Lady in the Lake (2024)

Mangan finds the series masterly, though so dense and sumptuous that viewers may need time to absorb it. She particularly praises Moses Ingram’s mesmerising performance and the show’s fearless, richly realised aesthetic.

Travers finds the series absorbing and rewarding despite occasional plot confusion and excessive symbolism. He praises Natalie Portman’s performance and the mesmeric atmosphere created by the production design, costumes, and score.

The series is a consistently surprising, compelling, and beguiling watch, though its style can sometimes outweigh substance. The critic particularly praises Moses Ingram’s fearless, scene-stealing performance.

Spencer finds the series stylish and ultimately absorbing, though its setup moves too slowly and the adaptation feels abridged. She singles out the portrayal of the oppressive weight borne by the two women as its strongest element.

Fienberg finds the series smart and ambitious but uneven, with its ideas often overwhelming its narrative momentum. He praises Moses Ingram’s compelling performance and the audacious exploration of race, identity, and whose story gets told.

Baker finds the series overblown and shallow, though not outright bad. She praises the acting and atmosphere, while criticizing the script and surreal digressions for distracting from the story.

The AV Club finds the series a pretentious, exhausting mess that fails to ground its characters or develop its mystery. It praises Moses Ingram’s vulnerable, gritty performance as Cleo as one of the few saving graces.

Tinubu finds the series frustrating and unsuccessful as a mystery thriller, with little suspense or intrigue. She praises the production design, costumes, and hair and makeup, but complains that surreal sequences and excessive exposition overwhelm the story.

Hadadi finds the adaptation overstuffed, oversimplified, and weakened by its sermonizing approach. She singles out Wood Harris’s performance as a bright spot amid the flattened characters and meandering storytelling.

The review finds the series compelling despite a slow start and some underdeveloped character relationships. It especially praises Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram’s magnetic performances, along with the tension that builds in the final episodes.

The critic finds the series frustrating and heavy-handed, with familiar tropes and little meaningful insight beneath its social commentary. They single out the title sequence as the standout, saying they enjoyed it more than the rest of the series combined.