Unbelievable (miniseries) explained

Composer:Will Bates
Country:United States
Language:English
Num Episodes:8
Runtime:43–58 minutes
Camera:Single-camera
Network:Netflix

Unbelievable is an American true crime drama miniseries starring Toni Collette, Merritt Wever, and Kaitlyn Dever. It follows a woman who was charged with a crime for reporting that she was raped, and two female detectives who investigate a spate of similar attacks. The show was co-created by Susannah Grant, Ayelet Waldman, and Michael Chabon. All three co-creators and Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly, and Katie Couric were executive producers. It was released on September 13, 2019, on Netflix.[1] [2]

The miniseries is based on the 2015 news article "An Unbelievable Story of Rape", written by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong about the Washington and Colorado serial rape cases. It also draws from their 2018 book A False Report, based on the same research. The series received critical acclaim.

Premise

Based on the 2008–2011 Washington and Colorado serial rape cases, Unbelievable follows Marie—a woman who was charged with a crime for reporting that she was raped—and two detectives trying to identify a serial rapist.[3] The program draws from "An Unbelievable Story of Rape" (2015), a Pulitzer Prize–winning article by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong for ProPublica and The Marshall Project. It also draws from the related book A False Report (2018), by the same authors.[4]

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

Guest

Production

Development

On January 22, 2018, Netflix ordered Unbelievable from Timberman/Beverly Productions and CBS Television Studios with executive producers including Susannah Grant, Michael Chabon, Ayelet Waldman, Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly, and Katie Couric. The eight episode miniseries is based on an article by ProPublica and The Marshall Project, "An Unbelievable Story of Rape" written by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong about a case in Lynnwood, Washington.[7] There was also a concurrently-published This American Life radio episode about the same case, "Anatomy of Doubt".[8] Grant served as showrunner and also wrote for the series along with Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman.[9] [10] [11]

Casting

On June 25, 2018, it was announced that Toni Collette, Merritt Wever, and Kaitlyn Dever had been cast in the series' main roles.[12] [13] On July 26, 2018, it was reported that Danielle Macdonald had joined the main cast.[14] In August 2018, it was announced that Kai Lennox, Austin Hébert, Dale Dickey, Omar Maskati, Elizabeth Marvel, Liza Lapira, and Eric Lange had been cast in recurring roles.[15] [16] [17] On September 26, 2018, it was reported that Vanessa Bell Calloway had joined the cast in a recurring capacity.[18]

Reception

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 98% based on 84 reviews, with an average rating of 8.7/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Heartbreaking and powerful, Unbelievable transcends familiar true-crime beats by shifting its gaze to survivors of abuse, telling their stories with grace and gravity."[19] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 83 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[20]

Audience viewership

On October 17, 2019, Netflix announced that the miniseries had been viewed by over 32 million viewers after its release on their platform.[21]

