Common Sense Media Review
By Jenny Nixon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
True crime podcast turned drama is creepy to the max.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
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Where to Watch
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Dirty John
What's the Story?
DIRTY JOHN follows the plight of Debra Newell (Connie Britton) -- mother, quadruple divorceé and successful interior designer -- as she dips her toes back into the world of online dating in her fifties. After one dud meetup after another, she hits romantic paydirt when she links up with John Meehan (Eric Bana), a handsome doctor with a knack for saying all the right things. Though he can be awkward at times and not everything about his backstory checks out, the love-struck Newell is nonetheless quickly enraptured by her new beau, who becomes her husband after only two short months. None of this sits right with Debra's suspicious adult daughters Veronica (Juno Temple) and Terra (Julia Garner), who anxiously dig through their new stepdad's past, an investigation that ends up having deadly consequences.
Is It Any Good?
The story's transition from true crime podcast to TV series is mainly a smooth one, even if the adaptation does trade a bit of the original story's suspense for a fluffier, Real Housewives-type vibe. The cast is Dirty John's greatest strength, with Bana perfectly capturing the dead-eyed, hot-and-cold "charm" of a career criminal and master manipulator. Britton is his ideal mark as affluent, oblivious Debra, a romantic at heart who is all too willing to overlook the multiple warning signs that are instantly obvious to viewers at home.
The story may have all the trappings of a Lifetime-style "stalker of the week" flick, but the series itself doesn't ever tip that deeply into camp, perhaps due in part to it being a true story that started as a piece of investigative journalism. The closest it comes to feeling like one of those guilty pleasures is in watching Debra's headstrong daughters, all blonde hair and vocal fry, who -- at least in Veronica's case -- seem equally angry at her mom for shifting her focus off her and onto a new man, and for being so frustratingly heedless of John's very real sketchy side. A nuanced portrayal of abusive men and relationships this isn't, but the principals involved make it worth giving a shot.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why women sometimes feel trapped in relationships that turn violent. What methods does John use to isolate and manipulate Debra? What makes her daughters able to see through his act, something Debra couldn't initially do?
Do you know anyone who's been stalked in real life or online? What steps can people take to protect themselves from obsessive suitors?
What role does technology play in the plotof Dirty John? How might certain aspects of dating apps and social media make it easier for people to con one another about their true identities?
TV Details
- Premiere date : November 25, 2018
- Cast : Connie Britton , Eric Bana , Juno Temple , Julia Garner , Jean Smart , Keiko Agena
- Network : Bravo
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2022
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