Olive Kitteridge (miniseries)
Olive Kitteridge is an American television miniseries based on Elizabeth Strout's 2008 novel Olive Kitteridge. Set in Maine,[1] the HBO miniseries features Frances McDormand as the title character, Richard Jenkins as Olive's loving husband Henry Kitteridge, Zoe Kazan as Denise Thibodeau, and Bill Murray as Jack Kennison.[2] The show is divided into four parts, each depicting a certain point of time in the novel.[1]
| Olive Kitteridge | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Drama |
| Based on | Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout |
| Screenplay by | Jane Anderson |
| Directed by | Lisa Cholodenko |
| Starring | |
| Theme music composer | Carter Burwell |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 4 |
| Production | |
| Producers |
|
| Cinematography | Frederick Elmes |
| Editor | Jeffrey M. Werner |
| Running time | 233 minutes |
| Production companies | HBO Miniseries Playtone As Is |
| Release | |
| Original network | HBO |
| External links | |
| Website | |
The miniseries debuted in the United States on November 2, 2014, on the American premium TV network HBO, which aired the show's first two episodes back-to-back that evening; the third and fourth episodes aired back-to-back the following evening. It was shown in a similar format in the United Kingdom on Sky Atlantic, on December 14 and December 15, 2014.[3] It premiered in Australia on showcase from 13 January 2015.[4] At the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards, the miniseries won eight awards including Outstanding Limited Series.
Premise
Olive Kitteridge is a misanthropic and strict, but well-meaning, retired schoolteacher who lives in the fictional seaside town of Crosby, Maine. She is married to Henry Kitteridge, a kind, considerate man who runs a pharmacy downtown, and has a troubled son named Christopher, who grows up to be a podiatrist. For 25 years, Olive has experienced problems of depression, bereavement, jealousy, and friction with family members and friends.
Cast
- Frances McDormand as Olive Kitteridge
- Richard Jenkins as Henry Kitteridge
- Zoe Kazan as Denise Thibodeau
- Rosemarie DeWitt as Rachel Coulson
- Martha Wainwright as Angela O'Meara
- John Gallagher Jr. as Christopher Kitteridge (adult)
- Devin Druid as Christopher Kitteridge (age 13)
- John Mullen as Kevin Coulson (age 13)
- Cory Michael Smith as Kevin Coulson (adult)
- Ann Dowd as Bonnie Newton
- Jesse Plemons as Jerry McCarthy
- Bill Murray as Jack Kennison
- Peter Mullan as Jim O'Casey
- Rachel Brosnahan as Patty Howe
- Brady Corbet as Henry Thibodeau
- Maryann Urbano as Linda Kennison
- Libby Winters as Suzanne
- Patricia Kalember as Joyce
- Audrey Marie Anderson as Ann
- Donna Mitchell as Louise Larkin
- Frank L. Ridley as Mr. Thibodeau
Reception
Critical response
Olive Kitteridge received widespread critical acclaim for its writing, directing, cinematography, and Frances McDormand's central performance as well as those of Jenkins, Murray and Gallagher. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the show has an approval rating of 95% based on 63 reviews, with an average rating of 8.68/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Olive Kitteridge's narrative slow burn enhances fascinating performances – and a story worthy of its source material."[5] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 89 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[6]
Accolades
The miniseries received nominations at several awards ceremonies including the 72nd Golden Globe Awards, where the series was nominated for Best Miniseries or Television Film, Frances McDormand was nominated for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film and Bill Murray was nominated for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film.[7] Frances McDormand was also nominated at the 21st Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie and Richard Jenkins was nominated Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie.[8] McDormand and Jenkins were also nominated in equivalent categories at the 19th Satellite Awards, where Zoe Kazan was also nominated Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film and the series was nominated Best Miniseries or Television Film.
References
- Rebecca Doyle. "Olive Kitteridge Review HBO: What the Critics Are Saying - The Hollywood Reporter". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
- "The Official Website for the HBO Series Olive Kitteridge". Hbo.com. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
- "Olive Kitteridge". Find and Watch. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
- Knox, David (December 26, 2014). "Airdate: Olive Kitteridge". TV Tonight. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
- "Olive Kittridge". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
- "Olive Kittridge". Metacritic. Retrieved November 2, 2014.
- "Golden Globe Nominations 2015 – - TVLine". TVLine. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
- "The 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Sagawards.org. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
- "Olive Kitteridge DVD Release Date". DVDs Release Dates.