Accolades

YearCeremonyCategoryRecipient(s)Result
2020British Academy Television AwardsBest International ProgrammeUnbelievable[22]
Critics' Choice Television AwardsBest Limited Series[23]
Best Actress in a Limited Series or Television MovieKaitlyn Dever
Merritt Wever
Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Television MovieToni Collette
Golden Globe AwardsBest Limited Series or Television FilmUnbelievable[24]
Best Actress – Limited Series or Television FilmKaitlyn Dever
Merritt Wever
Best Supporting Actress – Series, Limited Series or Television FilmToni Collette
Peabody AwardsEntertainmentUnbelievable[25]
Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Limited SeriesSusannah Grant, Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly, Lisa Cholodenko, Ayelet Waldman, Michael Chabon, Katie Couric, Richard Tofel, Neil Barsky, Robyn Semien, Jennifer Schuur, Becky Mode, T. Christian Miller, Ken Armstrong, Kate DiMento, Chris Leanza, John Vohlers and Marie[26]
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or MovieToni Collette (for "Episode 6")
Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic SpecialSusannah Grant, Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman (for "Episode 1")
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy AwardsOutstanding Casting for a Limited Series, Movie or SpecialJodi Angstreich, Kate Caldwell, Melissa Kostenbauder and Laura Rosenthal
Producers Guild of America AwardsOutstanding Producer of Limited Series TelevisionSusannah Grant, Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly, Lisa Cholodenko, Ayelet Waldman, Michael Chabon, Katie Couric, Jennifer Schuur, Becky Mode, John Vohlers, Kate DiMento and Chris Leanza[27]
Satellite AwardsBest MiniseriesUnbelievable[28]
Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or TV FilmToni Collette
Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie[29]
TCA AwardsProgram of the YearUnbelievable[30]
Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials
Individual Achievement in DramaKaitlyn Dever
Merritt Wever
Writers Guild of America AwardsLong Form – AdaptedMichael Chabon, Susannah Grant, Becky Mode, Jennifer Schuur & Ayelet Waldman
Based on the ProPublica and The Marshall Project article "An Unbelievable Story of Rape" and This American Life radio episode “Anatomy of Doubt"		[31]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Netflix's Unbelievable Goes Behind-The-Scenes Of A Real-Life Rape Case . . Anne . Cohen . July 18, 2019 . July 18, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191208100805/https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/07/238140/unbelievable-trailer-netflix-limited-series-plot-details . December 8, 2019 . live .
  2. Web site: Netflix unveils trailer for Unbelievable, a limited series based on Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting . Colburn . Randall . July 18, 2019 . The A.V. Club . July 18, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200103041724/https://news.avclub.com/netflix-unveils-trailer-for-unbelievable-a-limited-ser-1836491788 . January 3, 2020 . live .
  3. Web site: Andreeva . Nellie . Netflix Orders 'Unbelievable' Limited Series From Susannah Grant, Timberman/Beverly, Katie Couric & CBS Studios . . January 23, 2018 . January 22, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180123074744/http://deadline.com/2018/01/netflix-orders-unbelievable-rape-limited-series-susannah-grant-timberman-beverly-katie-couric-cbs-studios-1202266704/ . January 23, 2018 . live .
  4. Web site: Armstrong . Ken . Miller . T. Christian . Netflix Series Based on Our Work Explores Costs of Not Believing Rape Victims . ProPublica . September 5, 2019 . October 13, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191013040106/https://www.propublica.org/article/netflix-series-based-on-our-work-explores-costs-of-not-believing-rape-victims . October 13, 2019 . live .
  5. Web site: 'Unbelievable' Trailer: Sexual Assault Victim Fights to Be Heard in Toni Colette-Starring Netflix Drama . Zilko . Christian . July 18, 2019 . IndieWire . July 20, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190720130924/https://www.indiewire.com/2019/07/unbelievable-trailer-sexual-assault-toni-colette-netflix-1202158956/ . July 20, 2019 . live .
  6. Web site: The True Stories Behind Unbelievable . Liebman . Lisa . September 23, 2019 . Vulture . September 14, 2020.
  7. News: Bryan . Zachariah . Thompson . Evan . September 10, 2019 . 'Unbelievable' story of Lynnwood teen's rape retold on Netflix . The Everett Herald . September 13, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190913044046/https://www.heraldnet.com/news/unbelievable-story-of-lynnwood-teens-rape-retold-on-netflix/ . September 13, 2019 . live .
  8. Web site: An Unbelievable Story of Rape . Miller . T. Christian . Armstrong . Ken . December 16, 2015 . ProPublica . July 18, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190718061310/https://www.propublica.org/article/false-rape-accusations-an-unbelievable-story . July 18, 2019 . live .
  9. Web site: Franklin . Garth . Netflix Orders "Unbelievable" To Series - Dark Horizons . . January 23, 2018 . January 22, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180123045943/http://www.darkhorizons.com/netflix-orders-unbelievable-to-series/ . January 23, 2018 . live .
  10. Web site: Busch . Jenna . Unbelievable: Netflix Orders Series from Erin Brockovich Writer . . January 23, 2018 . January 22, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180123023516/http://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/916055-unbelievable-netflix-orders-limited-series-from-erin-brockovich-writer . January 23, 2018 . live .
  11. Web site: Ge . Linda . Netflix Orders "Unbelievable" Sexual Assault Miniseries . The Tracking Board . January 23, 2018 . January 23, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180123190551/http://www.tracking-board.com/netflix-orders-unbelievable-sexual-assault-miniseries/ . January 23, 2018 . live .
  12. Web site: Petski . Denise . 'Unbelievable': Toni Collette, Merritt Wever & Kaitlyn Dever To Star In Netflix Limited Series . Deadline Hollywood . June 25, 2018 . June 25, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180625185549/https://deadline.com/2018/06/unbelievable-toni-collette-merritt-wever-kaitlyn-dever-netflix-limited-series-lisa-cholodenko-direct-1202416722/ . June 25, 2018 . live .
