'The Girl From Plainville' Episode 1-3 Review: Exploring Grief, Loss and Love

Hulu just released the first three episodes of their new series ‘The Girl From Plainville.’ Based on an Esquire article of the same name, the show follows the real life case of Michelle Carter. The Hulu series stars Elle Fanning(‘The Great‘), Chloë Sevigny (The Dead Don’t Die), Colton Ryan (Dear Evan Hansen), Cara Buono (‘Stranger Things‘),and Kai Lennox (‘Fargo’).

The first episode sets the somber, almost uncomfortable tone for the series, opening with the death of Conrad Roy III (Ryan). Viewers follow along as his family begins the search for him, his mother Lynn (Sevigny) calls the cops while his father (Norbert Leo Butz) drives around searching for his truck. Once they discover his body, the family is caught in their grief, confusion and searching for any clues that will lead to understanding.

The overarching theme of the first episodes of ‘The Girl From Plainville’, is searching. Through time jumps and flashbacks, we can see that Conrad is searching for connection. Not only in social situations, but also to the world around him and how he fits into that. Ryan does a great job of portraying the awkward, emotional displacement that comes with being a teenager. More than that, he brings a subtle pain to every one of his scenes. Knowing the actual details surround the case make these scenes more bleak.

Conrad isn’t the only one searching, following the death of her son, Lynn is lost in her emotions. She searches for answers to understand her son’s choices, while struggling with her own guilt. Sevigny‘s poignant portrayal as a woman broken, numb, but also desperate to connect with those she still has is stunning. Lynn is not just a mess of sadness, but also strength. She doesn’t want to get trapped in her son’s death but can’t see past it.

The resemblance between Fanning and the real life Carter certainly makes her performance eerie to watch. Fanning plays Michelle as a teen who is lost in her own reality, wanting connection but also to have control over those connections. She wants to fit in and be the center of attention but can’t recognize when people are actually right in front of her. There is a specific scene, when Michelle recreates a clip from Glee by watching herself sing in the mirror. The tension, delusion and naiveté that play out on screen with Fanning alone is impressive. In this moment viewers know that we have no clue what’s going on inside this teenage girl’s head. But we know that things aren’t alright.

‘The Girl From Plainville’ gives viewers a look at the life of Conrad Roy III and the lives of those he left behind. We get to see sweet moments between him, his family, Michelle and friends. There are also plenty of moments when we see him struggling with his mental health. Allowing us to examine how technology fosters connections when you’re looking for anything to hold on too. By the end of the third episode, the court case is gearing up to formally charge Michelle.

After a visit from a detective with a warrant for her phone, she feels everything closing in and struggles to control her life. She isn’t ready for her time in the spotlight to be over. The time jumps can be confusing, mainly because we get whiplash from the dichotomy between before and after losing someone to suicide. The series is excellent, moving and also a little hard to watch. Anyone who has every been a teen can tell you the hell it can be, even more so when there is an accompanied mental illness.

The first three episodes of The Girl From Plainville starring Elle Fanning, Chloë Sevigny, and Colton Ryan are now streaming only on Hulu. A new episode will be be released every Tuesday. Check out the trailer below and be sure to follow ScaryNerd for all things horror, fantasy, sci-fi and everything in between.

If you or someone you know may be contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. In emergencies, call 911 or seek care from a local hospital or mental-health provider.