‘Like a compass needle that points north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman…’
There have been so many dramas about kidnapped or missing children that there has to be something really special about it for me to get involved at this point. With All Her Fault, showrunner Megan Gallagher bagged Sarah Snook for the leading role and this was enough to get me on board. Was it worth it? By the end, I would say that it was…
The missing child in this instance is Milo Irvine (Duke McCloud), an annoying 5-year-old who is dropped off at school one day and then never returns. Marissa (Snook), the boy’s mother, immediately goes into fight or flight mode, while Peter (Jake Lacy), the father, struggles to keep the family together. The incredibly talented supporting cast includes Dakota Fanning as Marissa’s supportive friend, Jenny, Abby Elliott (of The Bear fame) as Peter’s recovering drug addict sister, and Sophia Lillis as Jenny’s nanny.
Based on Andrea Mara’s book of the same name, your enjoyment of All Her Fault will hinge on how much patience you have for watching very rich white people complain about their problems. Despite the starry cast, this is essentially the same kind of trashy thriller that Harlan Coben churns out. Indeed, the first four episodes nearly lost me completely, such is their lack of innovation. I will concede, however, that the second half of the season is excellent, and it is here that the cast, led by a snarling, powerful performance from Snook, really elevate All Her Fault into one of 2025’s best melodramas.
If you like this kind of thing, All Her Fault is an example of how to take a well-worn premise and inject some life into it. If you’re looking for something truly original, however, probably best to look elsewhere.
