This Prime Video Mystery Thriller Is the Best Thing You Aren't Watching

5 days ago 3

Often, I turn on a TV show to escape from everyday problems. Strangely, the Prime Video show I keep recommending to everyone within earshot is about a woman navigating life with unexplainable and seemingly incurable issues.

The protagonist, as cheerful as one could be through it all, is Lucy Chambers. Her whole life, she has never slept through the night, always waking up suddenly at 3:33 a.m. She has a son who doesn't express any emotions; instead of tears or laughter, he responds with an eerie, empty stare.

While on the job as a social worker, she seems to remember a dead child who is still very much alive. And by the end of episode 1 of the absorbing mystery thriller, The Devil's Hour, Lucy's name is also linked to a killer on the loose.

I wish I could say Lucy's stressors decline from there, but what I can say is her immense compassion plays a crucial role in the six-episode first season. Doctors have been unable to determine why her son, Isaac, is the way he is, but Lucy hasn't given up on him, and she loves him relentlessly.

The Devil's Hour is a well-crafted mystery. From the start, details feel deliberate. You'll stay engaged as Lucy, as well as a pair of detectives named Ravi Dhillon and Nick Holness, uncover more answers.

With Lucy directly in the suspect's path, it isn't long before Lucy, Ravi and Nick meet. But the show's most important moments come when she faces the enigmatic murderer.

Given that it's called The Devil's Hour, you might be wondering how scary this show actually is. Though it certainly has its chilling moments, I don't think it would be too much for horror-averse viewers.

By far the spookiest element is Isaac, whose stone-faced expression and odd behavior in the wee hours make him a creepy menace to his mother (OK, she wouldn't call him that). The show weaves in a murder investigation, so you can expect bloody crime scenes and shadowy rooms with disturbing contents.

The entire cast is compelling, from Jessica Raine (Call the Midwife) as the exasperated but tough Lucy to an intense and frightening Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who) in a dark and significant role.

In episode 1, Capaldi's character sits across from Lucy in an interrogation room and ominously asks, "What's the worst thing you've ever experienced?" He acts like he holds all the cards. The audience wants to get inside his complicated head.

The show also includes Ted Lasso's Phil Dunster in a part that would be too unsettling for the cheery Apple TV comedy. Issac often says that he's "not supposed to be here," and his dad, Dunster's Mike Stevens, would second that sentiment.

Intriguing and well thought out, The Devil's Hour is thrilling, addictive TV. The explosive final episode makes the murky trek through the previous five even better. But The Devil's Hour isn't difficult to enjoy even when you can't see the assembled puzzle in earlier episodes.

The show just returned for season 2 this month, and though I could choose to unwind with a show that has a lighter tone, I know this mind-boggling series is at the top of my list.

Read Entire Article