Common Sense Media Review
By Jenny Nixon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Snail-paced murder mystery has some nudity, violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
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A Murder at the End of the World
What's the Story?
A MURDER AT THE END OF THE WORLD is a seven-episode murder mystery series from OA creators Brit Marling (who also stars) and Zal Batmanglij. It centers on Darby Hart (Emma Corrin) the daughter of a crime scene coroner who has a natural affinity for sleuthing. It helps that she's also a wunderkind computer hacker, which is how she meets fellow amateur gumshoe Bill Farrah (Harris Dickinson). In the present day, Darby is invited by tech billionaire Andy Ronson (Clive Owen) to a super-secretive Icelandic retreat/think-tank to spend time mulling the impending climate crisis with other big-brained hackers, scientists, and venture capitalists. In flashbacks, we see a younger Darby and Bill fall in love as they track down a serial killer at large. The two storylines converge in the present when a handful of suspicious deaths occur at the snow-capped, isolated getaway, inspiring paranoia and panic among the guests.
Is It Any Good?
There's the seed of a good idea here, and the acting is pretty faultless. But A Murder at the End of the World's script is poorly written and plot points are executed so clumsily -- and sluggishly -- that it's hard to maintain interest. Agatha Christie-style murder mysteries are nothing new and we know the formula by now: A slew of potential suspects gathered in an isolated, pressure-cooker atmosphere are investigated and eliminated by a quick-witted detective. A Murder at the End of the World attempts to jazz up these tropes by mashing together a punky Gen Z protagonist, Elon Musk-adjacent tech talk (much of which is already outdated), and true crime genre clichés. It comes off as a derivative, uninspired blend of Mr. Robot, True Detective, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Though there are few actual surprises here, the performances are good and the chemistry between Darby and Bill is so enjoyable that it's still worth checking out, if only to see if your own theories about "whodunnit" are correct.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the similarities between this series and other murder mystery shows and films. Which titles are your favorites, and why? How does Darby Hart compare to other sleuths from pop culture like Beniot Blanc or Jessica Fletcher?
What is this series trying to say about the mega-rich and their role in society? Do any characters seem to be inspired by real-life media figures?
How do the characters display integrity and teamwork?
TV Details
- Premiere date : November 14, 2023
- Cast : Emma Corrin , Brit Marling , Clive Owen , Jermaine Fowler , Joan Chen , Harris Dickinson
- Network : FX
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : November 29, 2023
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