His & Hers Review: Strong Cast, Familiar Crime Formula

Why His & Hers Looked Promising on Paper

Netflix’s six-episode crime drama His & Hers arrives with all the right ingredients for a compelling limited series. A bestselling novel as source material, an acclaimed director at the helm, and two respected actors leading the cast suggest prestige television in the making.

Yet despite its polished surface and strong performances, the series struggles to rise above genre familiarity. What unfolds is a carefully staged mystery that rarely surprises, leaning too heavily on well-worn tropes instead of emotional or narrative depth.

A Chilling Opening That Sets Expectations High

The series opens on a striking visual note. In quick, unsettling flashes, viewers see a woman drenched in blood lying lifeless on the hood of a red car during a stormy night. Cut against that image is Anna Andrews, played by Tessa Thompson, returning to her apartment soaked from the rain, her shoes caked in mud.

A voiceover soon spells out the show’s core theme: every story has multiple versions, and someone is always lying. It’s an effective hook, one that signals deception, fractured perspectives, and moral ambiguity. For a moment, His & Hers feels poised to deliver a tense psychological puzzle.

The Murder That Shakes a Small Town

Based on Alice Feeney’s novel of the same name, His & Hers is set in a quiet town in north Georgia, where the murder of a local woman rattles the community. As suspicion spreads, nearly everyone becomes a potential suspect.

At the center of the investigation are two people with deeply entangled histories. Anna Andrews is a television journalist who left town years ago and abruptly returns following the killing. Leading the case is Detective Jack Harper, portrayed by Jon Bernthal, who also happens to be Anna’s estranged husband.

Their personal history quickly becomes inseparable from the case itself.

A Marriage Defined by Grief and Resentment

Anna and Jack’s relationship fractured after the death of their child, an event that pushed Anna into seclusion and emotional withdrawal. After nearly a year away from work, she seeks to reclaim her position at a local TV station, specifically angling to cover the murder in her hometown.

Jack, meanwhile, is tasked with maintaining professional distance while investigating a crime that increasingly feels personal. The show positions their marriage as a psychological battleground, with both characters withholding truths and nursing old wounds.

This dynamic, while compelling in theory, rarely evolves beyond surface-level hostility.

William Oldroyd’s Stylish but Restrained Direction

The series is created by William Oldroyd, best known for his sharply controlled period drama Lady Macbeth (2016) and the recent thriller Eileen (2023). His visual sensibility is evident throughout His & Hers, particularly in its muted color palette and ominous framing.

There’s a consistent effort to build an atmosphere of unease, suggesting that every character is burdened by past trauma or moral compromise. However, the tension rarely escalates. The show hints at darkness without fully committing to it.

Tessa Thompson’s Performance Carries the Weight

Tessa Thompson brings complexity to Anna Andrews, portraying her as both emotionally guarded and quietly manipulative. She excels at suggesting ulterior motives through small gestures and restrained expressions, keeping viewers guessing about Anna’s true intentions.

Still, the role doesn’t give Thompson enough material to reach the intensity she displayed in projects like Nia DaCosta’s stage-to-screen reimagining of Hedda Gabler. While Anna is intriguing, the writing limits how deeply the character can be explored.

Jon Bernthal Feels Underserved by the Script

Jon Bernthal delivers a solid performance as Jack Harper, capturing the exhaustion and emotional conflict of a detective navigating professional duty and personal grief. Yet the character itself feels underwritten.

Jack rarely surprises, and his internal struggles are more implied than examined. As a result, he fails to generate sustained curiosity, despite Bernthal’s natural screen presence.

One standout supporting performance comes from Sunita Mani as Detective Priya Patel. Her portrayal adds sharpness and credibility to the investigation, often injecting more energy into scenes than the central storyline manages to sustain.

Familiar Twists and Sluggish Storytelling

At its core, His & Hers aims to blend themes of mourning, memory, and mistrust into a layered mystery. The problem lies in execution. Plot developments unfold along predictable lines, with revelations that seasoned crime drama viewers are likely to anticipate well in advance.

The pacing further dampens suspense. Episodes linger on emotional beats without deepening them, while key twists arrive without the narrative momentum needed to make them land forcefully.

Audience Reaction and Genre Fatigue

Early viewer reactions reflect a mixed response. While performances and production values are frequently praised, many have noted that the series struggles to distinguish itself within an already crowded true-crime-inspired streaming landscape.

In an era where audiences expect either bold innovation or razor-sharp storytelling from limited series, His & Hers often feels content to play it safe.

What His & Hers Means for Netflix’s Crime Slate

Netflix continues to invest heavily in crime dramas adapted from popular novels, banking on name recognition and built-in audiences. His & Hers underscores both the strengths and risks of that strategy.

While strong casting and atmospheric direction can draw viewers in, sustained engagement still depends on narrative originality and emotional payoff. Without those elements, even well-produced series risk fading quickly from public conversation.

A Stylish Mystery That Never Fully Ignites

His & Hers is not without merit. It’s competently made, anchored by committed performances, and occasionally intriguing in its exploration of fractured relationships and unreliable narratives.

But the series ultimately falls short of its ambitions. By relying on familiar twists and measured pacing, it misses the opportunity to become the gripping psychological thriller its opening moments promise.

For viewers seeking a moody but undemanding crime drama, it may still be worth a watch. Those hoping for a truly riveting mystery, however, may find themselves wanting more.

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