Crime dramas are always interesting to watch as every aspect of it; has something to say. Furthermore, if it is based on a true story, the possibility that it will be entertaining and worth watching will be increased. It’s not an easy choice to make by choosing one series among many.
To make things easy for you, a miniseries based on actual events called Love & Death recently made its way to the public. The first, second, and third episodes were released instantly on the 27th of April. And the latest one was released on the 18th of May, 2023. The series consists of a total of 7 episodes as of now.
Love And Death is an ongoing Crime drama American streaming television series. It aires on HBO Max every Thursday, with a runtime of around 60 minutes. David E. Kelley wrote the series under the direction of Lesli Linka Glatter and Clark Johnson.
Love And Death is the story of Candy Montgomery, a homemaker living in the small town of Wylie, Texas. Candy and her husband Pat, with her best friend Betty and her husband Allan, are two couples who visited a church on a daily basis around 1980. But one day, Betty becomes the victim of a murder by Candy due to an affair by striking an axe 41 times.
Characters of Love And Death
Love and Death include many characters with different personalities. And every character is there like a pillar supporting the series. It is not easy as the story has a ton to express; few actors carried the whole series. The cast and behind-the-series team has big names working for it.
Candy Montgomery
Elizabeth Olsen played the role of Candy Montgomery. Candy was a 30-year-old wife living in Texas who was suspected of murdering her best friend by hitting her with an axe 41 times after Candy indulged in an affair with her husband. She defended herself by claiming that it was an act of defense. It was a gray character Olsen portrayed. Elizabeth is known as an actress for WandaVision, Godzilla, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Allan Gore
Jesse Plemons played the role of Allan Gore. Allan was the husband of Candy’s best friend, Betty. And he also had a secret affair with Candy. Allan met Candy during volleyball matches and church services. But then, he became the reason for the consequence they all faced afterward. Jesse Plemons has participated in many incredible projects, including Black Mirror, Fargo, Breaking Bad, The Power of the Dog, Game Night, Black Mass, etc.
Betty Gore
Lily Rabe played the role of Betty Gore. Betty was the best friend of Candy, and she became a victim of murder by her own close friend. After giving birth to her and Allan’s second child, she learned about the extramarital affair between Candy and Allan. The murder of Betty was motivated by her feisty response. Lily Rabe is well-known for her memorable roles, including American Horror Story, Vice, The Tender Bar, The Undoing, The First Lady, etc.
Pat Montgomery
Patrick Fugit played the role of Pat Montgomery. Candy had been married to Pat, a wealthy electrical engineer, but they both eventually lost interest in the marriage, which led Candy to start having relationships with Allan. But Pat supported her even during her trial and didn’t leave her side, which showed what type of person he was. Patrick Fugit has proven his range of acting skills by playing multiple roles, including Outcast, The Last of Us Part II, Babylon, First Man, etc.
Don Crowder
Tom Pelphery played the role of Don Crowder. Don was the lawyer of Candy, who defended her during her trial. It was almost impossible for her to come out proven guilty, but Don made it possible and assisted her sidestep conviction in the murder case. His wittiness and protectiveness towards his clients were widely acknowledged. Tom Pelphrey has worked on remarkable projects, including As the World Turns, American Murderer, Iron Fist, Mank, etc.
Sherry Cleckler
Krysten Ritter played the role of Sherry Cleckler. Sherry was that one friend who was Candy’s support system throughout her trial and stood by her. Sherry was the co-founder with Candy of a decorating business, The Cover Girls. But then, she became a shoulder of Candy to lean on. Krysten Ritter has been in the industry for a long now. She has portrayed some fantastic roles in projects, including Breaking Bad, The Defenders, Don’t Trust the B—in Apartment 23, Jessica Jones, The Hero, Vamps, etc.
