Sharp Objects Season 1 Episode 1 Review: Vanish
Paul Dailly
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For some people, returning home after years away is a dream come true. But for Camille Preaker, it's a real nightmare.
The exposition-heavy Sharp Objects Season 1 Episode 1 threw us right into the deep end, and it was a successful attempt to show the torment Camille puts herself through because she just can't seem to shake the past.
Through one episode she is already one of the most vivid and memorable characters on the TV landscape, and that's all thanks to the flashes to the past and showing off her flaws as she tries to follow leads on a case she never wanted to take on in the first place.
In her meeting with Curry, it was evident returning to Wind Gap would be a huge step back for her. When you have a mother as overbearing as Adora, who cares a little too much about what everyone thinks of her, it's difficult to maintain a relationship.
Camille is a woman who relies on alcohol to help her with the scars from the past, and it's obvious that she's been wallowing in the past ever since she left town years ago.
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It's scary to think, but with seven more episodes to go, we barely scratched the surface, and that's terrifying.
What if, after you die, part of you goes to heaven, part of you stays here, just to see how things turn out?
Girl
There was an eerie feeling of dread at every turn in Wind Gap. Simply put, it looks like a rather depressing place to live. Then again, a young girl went missing a year ago, turned up murdered and the same thing is happening again.
How is a town so small supposed to react to having a serial killer on the loose? There's no hard and fast rule, but throwing in a curfew for good measure is a good start.
Adora is a tough nut to crack, but she appears to be a wealthy pillar of the community. You can see why she is mad about Camille being a reporter and doing a story on the murders.
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These stories can make or break a community, and in most cases, animosity can come from others in town who are worried about how damaging said story can be to the perception of the town as a whole.
Adora was embarrassed about Camille sleeping in her car, but would she have preferred her to drive home drunk just to save face in the event anyone saw her?
There's no denying that the mother and daughter have a fraught relationship. It's unclear why Camille steers clear of her mother, but it could be down to her penchant for caring about what everyone thinks.
Did anyone notice the way Adora was saying that the house was not in order? Um, there was no mess in sight. It almost made me feel self-conscious about the pizza box on the table beside me as I type this review.
Camille: Hi, momma.
Adora: Goodness, I didn't expect you. The house is not up to par for visitors.
Adora is set in her ways, and she comes across as one of those people that wants everyone to think her life is perfect. Her outburst in the kitchen confirmed my suspicion that Camille was a bit of a wild child.
The pool of suspects on murder mystery shows are generally very different by the final episode, so I'm not going to get caught up on who I think could be carrying out the murders.
The person who sketched me out the most was Jackie who is wonderfully played by Elizabeth Perkins. Despite her issues with Adora, she was very warm and friendly to Camille, but the way she looked at the reporter as she walked away was anything but warm.
Camille, look at you. I'm glad you're home.
Jackie
The great thing about this series is that the town is ever so filled with potential for storylines, and we know that it's only going to be a limited series.
Related: Sharp Objects Review: A Gripping Character Study on Forgiving the Past
My biggest annoyance with shows is that they continue for longer than they should. HBO did find a way to continue Big Little Lies, but I hope Sharp Objects remains a limited series unless there is a story worth telling in a future season.
Okay, TV Fanatics!
What are your thoughts on the series premiere? What did you think of the second girl being found? Could anyone in Camille's family be involved in the murders?
Hit the comments below.
Sharp Objects continues Sundays on HBO.
Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.
