The year 2023 scores another unique murder mystery show in A Murder at the End of the World. Instead of going the comedic route like in Poker Face, Only Murders in the Building, and the film series Knives Out, this new Hulu show stays firmly in the psychological thriller category, anchored by magnetic performances and well-designed characters in the debut episodes. Though we only have two hours of material to chew on, A Murder at the End of the World‘s opening has just enough to hook most mystery lovers.
‘A Murder at the End of the World’ Synopsis
Darby Hart, the peculiar but bright young sleuth, gets to showcase her modern detective skills after a guest dies at a billionaire’s unusual and exclusive party. Though her past work of hunting serial killers led her to seclusion herself, Darby must break down her physical and mental walls if she intends to prove the murder before another person dies.
Emma Corrin’s First Worthy ‘The Crown’ Follow-up
After their Golden Globe win for portraying Princess Diana on The Crown, Emma Corrin finally gets another leading role in a series, and their performance ends up being one of the show’s main appealing qualities. A Murder at the End of the World‘s Holmes/Poirot setup never relegates Darby Hart to a position of archetype or melodrama; she is a fully three-dimensional character, as outlined with a substantial focus on backstory. Though the pacing suffers for it, about half of the debut episodes show flashbacks to flesh out Darby’s frame of mind in the present storyline, unveiling details carefully when we need to see her as fragile and emotionally vulnerable versus determined in her pursuit of justice.
Emma Corrin in ‘A Murder at the End of the World’
Returning Television Creators Develop Original Story for Hulu
Streaming audiences will better recognize the writer/directors of this new series, Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, by their first show, The OA. Similar to their first creation, A Murder at the End of the World is an original plot, this time made remarkable by its Gen Z investigator carrying emotional baggage and hacking genius in equal tow.
Though the story is technically new, mystery fans will nevertheless quickly identify the murder mystery structure even before it is fully set in motion by the end of the first episode. This show’s reliance on tropes of the genre is certainly noticeable, as is the unusually long backstory arc; even so, the little bit of evidence we have so far in the mystery came across as elevated by Corrin and the collection of supporting character actors, including creator Marling, Harris Dickinson, Raúl Esparza, Jermaine Fowler, and a so far underutilized Clive Owen (who we hope to see more of in future episodes).
Despite its drawbacks, A Murder at the End of the World is prime mystery fodder for avid fans needing new blood. Its unique tech focus and the instantly enrapturing blueprint for the young main character will already be plenty for charming viewers to return. As one of the most popular new shows, we highly recommend jumping in and joining the discussions for the theories and predictions soon to be flooding the TV forums.
A Murder at the End of the World is streaming now on Hulu.
