"Death and Other Details" Review

Audio By Carbonatix

The new Hulu drama Death and Other Details may seem familiar to Agatha Christie fans. Created by Heidi Cole McAdams and Mike Weiss, the ten-episode series features an astute detective, a myriad of suspects and a murder at the center of the story.

Considering the success of Kenneth Branagh taking on the lead role in Murder on the Orient Express and Murder on the Nile, it’s no surprise that this program also features a highly-esteemed actor taking on the role of a wily detective.

Mandy Patinkin (Homeland) stars as Detective Rufus Cotesworth, a once-beloved detective who now serves as security for the wealthy Chun family. In the series premiere, Cotesworth crosses paths with Imogene (Violett Beane), whose best friend Anna Collier (Lauren Patten) is set to take the reins of her families’ international business. On a massive ocean liner, the Colliers plan to make a major deal with the Chuns.

Cotesworth and Imogene have a personal history. Years earlier, Cotesworth was tasked with solving the murder of Imogene’s mother, a longtime employee of the Colliers. He failed. When Anna reunites with him, she’s frustrated he abandoned her without solving the case. That animosity remains until someone is murdered aboard the ocean line, leading the resourceful Cotesworth to partner up with the recalcitrant Imogene. “Your only loyalty at the end of the day is to the truth,” he says and the duo tean up to discover it.

One of the most interesting concepts of the show is an intriguing one. The creators invite viewers to really focus in on the details of what’s onscreen. Although the audience might think they are seeing one thing, another thing is truly on display. That pertains also to the memories that the characters jump into in flashbacks. Because Cotesworth and Anna have a shared history, there are a number of times when — during discussions about memories — the duo seemingly hop into the past and see with new eyes what previously transpired.

There are times, however, when the characters don’t really stand out. The opening episodes include a slew of characters and it’s hard for many of them to stand out. It takes a few episodes to really understand all of the players involved here but few of them truly jump off the screen. The only one that truly pops is Agent Hilde Eriksen (Linda Emond), who commands the screen as a no-nonsense agent brought in to help solve the case.

Although most of the characters never rise above, the program is still watchable. There’s a lot of adult content (including some nudity) but if you’re willing to overlook that, the mystery does have some strong elements. There are a few great twists and turns here and the program has flashes of being something special. From its focus on inviting characters to relive past events to the idea of focusing in on the details (recognizing that what you perceived might not really be the truth), there are some intriguing parts of the story. One only wishes that the rest of the show would’ve lived up to it.