Lady in the Lake
Lady in the Lake
Now Showing

Lady in the Lake

6.6
Yr 2024
Status Ended
Your Verdict

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Series Brief

Overview

When the disappearance of a young girl grips the city of Baltimore on Thanksgiving 1966, the lives of two women, Maddie Schwartz and Cleo Sherwood, converge on a fatal collision course.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 72 /100

Lady in the Lake received generally positive yet divided reviews from critics, who widely lauded its high-minded ambition, lush visual design, and impressive lead performances. Critics heavily praised the magnetic screen presence of Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram, as well as the series' vivid historical depiction of 1960s Baltimore. Many commended the show for offering a provocative, subversive spin on the traditional murder mystery, deconstructing detective tropes to interrogate themes of identity and discrimination.

However, the miniseries proved polarizing regarding its narrative execution and pacing. While several reviewers found its hallucinatory sequences and evolving plot twists thrilling, others argued that the storytelling was uneven, chaotic, and weighed down by its own loftiness. Critics who were less impressed noted that the show occasionally lacked narrative tension, making it an ambitious yet flawed entry in the noir genre.

“This fearless, 60s-set thriller is astonishingly written and acted”

“a vivid depiction of '60s Baltimore, following two magnetic leads in Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram”

“a largely well-plotted whodunnit that keeps pulling off satisfying surprises.”

“a frequently compelling, but ultimately unrewarding riff on a traditional murder mystery thriller.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Apple TV
US • CA • UK
Apple TV Amazon Channel
UK • US • CA
Why fans love it

Set against the backdrop of Baltimore in 1966, the miniseries examines the intersection of two very different lives. As Maddie Schwartz navigates the restrictive boundaries of her role as a Jewish wife, she attempts to carve out an identity through investigative journalism. Her path forces a confrontation with the city's entrenched racial tensions and the illicit world of gambling, grounding a suspenseful murder mystery in a specific, volatile era.

The narrative threads span back as far as the 1940s to explain how a missing girl can dismantle the social order of a community. Natalie Portman leads a cast that illustrates the stark divide between those who can afford to be seen and those who are systematically kept in the shadows. By focusing on these disparate experiences, the show frames a crime story as a study of public perception and private survival.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 65
Regulars 55
Longest run 2 eps
Show 57 more
Pruitt Taylor Vince as Bob Bauer David Corenswet as Allan Durst Wood Harris as Shell Gordon 2 episodes Dylan Arnold as Stephan Zawadzkie 2 episodes Jennifer Mogbock as Dora Carter 2 episodes Bianca Belle as Tessie Durst 2 episodes Charlie Hofheimer as Wallace White 2 episodes Amos Glick as Sid Weinstein 1 episode Tyrik Johnson as Teddy 2 episodes Veralyn Jones as Merva 1 episode Mark Feuerstein as Hal Durst 2 episodes Angela Robinson as Myrtle Summer 2 episodes Samir Royal as Lionel Johnson 2 episodes Hallie Samuels as Mrs. Durst 2 episodes Mindy Goldberg as Tattie Morgenstern 2 episodes Teren Carter as Vernon 2 episodes Rodney "Bear" Jackson as Isaiah Towns 1 episode Benjamin S. Sheeler as Old Charlie 2 episodes Ezell Kent as George 1 episode Michael Blumenstock as Stanley Demsky 1 episode Terrance Scott Missouri as Curtis 1 episode Noam Shapiro as Harry Edelman 1 episode Elisabeth Ness as Hecht's Saleswoman #1 1 episode Ginger Fries as Hecht's Saleswoman #2 1 episode Lauren Smith as Hecht's Shift Manager 1 episode Angella Katherine as Pam 2 episodes Kelly Owens as Linda 2 episodes Levar Mullen as Walter 'Teeth' Hughes 1 episode Asher Emile as June Hughes 1 episode Ray Gordon II as Clarence 1 episode James Wilkie Broderick as Country Club Valet 1 episode Parker Damm as Dancing Mailbox 1 episode Michael Franklin as Pharaoh Bartender 2 episodes Ali Amin Carter as Crony #1 1 episode Lennox Blu as Crony #2 1 episode Steven Strickland as Bookie #2 2 episodes Emmanuel Kerry as Bookie #1 2 episodes Jude Carl Vincent as Eggy Woods 2 episodes Gail Everett-Smith as Auntie Turner 1 episode Don-Dimitri Joseph as Johnny 2 episodes Ronnie Gene Blevins as Officer Bosco 1 episode Masha Mashkova as Ms. Zawadzkie 1 episode Nikiva Dionne as Patrice Murphy 1 episode David Johnson III as Officer Percy Davis 1 episode Selema Masekela as Cedrick 1 episode Rebecca Spence as Louise Durst 1 episode Kenneth Nance Jr. as Duke 1 episode Gavin Peppers as The Sponge 1 episode Michael Dillahunt Jr. as Russ 1 episode Victor Dobro as Officer Paul Donnelly 1 episode Jo D. Jonz as Willie Bobo 1 episode Ken Arnold as Captain Stassley 1 episode Alexander Max as Car Salesman #1 1 episode Zach Brewster-Geisz as Car Salesman #3 1 episode Kenneth Dion Johnson as Young Bookie 1 episode Herman Wilkins as Felix 1 episode Ericka Boston as Funeral Goer 1 episode
Production Board

Crew

Co-Executive Producer
Co-Producer
Costume Design
Original Music Composer
Stunt Coordinator
In Memory Of
Visual Effects Producer
Sound Mixer
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Director of Photography
Set Decoration
Makeup Artist
Associate Producer
Makeup Department Head
Hair Department Head
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Lady in the Lake overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

based on novel or book sexism miniseries racism jewish girl illegal gambling investigative journalism murder mystery 1940s 1960s holidays missing girl baltimore, maryland night club jewish wife
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
July 18, 2024
Status
Ended
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
108