  13. Web site: Otterson . Joe . Toni Collette Among Three Cast in Netflix Rape Drama 'Unbelievable,' Lisa Cholodenko to Direct . . July 3, 2018 . June 25, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180703075855/https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/netflix-unbelievable-story-of-rape-toni-collette-merritt-wever-kaitlyn-dever-1202856469/ . July 3, 2018 . live .
  14. Web site: Petski . Denise . 'Unbelievable': Danielle Macdonald Joins Netflix Limited Series . Deadline Hollywood . July 26, 2018 . July 26, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180726201822/https://deadline.com/2018/07/unbelievable-danielle-macdonald-cast-netflix-limited-series-patti-cake-1202434044/ . July 26, 2018 . live .
  15. Web site: Petski . Denise . 'Unbelievable': Kai Lennox, Dale Dickey, Austin Hébert & Omar Maskati To Recur On Netflix Drama Series . Deadline Hollywood . August 9, 2018 . August 9, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180809215516/https://deadline.com/2018/08/unbelievable-kai-lennox-dale-dickey-austin-hebert-omar-maskati-recur-netflix-drama-series-1202442935/ . August 9, 2018 . live .
  16. Web site: Petski . Denise . 'Unbelievable': Elizabeth Marvel & Liza Lapira To Recur In Netflix Drama Series . Deadline Hollywood . August 14, 2018 . August 14, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180815024622/https://deadline.com/2018/08/unbelievable-elizabeth-marvel-liza-lapira-to-recur-in-netflix-drama-series-1202445539/ . August 15, 2018 . live .
  17. Web site: Petski . Denise . Eric Lange Joins Amazon's 'The Man In The High Castle' & Netflix's 'Unbelievable' As Recurring . Deadline Hollywood . August 27, 2018 . August 27, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180828024732/https://deadline.com/2018/08/eric-lange-the-man-in-the-high-castle-unbelievable-recurring-1202453168/ . August 28, 2018 . live .
  18. Web site: Petski . Denise . 'Unbelievable': Vanessa Bell Calloway To Recur On Netflix Drama Series . Deadline Hollywood . September 26, 2018 . September 26, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180926205819/https://deadline.com/2018/09/unbelievable-vanessa-bell-calloway-recur-on-netflix-drama-series-1202471444/ . September 26, 2018 . live .
  19. Web site: Unbelievable: Season 1 (2019) . . December 28, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200322050804/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/unbelievable/s01 . March 22, 2020 . live .
  20. Web site: Unbelievable . . March 13, 2020.
  21. Web site: Netflix's Top 10 Original Movies and TV Shows, According to Netflix . Koblin . John . . October 17, 2019 . November 11, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191021052026/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/17/business/media/netflix-top-ten-movies-tv-shows.html . October 21, 2019 . live .
  22. News: BAFTA TV 2020: Nominations for the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards and British Academy TV Craft Awards . June 4, 2020 . BAFTA . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20200604132538/http://www.bafta.org/television/awards/tv-2020 . June 4, 2020 . live .
  23. Web site: Critics' Choice Awards 2020: Fleabag, Watchmen, When They See Us, Unbelievable Among TV Nominees . TVLine . December 8, 2019 . December 8, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191209040133/https://tvline.com/2019/12/08/critics-choice-awards-nominations-2020-full-list-tv-nominees/ . December 9, 2019 . live .
  24. Web site: Golden Globes: Full List of Nominations . The Hollywood Reporter . December 9, 2019 . December 9, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191210132833/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2020-golden-globes-nominations-full-list-1259626 . December 10, 2019 . live .
  25. Web site: 'Stranger Things,' 'When They See Us,' 'Watchmen' Among This Year's Peabody Award Winners . Michael . Schneider . June 10, 2020 . June 10, 2020 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20200611013639/https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/peabody-awards-2020-stranger-things-watchmen-simpsons-1234629981/ . June 11, 2020 . live .
  26. Web site: Emmys 2020: List of Nominations . Variety . July 28, 2020 . July 28, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200728153254/https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/emmys-2020-nominations-complete-list-1234715939/ . July 28, 2020 . live .
  27. Web site: Nominations Announced in Motion Pictures and Television Programs Categories – 2020 Awards . Producers Guild of America . January 7, 2020 . January 7, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200113151345/https://www.producersguild.org/news/483748/ . January 13, 2020 . live .
  28. Web site: 24th Satellite Awards Announce Nominations, 'Ford v Ferrari' Leads the Way . Awards Circuit . Karen M. . Peterson . December 3, 2019 . December 6, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191209160436/https://www.awardscircuit.com/2019/12/03/24th-satellite-awards-announce-nominations-ford-v-ferrari-leads-the-way/ . December 9, 2019 . live .
  29. Web site: NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 26TH ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS . December 11, 2019 . December 11, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191212024926/https://www.sagawards.org/media/news/releases/nominations-announced-26th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards-%C2%AE . December 12, 2019 . live .
  30. Web site: TCA Awards: Watchmen, Unbelievable and Schitt's Creek Lead Nominations . TVLine . Matt Webb . Mitovich . July 9, 2020 . July 10, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200710022818/https://tvline.com/2020/07/09/tca-awards-nominations-2020-watchmen/ . July 10, 2020 . live .
  31. Web site: Writers Guild Unveils 2020 TV Award Nominees . Dave . McNary . December 5, 2019 . December 5, 2019 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20191205190738/https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/writers-guild-awards-2020-tv-nominations-1203426148/ . December 5, 2019 . live .

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