HBO's Near-Perfect 7-Episode Crime Thriller Takes Less Than 7 Hours to Bing

Published Oct 29, 2026, 7:46 AM EDT

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Carolyn Jenkins is a voracious consumer of film and television. She graduated from Long Island University with an MFA in Screenwriting and Producing where she learned the art of character, plot, and structure. The best teacher is absorbing media and she spends her time reading about different worlds from teen angst to the universe of Stephen King.

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HBO has always had a legacy of immersive crime thrillers, but every once in a while, a series comes around that redefines that genre. After years of The Wire and True Detective, Brad Ingelsby provided the female detective that fans had been waiting for in Mare of Easttown. The seven-episode first season didn’t just deliver a mystery worth tuning in for, but wove in an emotional story just as important as the crime.

Kate Winslet stars as the titular Mare, a detective in the DelCo area who is struggling with her own inner demons. She becomes the lead investigator after the body of a teenage girl is found. Erin (Cailee Spaeny) is a young mother, and her goings-on the night before points to who the killer is. Through all of these hardships, Mare endures a trying home life which interweaves beautifully with the mystery at hand.

‘Mare of Easttown’ Makes Use of Its Short Episode Order

Short seasons are becoming more and more prevalent, and though some would love to see the return of the 22-episode shows that network television made use of, Mare of Easttown uses the time it has efficiently. With no time for filler episodes, the HBO show cuts to the thick of it with no time to spare. In the series, Mare contends with the death of a young girl while her private life is falling apart.

Following the suicide of her son, Mare is in charge of raising his child, while her own teenage daughter, Siobhan (Angourie Rice), has valid resentments toward her mother. On top of it, Mare’s mother has also started living with them, adding more fuel to the fire. It is all Mare can do to go into work in one piece. Her grief is palpable as she blames herself for her failings as a parent.

Somehow, Mare of Easttown communicates this perfectly, all while the pressure of the case gets to her. The deceased, Erin, had a rich inner life that connected to many of the other residents of the community, making the case even more difficult to solve. As the perfect thriller miniseries continues, Mare’s deficiencies become even more problematic, leading them to bring in another lead detective (Evan Peters).

Each episode delivers on these highs and lows while also completing a case that is incredibly satisfying. With so many shows that deal with concepts such as grief, it can be hard to make a story that is interesting as well as unpredictable. In seven episodes, Mare accomplishes this with a tragic ending that is incredibly earned.

All the loose ends are tied up, and though there is not necessarily a need for another season, it wouldn’t be difficult to set one up. HBO has confirmed plans for Mare Season 2, especially following the equally successful show from Brad Ingelsby, Task. Both are part of the same interconnected world of the DelCo area and deal with differing elements of crime. It is the first time in a long time that an original show has gained such acclaim in the world of prestige television.