Limetown Review: Jessica Biel Leads Solid Facebook Watch Thriller
Paul Dailly
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Serialized TV shows can be hit or miss.
Many start well but struggle to live up to the lofty expectations set by the series premiere, but Limetown, starring Jessica Biel, is a mystery drama done right.
Lia Haddock is at the center of this story as she attempts to unravel the truth behind the disappearance of over 300 people at a neuroscience research facility in Tennesse a decade earlier.
It's a fascinating hook and one that carries a lot of emotional weight for the people close to the missing individuals. Jessica Biel (The Sinner) plays the role of Lia to perfection.
Lia has invested a lot into finding out what happened to these people, but she comes across many hurdles in her quest for the truth. To people on the outside looking in, it would seem like Lia is using her status as a radio host to expose what went down.
But Lia has been struggling to cope with the fact that her uncle Emile (Stanley Tucci) was one of those people that disappeared.
Lia recalls much of her formative years being shaped by her uncle, who gave her a stable life that she had been yearning for, so the lengths Lia is willing to go to tell the world the truth are justified.
There does appear to be a conspiracy at play, and much of that stems from the way everyone is so darn secretive. This is an event that should still be talked about for years after it occured.
If the U.S. media doesn't report much on over 300 people disappearing on U.S. soil, then that's a significant cause for concern, and it further fuels Lia's passion to find out who is trying to mastermind the ultimate cover-up.
Viewers are taken on an exhilarating adventure with Lia as she tries to fight back to prove that there is more to the tragic story of Limetown than has been reported.
The pace is solid to the point that every single scene feels needed to advance the story. The mark of a good show is when it leaves you wanting more, and Limetown definitely accomplishes that goal.
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The biggest concern with the series centers on how long Facebook Watch plans to keep it going. These shows have a shelf-life, and when Lia ultimately sheds light on the mystery, it should be the end of the story.
In the episodes sent to critics for review, the show zeroes in on the central mystery and nothing more, leading me to believe that the show does already have an endgame in sight.
Then again, the source material is already well into its second season. Depending on how long Facebook Watch waits to pull the trigger on a second season, it's possible that the TV series will have to veer away from the podcast.
The first season of the podcast debuted in 2015, with the second coming over three years later at the end of 2018.
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If Sorry For Your Loss is any indication, Limetown may well be a criminally underrated series that doesn't get the love it deserves due to it being streamed on a less popular outlet.
Facebook, as a whole, is enormous, but Facebook Watch does not achieve the attention it deserves. Sorry For Your Loss was one of the best shows of 2018, and even found itself in consideration for awards.
Limetown's best shot at awards is in the acting categories for Biel and Tucci because they turn in electrifying performances.
The episodes sent to critics for review were all excellent. Another positive is that each installment clocks in at around the 30-minute mark.
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But each episode packs a lot of unsettling developments that require your full attention. That may be to the show's detriment in a world in which people are notoriously clutching a cell phone while watching TV.
The series never lets up from the moody atmosphere. That's actually another strong aspect of it. If you're looking for a show that doesn't spoon-feed you the answers at a slow pace, then Limetown is the show for you.
Will you give this series a shot?
Hit the comments below.
If the answer is yes, Limetown debuts exclusively on Facebook Watch on October 16.
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Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.
