Film Reviews & Movie Analysis

Will the pilot episode convince you to dive into this intricate world of deception and betrayal?

Listen to the full pilot analysis here.

Hello and Happy New Year to fellow pilot watchers and TV bingers! If you’re like me, trying to survive the post-end-of-year break, you probably indulged in some serious television watching. Personally, I tackled a whopping 88 episodes of television. Ironically that wasn’t the highest amount of television I’ve watched in a month.

Either way, it is time to watch and review the pilot episode of a new series to evaluate whether it has convinced us to commit to the entire journey of a series… or at least let it run on to the second episode. 

This week we’re looking at Netflix’s, Fool Me Once.

The Synopsis:

Maya attends her murdered husband Joe’s funeral at the family’s stately home and later spots him on a hidden nanny cam.

The Credits:

• Pilot Title: N/A
• Ep Length: 55 mins
• Writer: Danny Brocklehurst
• Director: David Moore
• Starring: Michelle Keegan, Adeel Akhtar, Richard Armitage, Joanna Lumely

What Drew Me In:

Starting the year with a new Harlan Coben series is unmatched. Coben, an American novelist, signed a lucrative contract with Netflix, promising adaptations of 14 of his novels. With ‘Fool Me Once,’ I’m drawn in by the prospect of an over-the-top but engaging piece of drama, that compelling title and, of course, Michelle Keegan.

The First Ten Minutes:

The journey kicks off in 1996 with an eerie scene. Five boys, sporting football kits and school uniforms, wear masks as they drink and dance around a fire pit. There is one boy who is tied up and he soon starts choking. 

We cut to the opening sequence which shows glimpses into the characters’ lives and possible plot points. 

After the intro, we find ourselves at a funeral where grieving widow Maya Stern mourns her recently deceased husband, Joe Burkett. Through a poignant flashback, we witness their initial meeting at a function, the wedding, and the heart-wrenching moment of Joe’s demise — shot thrice in the chest with Maya unable to reach him in time.

During the wake, Maya has a very tense conversation with her mother-in-law, Judith. Judith ruffles Maya’s feathers with talk of her sister and some mysterious “Army business.”

Returning to her home, Maya’s friend gifts her a digital picture frame which also conceals a camera, in order for Maya to monitor the nanny, Izabella.

A few days later when Maya, casually decides to check the nanny cam, to her complete shock and disbelief, Maya watches as nanny, Izabella, leaves the room and, her deceased husband, Joe, walks in and starts playing with their daughter. 

Thoughts After the Opening

We’ve met a lot of people and are still getting to grips with this new world. While not fully hooked, I’m intrigued, especially by questions about whether Joe is still alive, why Judith mentioned Maya’s sister, what the “Army business,” is and of course the peculiar cult scene in the opening minute.

Main Characters:

Maya Stern
There is something cold and hard about Maya Stern, or perhaps unreadable is the best word. We know she feels like an outsider, and that she’s looked down on by Joe’s affluent side of the family and that she doesn’t really trust them. 

Maya also has a lot going on: A murdered husband, a sister that has also recently died and we learn she was involved in some sort of whistle-blowing incident that got her fired.

I wouldn’t say that Maya is unlikeable but she is certainly abrasive; the way she confronts her nanny about Joe’s possible appearance in the house, the way she barges into situations, it’s unexpected and I think it will take another episode or two for me to possibly warm up to her but I’d definitely choose her to be in my corner in a fight.

Detective Sami Kierce
He comes across as the awkward and bumbling sort but it’s the Poirot effect. He knows more than he’s letting on and he 100% doesn’t fully buy Maya’s story of what happened the night Joe died.

In his personal life, Kierce is getting married, and his fiancé is pregnant, we learn he is 3 years sober and that he might be ill. He passes out at the wheel of his car and crashes it into a fence. He tells no one what happened but texts someone that ‘it happened again’.

I think Kierce wants to be on Maya’s side despite his distrust of her. The two of them have an interesting dynamic going. They’re like cat and mouse, but neither of them wants to be the mouse. 

Three Reasons to Watch and Not Watch:

Why You’d Like It:

1. A complex plot that extends to every single character
2. A central protagonist that you’re not quite sure you can trust
3. It’s clear from the start the kind of dramatized series you’re getting

Why You Might Not:

1. Dislike for overly contrived scenes
2. Preference for police-centric murder mysteries
3. Desire for cleaner, more straightforward narratives

Pilot Score: 4 out of 5

Considering the synopsis, the writing, the pacing, and the series arc, the pilot earns a solid 4 out of 5. The compelling plot threads and a surprising end-of-episode hook leave me eager to continue to episode two.

What were your thoughts on the pilot episode of Fool Me Once, or have you already binged the whole series?

Listen to the full pilot review here.