TV Show First Look #4

The Act (2019)

As I'm sure many would agree, the films/shows based on true events are quite often among the most compelling, and the latest one to come to prominence is The Act, a Hulu original consisting of eight episodes. It concerns the case of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, a teenage girl raised by her mother Dee Dee to believe she was wheelchair-bound and suffering from all manner of debilitating illnesses and syndromes. As this show explores, however, she gradually discovers that her overbearing mother may not have been entirely truthful about her many conditions. This inevitably leads to considerable tension between them as well as suspicion from their few neighbours in the secluded suburb they live in.

It's definitely an intriguing story but I have to wonder how much attention it will hold if you're already familiar with the case and its dramatic conclusion, as many are. Even if you aren't, it's very slow, particularly the first few episodes, and I can't help but wonder if it would've worked much better as a 90 minute TV movie or something like that. One reason to watch, however, is the two lead perfomances - Joey King as Gypsy and an unrecognisable (to me) Patricia Arquette as her mother are both fantastic and definitely do a lot to bring this remarkable tale to life. It is hard to watch though, and the pacing was too pedestrian to maintain my interest, unfortunately. I guess I should return to finish it but for now...

RKS Score: 2/5