravagant mansions and gleaming SUVs. The color grading, crushing every black into oblivion, gives the series an unpleasant visual quality that detracts from the viewing experience.
'Fool Me Once' is not a show that demands full attention. Instead, it fits the mold of background entertainment—something to have on while attending to other tasks. 'Fool Me Once' is akin to television junk food, relying on frequent twists and shocking revelations at the end of each episode to keep viewers hooked.
The melodramatic dialogue swings between extremes of emotion, occasionally eliciting unintentional surprises. However, the real shock may come from realizing the show's persistence despite its shortcomings.
Ultimately, 'Fool Me Once' falls into the category of guilty pleasure TV. Its ability to shock lies not in the plot's twists but in the viewer's surprise that it continues to unfold.
While the final episode may autoplay, the show itself remains in the ever-expanding realm of Coben adaptations that keep coming and coming.
All in all, background binging is the only way to endure this shoddy thriller!
