Frances McDormand
Richard Jenkins
Bill Murray
John Gallagher, Jr.
Peter Mullan
Rachel Coulson
Zoe Kazan

Jane Anderson

Miniseries
2014
Drama
HBO
TV-14

“Olive Kitteridge,” at its beginning, is all about what’s not being said. If you were to drop in on a family in the middle of a fight, and they stop fighting to accommodate you, then the feeling in the room would be akin to what’s portrayed here. This, unfortunately, doesn’t yield consistently compelling results. …

Well, not during the first two of four parts, at least. There are bursts of energy (and even humor) that come out of the unspoken tension, but it’s not an immersive experience.

However, if those bursts keep you from turning it off, then you may be rewarded in the third part. This miniseries comes to life at that point. It’s more consistent and dynamic, though still depressing. But the depressing moments are worth it, in a way. The actors know what they’re doing, and there are some expertly written moments.

So, the second part is better than the first, and the third part is better than the second. The fourth part, while much less dynamic than the climactic third part, provides a reward in the formation of a relationship between Frances McDormand’s Olive and Bill Murray’s Jack. I want to know even more about where their relationship goes after the end of this miniseries.

The question is: Do you want to wait almost two hours for things to really pay off? The reward may not be enough. It ended up being just enough for me.

Verdict: Good to Very Good

About: (Source: olivekitt)

OLIVE KITTERIDGE tells the poignantly sweet, acerbically funny and devastatingly tragic story of a seemingly placid New England town wrought with illicit affairs, crime and tragedy, told through the lens of Olive (Frances McDormand), whose wicked wit and harsh demeanor mask a warm but troubled heart and staunch moral center. Richard Jenkins portrays Olive’s husband, Henry.

The story, which spans 25 years, focuses on her relationships with her husband, Henry, the good-hearted and kindly town pharmacist; their son, Christopher, who resents his mother’s approach to parenting; and other members of their community.

The supporting cast features Golden Globe winner Bill Murray (“Lost in Translation”) as Jack Kennison, a widower befriended by Olive; John Gallagher, Jr. (HBO’s “The Newsroom”) as Christopher, Olive and Henry’s son; Emmy® nominee Peter Mullan (“Top of the Lake”) as Jim O’Casey, a fellow teacher at Olive’s school; Rosemarie DeWitt (“Mad Men”) as Rachel Coulson, a shut-in who is one of Henry’s customers at the pharmacy; and Zoe Kazan (“Ruby Sparks”) as Denise Thibodeau, who works at the pharmacy.