ROSE BYRNE'S GRIPPING NEW THRILLER THE GOOD DAUGHTER IS YOUR NEXT WEEKEND BINGE
If you are looking for something to sink your teeth into this weekend, Rose Byrne's new series The Good Daughter has just arrived.
The six-part crime drama premiered on Stan on November 13, the same day it launched in the United States, and every episode is ready to watch now.
It is based on the bestselling novel by Karin Slaughter, so if you are a fan of her page-turners, this one is likely already on your list.
What is The Good Daughter about?
Byrne plays Samantha "Sam" Quinn, a patent lawyer living in New York.
Emmy nominee Meghann Fahy plays her sister Charlotte, known as Charlie, a defence lawyer in their small Georgia hometown of Pikeville.
More than 20 years ago, the sisters survived a violent night at their family home that shattered their lives.
Sam left and built a new life, while Charlie stayed and works alongside their father, Rusty, a lawyer played by Brendan Gleeson.
When new violence rocks Pikeville, Rusty calls Sam home, and the case forces both women to face the past they have tried to bury.
According to Stan, the story is as much about the bond between a father and his daughters as it is about survival.
The story moves between two timelines, so you see the sisters as girls as well as grown women.
An all-star cast behind The Good Daughter
Olivia Williams plays the girls' mother, Harriet, known as Gamma, in flashback scenes.
Michael Dorman also appears, as Ben.
Drew Cheek and Audrey Grace Marshall play the younger versions of Charlie and Sam.
Byrne is also an executive producer on the series.
It was produced by Fifth Season and Made Up Stories, the company led by producer Bruna Papandrea, who is also an executive producer.
Steph Green directed every episode.
Karin Slaughter brings her own book to the screen
One of the most interesting things about The Good Daughter is that the author wrote it herself.
According to NBCUniversal, Slaughter wrote all six episodes, making this her screenwriting debut.
The series is adapted from her 2017 novel and was filmed extensively in Georgia, with the fictional Pikeville loosely based on the town of Blue Ridge.
Music fans may also want to listen out in episode five, which features Fahy's own cover of the Guns N' Roses classic Sweet Child O' Mine.
What the critics are saying about The Good Daughter
Early reviews suggest the two leads are the main reason to tune in.
Writing for Variety, critic Alison Herman found the series uneven at times, with some contrived moments and a final stretch heavy on explanation.
But she said the sisters' scenes are "so alive with anger, hurt and devotion" that those flaws matter less.
That push and pull between two very different women, who love each other but cannot quite forgive each other, is what makes the drama so watchable.
Rose Byrne's remarkable run
The series caps a big stretch for Byrne, who was born in the Sydney suburb of Balmain and has become one of our most versatile exports.
She was recently nominated for an Oscar for her role in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, and for a Tony Award for the stage comedy Fallen Angels.
Fans who know her from lighter roles in Bridesmaids and Neighbors will see a very different side of her here.
A few things to know before you press play
This is a dark crime drama, and it deals with gun violence, grief and trauma, including an attack at a school.
If those themes are difficult for you, it may be one to skip or watch with a friend.
If you love a book before the series, Slaughter's novel is widely available at bookshops and libraries.
With six episodes, it is a very manageable binge across a weekend.
Grab a blanket, pop some corn and settle in with Sam and Charlie Quinn.
