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Murder in a Small Town's 'creepy' character lauded for his 'Emmy-worthy performance'

'Succession' star's guest appearance in FOX's 'Murder in a Small Town' Episode 1 leaves viewers impressed

Contains spoilers for 'Murder in a Small Town' Episode 1

BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA: 'Murder in a Small Town' has been an instant hit among fans, and there is more than one reason. The debut episode, aired on Fox on Tuesday, September 24, not only hooked viewers with its gripping murder mystery but also with the budding romance between Karl Alberg (Rossif Sutherland) and Cassandra Mitchell (Kristin Kreuk). However, what stood out was the performance by the show's guest star, James Cromwell.

Cromwell appears as George Wilcox, a neighbor of Carlyle Burke, who is found dead under mysterious circumstances in the opening moments of the show. The 84-year-old veteran, who appeared in Apple TV+'s 'Sugar' earlier this year hits it out of the park with his performance in 'Murder in a Small Town'.

Fans assemble to praise the 'legend' in 'Murder in a Small Town'

Cromwell plays a complex character in the FOX series, deeply shaken by his neighbor's death, yet it's clear from the start that he's hiding something. Soon, the evidence starts to point at him and Karl discovers a motive behind the crime too. However, it becomes clear that George isn't entirely a villain. He has a traumatic past where he saw his mother in an abusive marriage followed by his sister Audrey suffering through similar ordeals.

George also shares a very unlikely bond with Cassandra, primarily because she looks similar to his dead sister, Audrey. James Cromwell does an excellent job portraying the complex layers of the character. On X, one fan wrote, "James Cromwell with an Emmy Winning Performance as George Wilcox and it’s only the first episode."

Cromwell, for his role in 'Succession', has won three Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor. Praising the actor, another fan wrote, "It's the Legend James Cromwell everybody." Another fan added, "James Cromwell is always playing creepy characters. He was a creep on Organized Crime."

A fan praised 'Murder in a Small Town' in a post, saying, "I liked it a lot. Extra points for having James Cromwell on episode 1." Another fan wrote, "I liked it too. I’ll be back. James Cromwell is great in everything he does."

Will James Cromwell return in upcoming episodes of 'Murder in a Small Town'?

It's most likely that Cromwell won't return in the subsequent episodes of 'Murder in a Small Town'. He was introduced as a guest star on the show and his role was fully explored in the debut episode itself.

As the murder mystery gets solved by the end of the episode and George's fate is revealed, expectations for his return remain low. However, it would truly be a treat for the fans if he does make brief appearances. Each episode will bring a new case, while the weekly releases will be tied by the common thread of Karl and Cassandra's evolving romance.

'Murder in a Small Town' Episode 1 premiered on FOX on September 24 and will be available to stream on Hulu on September 25

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