People calling this a slow-burn aren't wrong. Obviously it isn't possible to have a character driven story like this without it taking its time to develop and evolve the characters. That's literally what character driven means. Driven by characters, hence following/exploring their lives. That said, I have absolutely no idea how some are talking about this being too slow even for a story meant to be that? Having read the novel, I'm utterly surprised by how much they crammed into just this pilot, I'm actually kind of afraid they'll run out of content before halfway through. We got around so many scenes and storylines that I felt filled out 1/3 of the book.
IMO, this episode was very well fast-paced and completely without feeling rushed. It's all due to the top-notch cinematography, well-written dialogue and acting as good as one can hope for in this difficult genre, where everything easily gets over-the-top or totally dull.
The only thing I didn't like were a few parts of the soundtrack, especially the one they played in the official trailer and several times throughout this episode. I get why they chose it, because it does make you feel like you're on drugs and experiencing creepy s#!%, which the story is all about. Somehow it still feels out of place to me like it'd rather belong on Big Little Lies. People do make a lot of comparisons between BLL and Sharp Objects, but honestly if you really know what SO is about, you'll realize it's a whole lot darker and a whole lot more of raw psychological crime/thriller than the rather "lighter" girlpower melodrama BLL is (coming from someone who mostly enjoyed BLL). So please, let not this 80s melodrama-chick-flick-on-steroids song stick around throughout all episodes like, it gave me PTSD throughout this episode. Seriously, every time someone opened a door and it gave that "ring" sound which sounded exactly like the one in the song, my nerves got racked 'cause I thought they'd play the song again.
Obviously otherwise 10/10! Made this sound a whole lot worse than it was, the episode was close to a perfect first-episode adaption of a novel, and I loved it so much. Thank you!
Special kudos to: Eliza Scanlen for stealing the show every time she was on screen, even next to pros like Adams and Clarkson. Perfect line deliveries and a great kickstart to a creepy and intriguing character.
Obviously otherwise 10/10! Made this sound a whole lot worse than it was, the episode was close to a perfect first-episode adaption of a novel, and I loved it so much. Thank you!
Special kudos to: Eliza Scanlen for stealing the show every time she was on screen, even next to pros like Adams and Clarkson. Perfect line deliveries and a great kickstart to a creepy and intriguing character.