Just about halfway through Apples Never Fall the dysfunctional family at the center of the series gets described quite succinctly by a supporting character: “Cheater, bootlicker, rich prick, hot mess, missing and probably dead, murderer.” While there’s certainly more to each family member’s story, that one line sums things up so well that it almost makes the seven episodes feel superfluous.

Thank you for signing up!

By clicking submit, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge we may use your information to send you emails, product samples, and promotions on this website and other properties. You can opt out anytime.

Really, just about all of Apples Never Fall feels superfluous—in a TV and streaming landscape awash in family mysteries it registers as a weak stab at prestige television. Touting a few flashy names and a potentially twist-ridden premise, it’s another show fruitlessly chasing the highs of Big Little Lies (it’s even based on a book by Liane Moriarty). There are good moments, fine performances, and some genuine intrigue, but it amounts to little more than an unexciting copy.

The plot is fairly straightforward: one afternoon, beloved wife........

© Observer