The Plot of Love And Death
It was an adaptation of a true story that happened in 1980. Love And Death is a story centered around two best friends, Candy Montgomery, and Betty Gore when their perfect-imperfect lives turn upside down. They visited church together with their husbands, Pat and Allan, respectively. Even their daughters were friends, and their husbands had settled.
Candy, a 30 years old housewife, and her neighbor’s close friend Betty always get along until she starts having an affair with Allan, Betty’s husband. Since Candy indulged herself with Allan, her friendship with Betty became rotten. She started the relationship because she was dissatisfied with the obligations of being a mother and homemaker.
Since that time, nothing had ever returned to normal in their favor, especially when Betty found out Allan was cheating on her with Candy. And one night, things were out of control when Allan was out for a business purpose. Betty, Allan’s wife, was discovered dead after being struck with an axe 41 times. Because Candy was the last person on the planet; who saw Betty last when she was alive. And every finger was pointing toward Candy.
She was the central suspect of this murder case and hence called to court for a high-profile trial. Regardless of that, she was found guilty of the offense. Candy described how Betty went all out to attack Candy after learning of her adulterous romance with Allan. To defend herself, Candy bombarded Betty.
Also Read: 31 Best Heart-Pounding Crime Anime Series On Netflix
Review of Love And Death
First of all, it’s not so simple to work on a story based on actual events and make people believe what happened by presenting authentic information through the story. We saw how directly or indirectly, many characters became part of the story. Love and Death did an excellent job of describing the events and activities that led up to the Ax tragedy. It gave justice to the murder case that ensued decades ago.
Love And Death was a well-produced piece of actual crime. It was a definition of how ordinary, goodhearted people found themselves in such an unexpected and dreadful situation that they may have started but may not have deserved.
Earlier episodes of the series were all about Candy wanting more than she already had and making Allan for her. And the most fascinating thing in the series was these two who fought to control the fiery uneasiness they had caused. And rest of the remaining episodes were primarily concerned with trials, courtrooms, cops, blood, etc.
It was just anybody’s cup of tea to play a mysterious, unpredictable, yet attractive person. Her performance would leave you feeling chills. Candy’s boldness and adamant personality when deciding to have sexual intercourse with Allan and then when her world fell apart after the demise of Betty displayed her natural acting portraying many emotions.
Her eyes, which have a saucer-like form, end up being her most potent weapon. They sometimes seemed to radiate brightly, that it was frightening, yet other times, they were either entirely shady or sobbed hysterically to attain compassion. The whole lineup of fine actors was fire and presented a praise-worthy performance. It was so good to see them delving fully into their characters. The series definitely gained viewers’ attention through the cast.
Love And Death showed the desperation of the homemakers for satisfaction, attention, and fellowship from a man. Candy was dissatisfied with her possessions and, as a result, felt a craving for some pleasure, which led her way to Allan. Both women, however, boiled with unspoken resentments and unmet expectations beneath the placid veneer of their allegedly flawless lives.
Through Candy’s eyes, the events in Love and Death were witnessed, as well as how the media contributed to the deception of the facts. This real crime drama went further than other ones in exploring the culture, and it delved into the society in which the murder occurred and the lives of people engaged in the lead-up to it by illustrating township sexual mores and the private lives and a look behind the scenes of a close-knit church chorus. Everyone who participated in making the series worked out well and did reasonably well.
Our Verdict
The series was not just about darkness and gloominess; there was a blend of satire and wittiness. It’s Kelley’s writing of denial to ease actual people to caricatures of killers, oddballs, or clowns that made the series Love & Death different from the previous works and many other shallow, plagiarized murder mysteries.
The series deserved applause for the detailing, such as the aesthetic, hairstyles of the 70s era, wide-striped wallpaper, etc. The best tracks from that period’s soundtrack were celebrated for their wealth of resources and lookout to detail, which worked to offset the sensationalism that turned real people into cartoonish spoofs.
Our Rating: ⭐ (3/5)
Also Read: Love and Death Episode 1, 2 And 3: Release Date, Spoilers & Streaming Guide
