Behind Her Eyes is a gripping psycho-thriller published in January 2017 by British author Sarah Pinborough in collaboration with Harper Collins Publishers and Flatiron Books.
STORYLINE
The best-selling novel developed into a captivating Netflix original limited series with the same title. It premiered in February 2021 with six engrossing episodes. Even though the book and the TV series are pure fiction, they portray real-life problems. For example, one of the central elements in the series is mental and social health issues that are depicted similarly to what they would be in real life. The series is primarily about a woman who has an affair with her married boss while also forming strange ties with his wife. It is a story that revolves entirely around its ending.
Despite not being able to read the entire book, I definitely expected a better climax from the mini-series. I would say that the series was somewhat unexpected with so many plot twists but not particularly satisfying. So, what makes me write about this three-way love affair? Regardless of the ending, I thoroughly enjoyed the presentation of the first four episodes.
“Behind Her Eyes” features British Classism, Lucid Dreaming, Astral Projection, Betrayal, Heroin Addiction, and Trauma, making it a fascinating combination. It focuses on infidelity, identity, and betrayal concerning others and oneself. The characters in the series display an intriguing depth of darkness between them, which unfolds in mysterious ways. Even though there are tangible, substantial differences between the lead characters regarding class and social status, some early circumstances connect them. For example, a shared sense of struggle and night terrors, sleepwalking, anxiety, and personality twists further develop these relationships.
Due to its strange thriller plot twists and mashup of various genres, the mini-series caters only to a niche audience. It has an entrancing glossiness, a smooth patina of wealth and prestige undercut by a gloomy sense of dread, as often occurs in this storyline. Moreover, it requires a significantly elevated standard of suspension of disbelief from what one typically expects from this genre.
WHAT DID I LIKE ABOUT “BEHIND HER EYES”
My favorite part of this Netflix series is its slow-paced, contemplative spirit, little narrative, minimalist styles, and emphasis on long takes. I thought the casting was perfect, especially one of the lead characters, Adele, played by Eve Hewson, whose performance was flawless and outstanding. Throughout the six episodes, which include flashbacks and dreamscapes, the characters become subject to increasingly strange occurrences, yet their ambitions are universally recognizable. For example, the series portrays its characters as wanting to be loved, to have a home, to live an easy life rather than struggle, and to be capable of providing protection and strength to someone else as they wish to receive for themselves. I appreciate how it shows the strength and determination needed to overcome the circumstances between the actors.
It’s a curiously entertaining TV show, so confident in its incongruous genre mashup that you won’t be able to look away from it. Whether you love or hate the audacious ending, it will inevitably make you talk about it. I must say, a one-time watch is worthwhile.