Based on the 2017 best-selling novel by Sarah Pinborough, this Netflix series was developed for a streaming adaptation by Steve Lightfoot, best known for his work on acclaimed series like Hannibal, The Punisher, and Narcos. Thanks to one of the most shocking and well-executed plot twists ever achieved in a Netflix original series, this fan-favorite 6-part thriller series is still worth binge-watching now.
Behind Her Eyes Is A Hidden Gem Psychological Thriller On Netflix
Behind Her Eyes quietly remains a hidden gem psychological thriller worth binge-watching on Netflix. The story follows a single mother named Louise (Simona Brown) who begins an affair with her boss, David (Tom Bateman), a psychiatrist. Things become tense for Louise as she befriends David’s mysterious yet beautiful wife, Adele (Eve Hewson), which complicates her situation with David.
In the same vein as Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney’s psychological thriller movie The Housemaid, Louise ends up finding more about David and Adele’s marriage and private life than she had expected or desired to. The more Louise learns about Adele and David, including the fact that David controls Adele and forces her to be isolated, the more she suspects that something is terribly wrong.
Netflix’s 8-Part Crime Thriller Is An Easy One-Night Weekend Binge
Netflix’s 8-part crime thriller series starring Kristen Bell remains one of the best and easiest one-night weekend binges on the streaming platform.
Adele soon becomes the most interesting aspect of Behind Her Eyes as the mystery of her backstory unfolds. This switches the genre of the series from a messy melodrama to something much darker and more thrilling, even veering into the realm of the supernatural. Because of these unexpected elements, the series somewhat disguises itself as a sci-fi thriller in a similar vein to The Stranger or The OA.
One of the most appealing features of Behind Her Eyes is the standout performance by Eve Hewson as Adele, which most viewers will agree is captivating and entrenched in mystery. The series is also praised for its inventive blend of genres and original storytelling, combining elements of prestige TV, psychological thriller, and eventually even horror and sci-fi.
Behind Her Eyes Is Still Quietly Worth An Easy Weekend Binge Now
If you enjoy dark domestic thrillers like Gone Girl, Big Little Lies, Sharp Objects, or The Girl on the Train, then Behind Her Eyes is an ideal weekend binge for you. At 6 total episodes, all roughly 50 minutes each, Behind Her Eyes can easily be watched from start to finish in just two sittings, or even one for an ambitious binge. It’s also one of those series that’s worth watching again to see it from a completely new perspective.
Even five years after its release, Behind Her Eyes still holds up despite initially dividing critics, resulting in a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 63%. Several major outlets were rather harsh on the series, such as Variety, which wrote in its review, “Behind Her Eyes is just too ridiculous to take even half as seriously as the show takes itself.” In addition, The Hollywood Reporter wrote, “Anything beneath the surface in Behind Her Eyes is irrelevant by the end.”
On the other hand, Behind Her Eyes earned more positive than negative marks. CNN wrote, “By the time it’s over, this sci-fi-tinged limited series becomes a buzzworthy binge, one that will likely have you thinking back to clues you might have missed along the way.” It’s also worth noting that the series received a 7.2 IMDb score, which is generated entirely by viewers. All things considered, Behind Her Eyes isn’t the best show Netflix ever made, but it has a case for being among its best to binge from start to finish.