While Stephen King has been almost as much of a fixture on television as he has in film, most small screen adaptations have resided in the fantasy and horror realms he creates. With Audience Network‘s crime drama “Mr. Mercedes,” viewers are treated to one of his more realistic narratives, but it features enough hallmarks of the author’s work – graphic violence, a terrifying villain and strong characters – to satisfy his longtime fans.
“Mr. Mercedes” wastes no time in getting to the brutality that drives it forward. In its first 10 minutes, it reveals the crime that pits its leads against one another. During the 2008 recession, the residents of Bridgton, Ohio feel the downturn in their pockets, and a job fair attracts an early morning crowd lining up outside, desperate for employment. A hulking Mercedes sedan plows through the lines, leaving 16 dead – and viewers’ stomachs churning with horrific images of the carnage. Detective Bill Hodges (Brendan Gleeson) and his partner Pete Dixon (Scott Lawrence) arrive on the scene, and Bill quickly determines that this was no accident.
A two-year time jump reveals a different Bill Hodges than we just met: he struggles with the boredom of his recent, reluctant retirement, and the unsolved murders by the Mercedes killer haunts him. But the case doesn’t just invade his mind; the murderer himself begins taunting him, sending him letters, messages and videos with bloody images of the crime. Against Pete’s advice, the retired detective reopens the case, helped by his computer whiz neighbor Jerome (Jharrel Jerome).
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What sets “Mr. Mercedes” apart from a standard crime show is that while Bill is searching for the killer, we’re intimately acquainted with him. We see Brady Hartsfield (Harry Treadaway) at his job at an electronics store, in the home he shares with his far too affectionate mother (Kelly Lynch) and in the basement where he plans and executes his mayhem, which didn’t end with the massacre. The drama provides insight into why Brady (mis)behaves the way he does, but in the four episodes provided to press, these revelations don’t humanize him. Instead, we see the inner workings of a sociopath, and it’s as disturbing as the crimes he commits.
In a role that was originally intended for Anton Yelchin before his death, Treadaway is unsettlingly brilliant. Brady is described as “weird” by his boss (Robert Stanton), who worries that he makes customers uncomfortable. That discomfort extends to the audience as well; Brady’s glee at the deadly havoc he wreaks creates the opposite effect in viewers. But the disgust felt at the killer is balanced by the affection for Gleeson’s Bill. He fits well with King’s other everyman protagonists, and he’s likable despite his flaws. “Mr. Mercedes” may center on the violence, but the show also focuses on life in retirement and the inertia that threatens Bill.
With David E. Kelley as showrunner, “Lost” director Jack Bender at the helm and acclaimed actor Brendan Gleeson in a lead role, “Mr. Mercedes” is a big swing for the relatively unknown network. Unfortunately, Kelley’s script for the pilot episode is a strikeout, with overwritten dialogue that doesn’t rank with his or King’s best work. The worst scenes involve the normally wonderful Holland Taylor, who is forced to say some terrible lines here as her character attempts to seduce her neighbor Bill. In these four episodes, it’s difficult to determine the point of her character at all. The show improves in the subsequent episodes, but it may be too late for those suffering from #peakTV overload.
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Overall, “Mr. Mercedes” is a slow burn, and the pace is better suited to a novel than a TV show. Its leisurely approach doesn’t suit the urgency of its subject matter, but despite its crime genre, it’s far more about character than plot. The push and pull between Brady and Bill is intriguing, but supporting characters played by Mary-Louise Parker, Breeda Wool, and “Moonlight” star Jerome add additional depth to the story.
While “Mr. Mercedes” is a step down for showrunner Kelley after the success of another 2017 adaptation, HBO‘s superb “Big Little Lies,” it’s a step up for Audience. Available only to DirecTV subscribers, the network has produced a few originals including “Rogue” and “Kingdom,” but nothing has really captured the pop culture conversation in a way that will drive subscriptions. This isn’t the series that turns Audience into the next Netflix or HBO, but it points toward their ambition to create content that will bring them more than just NFL fans. [B-]
“Mr. Mercedes” debuts on Wednesday, August 9th.