A superb cat and mouse drama.
At this rate, drama fans have probably seen so many mysteries that they actually know how to get away with murder. This being said, there’s one thing that really set Mr. Mercedes apart from any other show, the acting.
Regardless of the role, Brendan Gleeson has always been an actor of tremendous integrity, character and authenticity and those qualities shine through in his performance as Bill Hodges, a retired detective that’s struggling to move past a horrific case that’s still unsolved.
Gruff, frustrated and increasingly detached from society, Gleeson commands every scene that he’s in with the same humanity and ‘no f**ks given’ attitude that he perfected during In Bruges.
On the opposite side of things, the show also gives the same level of detail, attention, and backstory to the horrific villain of the piece, Brady Hartsfield. Damaged, psychotic and depraved, we see the reasons why he’d ultimately take the lives of sixteen innocent people when he drove a stolen Mercedes through a line of job-seekers at a local job fair.
Since being released, the show has garnered a massive following and with a rating of 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s one of the best-reviewed shows of 2017.
These critics agree:
Hollywood Reporter: “Mr. Mercedes is a fine example of something that has been less frequent over the years — an effective Stephen King adaptation carried by strong performances and smart writing choices.”
Irish Independent: “The genius of this series was that all of the characters, even the most minor, were so quirky and so well cast that they seemed to have lives that extended beyond their presence on screen.”
NY Times – “Mr. Mercedes has the Kelley hallmarks — snappy dialogue, credible characters, a story that adds up, an overall feeling of polished craftsmanship. It may lack King’s intensity, but it holds on to a measure of the author’s dark humor.”
Cinemablend – “From where I’m sitting, Mr. Mercedes looks to be the best TV adaptation of a Stephen King novel yet.”
We’re not going to ruin Season One for you, but the show did set things up for future adventures and the second season will be based on King’s best-selling Bill Hodges Trilogy, which includes Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers and End of Watch.
Of course, Gleeson will be back in the main role but there are some new additions to the cast. Grey’s Anatomy star Tessa Ferrer will feature in the new season and she’ll play Cora Babineau, wife of Dr. Felix Babineau (another newcomer Jack Huston) and she’s the head of marketing at a major pharmaceutical corporation.
If her husband has a genius for manipulating people from the inside out as he reaches into their brains and rewires them, Cora has a genius for influencing people from the outside in.
The season has started filming today and if you still haven’t seen the first season, we urge you to start watching.
Season 2 of MR. MERCEDES starts filming on Monday. Bill Hodges is back…and Holly…and Brady Hartsfield. You thought he was finished? Not so fast. I'm stoked!
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) February 7, 2018
