REVIEW: Netflix’s Unbelievable is a Frustrating Must See Show

Frustrating, powerful, and moving, Netflix’s new limited series, Unbelievable, arrives today, September 13. Based on the article by ProPublica and The Marshall Project, “An Unbelievable Story of Rape”, the series features Kaitlyn Dever as Marie. Marie is a young woman making it on her own after growing up in the foster care system. When she is sexually assaulted one night by a masked intruder, she does all the right things: going to the police and telling her foster moms. Somewhere along the way, Marie’s reliability comes into question and her story becomes one of disbelief, anger, and trauma.

Cut to Golden, Colorado where a masked intruder attacks another young woman. The detective in charge, Detective Karen Duvall (Merritt Wever), makes it her mission to find the attacker. When a similar attack happens in her husband’s (who is also a cop) jurisdiction, Duvall teams up with Detective Grace Rasmussen (Toni Collette) to try and find this serial rapist.

This series is infuriating from the very first episode and the frustration keeps on building. The frustration isn’t caused by the acting or the storyline, both are stellar. Instead it’s the fact that this story is true, every bit of it. Marie is a real person who lived through this double trauma, first the rape and then the gross misconduct exhibited by those she trusted. The investigation by the two female detectives, told as it actually happened, brings only slight relief. These detectives are working for their victims, not content to sit idly by and let a rapist continue to roam the area.

And these detectives are inspiring, yet the story never strays too far from Marie. It’s her portion of this sordid tale that causes the rage. The series will leave you with so many questions of how Marie could be treated this way. Why did the people who claim to care most about her not support her in her time of need? Why wasn’t she believed? How is it possible victims are treated that way by police?

Dever is amazing in this role. This is an extremely challenging role to take on and you will feel for Marie from the second the series begins. Dever does so well to portray the pain and frustrations, she breaks your heart. Collette and Wever are also outstanding as Rasmussen and Duvall. Their passion literally emanates in every scene that they are in, especially when they are together. Marie’s scenes will destroy you emotionally, fill you with rage, and cause you disbelief at the horror she experienced. But Rasmussen and Duvall will encourage you and remind you that there are good people in the world fighting to find justice.

Netflix’s Unbelievable is a must see, watch it this weekend, and be prepared to be emotionally wrecked by the end of it. I suggest having the best comfort food as you watch and make sure to have something happy lined up for after it. You are definitely going to need it.

Grade: A