S01.E05: Occam's Razor

[AnimeMania]

Nora thinks Dean wrote the letters to scare her into selling, but a DNA test yields surprising results. Contractors uncover something in the basement.

Original Air Date: October 13, 2022  

Edited October 13, 2022 by AnimeMania

[gesundheit]

Okay now I feel like it's the son. Or a vast, vast conspiracy between the son, the PI, and almost everyone else on this show!

I'm trying to think of how to even describe this show to people. Obviously people looking for a powerful, realistic true crime drama will be disappointed. Pulp camp thriller? Is that a thing? Campy pulp thriller? I don't know! Seriously bummed I have actual human obligations and can't binge the whole thing today.

[Shermie]

When they kept on about “how did the girl get in the house?”, I was thinking, didn’t they talk about a secret tunnel back in the first or second episode? Someone said they looked for it but didn’t find anything. If there was video evidence that someone was getting into my house but not through any existing door or window, I’d immediately think of the secret tunnel again, and look harder. They didn’t even mention it as a possibility and seemed shocked when the contractor found it.

On 10/14/2022 at 6:53 PM, gesundheit said:

Okay now I feel like it's the son.

Which son? Mia Farrow’s son, Mo’s son, or their own son? Because anything seems possible with this show.

Frankly, I think it’s the realtor and I thought that from the get-go. She can keep selling this million-dollar house over and over and collect her fee for doing the same thing every few years.

To be honest, I can’t believe anyone (even an entitled yuppie couple) would be stupid enough to risk every penny they had to buy a $3.3M house. That’s absurd. It’s ridiculously large for their small family of 4 and it seems crazy to make such an investment before making partner in the firm. Plus, wife could get a job that pays consistent money instead of doing… pottery all day? Sure, all her pieces sold (and I’m wondering about that since she seemed so surprised), but does she have more pieces ready to sell? Art takes time.

[qtpye]

This show is so stupid that it becomes kind of fun.

I do love the interior of the house.

They have this light fixture that resembles a bushel of wheat but really looks beautiful in the space.

On 10/18/2022 at 11:13 AM, Shermie said:

To be honest, I can’t believe anyone (even an entitled yuppie couple) would be stupid enough to risk every penny they had to buy a $3.3M house. That’s absurd. It’s ridiculously large for their small family of 4 and it seems crazy to make such an investment before making partner in the firm. Plus, wife could get a job that pays consistent money instead of doing… pottery all day? Sure, all her pieces sold (and I’m wondering about that since she seemed so surprised), but does she have more pieces ready to sell? Art takes time.

On TV they always have a person do a gallery show reluctantly and all their stuff sells like hotcakes...like it was that easy.

Her pieces were nice but basic looking, like Pottery Barn basic.

Also, why do they put the wife in all these oversized beige pieces of clothing? I like the actress but these types of clothes overwhelm her and make her look washed out.

[Shermie]

I always think that when they put a middle-aged woman in a wardrobe of white/off-white only, it’s to say that this woman is so above fashion that she can just “be” in her neutrals because it’s enough. It’s stupid, I know, but that seems to be the thought process there.

[Demian]

I love that these morons blew all that money on a security system, and their passcode is 1-2-3-4.

[Chickabiddy]

Ok. Time to ‘fess up. I fucking love this show! I am forcing myself not to binge it all at once.
 

The secret to my rabid enjoyment is I just assume it is the same genre as The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window. 😜

For reals if you just assume it’s parody with a lead cast of solid actors, it’s a really fun Spooky Season romp. I take none of it seriously and indulge in the camp. Add to that I get to enjoy some architectural and interior design porn, and it’s a win-win.

Oh and Yeah no way could Mrs. Brannock ever sell out a show or support her family on that monochromatic, one-note, boring, bargain basement Pottery Barn pottery.  That whole scene was comedy gold…without even trying. 🙄😘

[Demian]

48 minutes ago, Chickabiddy said:

The secret to my rabid enjoyment is I just assume it is the same genre as The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window.

100%, absolutely.  Though the satire/humor isn't anywhere near as broad in this series as it was in Kristen Bell's, this is absolutely a send-up in the same vein.

50 minutes ago, Chickabiddy said:

That whole scene was comedy gold…without even trying.

It was brilliant.  The only thing it was missing was copious amounts of white wine (although conspicuous day-drinking might have pushed that scene over the top -- I loved that the gallery owner said, "I'll get you some water!" instead).

[Leia1979]

The scariest thing about this show is the astronomical level of financial irresponsibility. Blowing their entire retirement and not even telling the wife. Getting another $150K in personal loans with a predatory interest rate for renovations on a $3.3M house! I bet it didn't appraise for more than $2.5M.

"Can we get a second car?" No, dumbass, you're literally millions of dollars in debt.

This show is so weird. Is the whole town part of the mysterious LLC, and their goal is to bankrupt these people (again)?

[Shannon L.]

I just finished this episode and have read all the responses on all 5 episode threads.

I never would have tried watching this show if my daughter hadn't suggested that we try it and then told me about the real story.  That it was done by Ryan Murphy and given how the real story played out, the show is turning out to be exactly what I expected.  After 2 episodes, she's out, but since it's only 7 episodes long, I'm in till the end because I'm curious about where it goes.

Whatever genre you want to put it in, horror or psychological thriller or something else, it's really tame.  I'm a wimp. Everything scares me, but I've barely jumped or covered my eyes on this one at all.  I'm looking at it as a very weak version of The Shining.  The letters are real, but the house really is it's own entity and is driving the family (except seemingly, the son) mad.  I know that doesn't make complete sense since the supporting characters are so odd, but, that's how I'm looking at it right now.

I agree with everyone about how ridiculous and campy it is. 

[MaggieG]

On 10/22/2022 at 11:48 PM, Leia1979 said:

The scariest thing about this show is the astronomical level of financial irresponsibility. Blowing their entire retirement and not even telling the wife. Getting another $150K in personal loans with a predatory interest rate for renovations on a $3.3M house! I bet it didn't appraise for more than $2.5M.

"Can we get a second car?" No, dumbass, you're literally millions of dollars in debt.

This show is so weird. Is the whole town part of the mysterious LLC, and their goal is to bankrupt these people (again)?

I'm wondering if the entire town is in on it somehow. Karen is of course suspicious but then we also have that tea with Mo and Pearl where they were acting creepy towards Nora.

Has Mo and Mitch's son been arrested??

Ok I guess I'm a wimp because I jumped at the last scene in the tunnel.

[hiisa]

I'm sorry, I'm in the last 10 or so mins of this ep and are there just not going to be consequences for Ellie calling her father racist on tik tok and he's convinced he's going to be fired? 

And what's going on with Ellie and the security kid? She told all of the internet she's in love with him. She called the cops on her dad accusing him of attacking that kid. And now it's all just fine?