Mare Of Easttown episode 5 review
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The Mare Of Easttown episode 5 review: 5 reasons why this is the best crime drama on telly

If you're not watching, you should!

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Are you ready for the Mare Of Easttown episode 5 review after that heart-stopping ending? Anyone else froth at the mouth at how good it was?

The seven-part series aired its fifth episode on Sky Atlantic on Monday and it has been growing a fierce fan base over the last month.

And we can’t keep it to ourselves any longer.

Forget Line Of Duty, Unforgotten and Innocent.

Mare Of Easttown is the best crime drama on the telly, hands-down.

Mare questions suspects in a grisly murder case and gives an icy welcome to Colin Zabel, a county detective called in to assist (Credit: Sky Atlantic)
Kate Winslet’s performance as Mare is amazing (Credit: Sky Atlantic)

Mare Of Easttown episode 5 review – our reasons to watch

1. Kate Winslet’s performance as Mare Sheehan

British Oscar winner Kate Winslet takes on the title role of detective Mare Sheehan.

Mare knows everyone in the small Pennsylvania town of Easttown and fills her days huffing and puffing as she takes care of low-level crimes.

Furthermore, she’s a single mum-of-two and lives with her mother Helen, daughter Siobhan and grandson Drew.

Read more: Mare of Easttown reviews: Is it worth watching – what do the critics say?

But Mare is wracked with anxiety and guilt – her son took his own life and her marriage to husband Frank subsequently fell apart.

Kate Winslet’s performance as Mare is just fantastic, and she portrays an earthy, tired woman who doesn’t suffer fools gladly.

She’s complicated, funny and likes a drink or two.

For her first TV role, Winslet should be winning awards for this.

Mare is on the hunt for a killer (Credit: Sky Atlantic)

2. The Murder Mystery

Mare is treading water in Easttown, of that there is little doubt.

But when teenage single mum Erin turns up dead after a party in the woods, Mare investigates.

She has to work with new partner Colin Zabel (Evan Peters), a cop from county police to crack the case.

But that’s not all on Mare’s plate – a year earlier another young girl went missing.

Are the cases linked? And who, in a small town where everyone’s a suspect, could it be?

Mare Of Easttown has been compared to an American version of Broadchurch (minus the coastal setting), and you can see why.

Jean Smart stars as Helen Sheehan in Mare of Easttown (Credit: Sky Atlantic)
Jean Smart stars as Mare’s mum Helen (Credit: Sky Atlantic)

3. Mare’s relationships

Yes, Mare is a complicated character.

But wait until you see the relationships with her family and friends.

Her ex-husband Frank is her next-door neighbour and there’s friction there.

Additionally, Mare’s mother Helen is a force of nature and the two constantly bicker and her daughter Siobhan is often left in the middle.

And then there’s her love life.

During the series, Mare hooks up with dashing university professor and author Richard Ryan, while Zabel also has the hots for her.

And we haven’t even mentioned her late son’s ex, heroin addict Cassie, who’s fighting for custody of her son.

County detective Colin Zabel gets an icy welcome from Mare Sheehan (Credit: Sky Atlantic)
County detective Colin Zabel helps Mare in the investigation (Credit: Sky Atlantic)

4. Tension and action galore

Throughout the series, Mare’s life and relationships clash with the murder mystery/kidnap elements.

And at the end of episode five, things went berserk with action and tension aplenty.

Talk about a shock ending – we can’t wait for episode six now.

Kate Winslet stars in limited series Mare of Easttown (Credit: Sky Atlantic)
There’s no messing Mare of Easttown (Credit: Sky Atlantic)

5. Absolutely no sugarcoating

If Mare is an uncompromising character, Mare Of Easttown is an uncompromising show.

It deals with some big, heavy subjects like grief, guilt, secrets, divorce… you name it, Mare Of Easttown covers it.

Read more: Mare of Easttown on Sky Atlantic: What’s it about and who’s in the cast?

But there are also some great comedy moments, especially between Mare and her mum Helen.

And it’s this balance between everything that makes you fall in love with Mare, her family members and what happens in Easttown.

Episode six of Mare Of Easttown is on Monday May 24 at 9pm on Sky Atlantic. Previous episodes are available on NOW.

Mare of Easttown: Official Trailer | HBO

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Nancy Brown
Associate Editor