Sharp Objects (miniseries)

Did You Know?

• The series held its world premiere on June 7, 2018, during the opening night screening at the ATX Television Festival in Austin, Texas.
• Sharp Objects was released on Blu-ray and DVD on November 27, 2018.
• It is the final directorial work of Jean-Marc Vallée before his sudden death in 2021.

Production

In 2008, an adaptation of Gillian Flynn's debut novel was reported to be in development by French production company Pathé with Andrea Arnold set to direct. By 2012, the novel had been optioned by Alliance Films with Jason Blum expected to serve as a producer. Marti Noxon then approached Blum with her vision for an eight-episode television series. On July 8, 2014, Blumhouse Productions and Entertainment One announced they would develop and produce a drama based on the novel, with Noxon as showrunner, writer, and executive producer, and Jean-Marc Vallée as director and executive producer. On April 1, 2016, HBO gave the production an eight-episode straight-to-series order. The series premiered on July 8, 2018. HBO programming president Casey Bloys confirmed on July 25, 2018, that Sharp Objects would not return for more episodes. Amy Adams joined the project as lead in February 2016. Casting announcements in March 2017 included Patricia Clarkson, Eliza Scanlen, Elizabeth Perkins, Madison Davenport, Chris Messina, Matt Craven, and Taylor John Smith as series regulars, with Will Chase, Jackson Hurst, and Jennifer Aspen in recurring roles. Additional recurring cast announced on May 22, 2017, included David Sullivan, Reagan Pasternak, Sydney Sweeney, Hilary Ward, and Sophia Lillis. Principal photography began on March 6, 2017, with filming in Barnesville, Georgia; Los Angeles, California; Redwood Valley, California; Santa Clarita, California; and Mendocino, California.

Reception

Sharp Objects received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 92% approval rating based on 289 reviews, with an average rating of 8.15/10. The site's critics consensus describes it as a nearly unbearable slow burn with an unshakably grim atmosphere and an outstanding cast led by Amy Adams. On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 78 out of 100 based on 41 critics, indicating generally favorable reviews. Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun Times awarded the series four stars, praising the performances of Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson and the direction of Jean-Marc Vallée. Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter noted that while the series cannot precisely capture Flynn's prose, director Vallée finds his own visual language driven by Adams's performance. James Poniewozik of The New York Times described the series as mesmerizing, highlighting the internal drama and Adams's portrayal of Camille. In a mixed review, Kelly Lawler of USA Today gave the series two stars out of four, calling it a lazy, dreary summer mystery that feels exploitative of the violence it depicts. Dave Nemetz of TVLine gave the series a B− grade, stating that while it is an artfully shot showcase for fine acting, it feels like a letdown given the big names and promising source material.