When the Streetlights Go On explained
When the Streetlights Go On is an American drama television series written by Eddie O'Keefe and Chris Hutton that debuted on Quibi on April 6, 2020.[1]
Premise
After the murder of a beautiful young girl rocks a suburban community, the victim's sister and her high school peers must struggle to find a sense of normalcy while coming of age in the midst of the murder investigation.
Plot
The residents of a small town grapple with the ruthless killing of a young girl and a teacher.
Cast
- Chosen Jacobs as Charlie Chambers, the show's narrator, recanting his youth, as he used to be neighbors with the Monroe family. He and Becky grew up together, but grew apart in middle school and high school, before eventually rekindling a connection in the wake of Chrissy's murder. He considered Becky Monroe to be his first true love. A main character.
- Sophie Thatcher as Becky Monroe, the sister of Chrissy Monroe, who was murdered. She and Chrissy grew apart as Becky submerged herself in punk and alternative rock counter culture, and Chrissy remained, to those unaware of her affair with English teacher Mr. Duplass, a buttoned up, preppy cheerleader. Despite their drifting apart, it was clear the two sisters still loved each other. Becky Monroe is also murdered. A main character.
- Kristine Froseth as Chrissy Monroe, a murdered high school girl who seemed to have her whole life ahead of her. The town is rocked on its heels as everyone seems to know everyone, and an undercurrent of paranoia, suspicion and unrest builds, as this means that someone they know, respect, and are friendly with, may have it in them to cause evil, irreparable harm. A secondary character.
- Ben Ahlers as Brad Kirchoff, Chrissy Monroe's boyfriend; a hot-headed jock grieving for Chrissy who also tries courting Becky in the wake of her death. A secondary character.
- Sam Strike as Casper Tatum, a moody James Dean type with a chip on his shoulder; he shares a class with Becky, and begins courting her. The town considers Casper to be the main suspect of Chrissy's murder. Secondary character.
- Julia Sarah Stone as Berlice Beaman, a nerdy girl Charlie briefly dates. His interest for her fizzles out as he and Becky reconnect. Secondary character.
- Queen Latifah as Detective Grasso, a blunt yet diplomatic small town detective trying to solve Chrissy's murder. Secondary Character.
- Tony Hale as Mr. Boque, a teacher who encourages Charlie to make sense of the town's worry and fear by way of writing an earnest, introspective piece on Chrissy's murder for the school newspaper. Secondary character.
- Mark Duplass as Mr. Carpenter, Chrissy's English teacher, whom she was having an affair with. He was married and roughly 15 to 20 years older than Chrissy. On the night of her death, he picked her up to go on a date, unbeknownst to her parents, as she'd given the excuse of heading to a friend's to study for an upcoming test. In his car, he shared that he intended to leave his wife for her, and wanted to move away with her, to avoid judgement from their small town. He was also murdered. The perpetrator got into the car as Mr. Carpenter was speaking with Chrissy before they drove away, demanding they drive to a nearby forest. Once there, the perpetrator demanded they both strip out of their clothes and touch each other. Mr. Carpenter refused to go any further, as he presumably may have been 'waiting' for Chrissy to turn 18 for anything past kissing. Upon his refusal, the perpetrator shot him. He died from a gunshot to the head, instantly, while Chrissy was shot in the neck, and began to bleed out. The perpetrator then approached her and shot her in the head before hiding behind foliage, waiting for someone to notice their bodies. Secondary character.
- David James Lewis as Mr. Jablonski, the small town's dentist, and a neighbor of the Monroe's. He is later revealed to be a serial killer, responsible for the Monroe sisters' murders. He had a wife and child who had recently moved away for college, and appeared normal, friendly, and unremarkable as a neighbor. Secondary character.
Pilot 2017
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the series has a 71% rating with an average score of 6.9 out of 10 based on 21 reviews. The site's critical consensus read: "When the Streetlights Go On takes itself a little too seriously, but strong writing, an impressive cast, and most importantly, an intriguing mystery more than make up for it."[2]
Notes and References
- Web site: Everything Coming to Quibi in April, Including '50 States of Fright', 'Dishmantled', and Much More. Slashfilm. Ben. Pearson. March 27, 2020. 2020-04-13.
- Web site: When the Streetlights Go On: Season 1 (2020) . Rotten Tomatoes . February 3, 2024.
