by Foster Harlfinger, Contributing Writer
If that title doesn’t grab your attention, I don’t know what will! The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window (which, for my sanity, I will refer to as The Woman for the remainder of this review) is an eight-episode Netflix original parody of the female-led psychological thrillers which tend to feature an obsession-driven protagonist on the verge of a nervous breakdown. This increasingly popular sub-genre includes films like The Girl on the Train or The Woman in the Window, though a quick perusal of the “Recently Released” section at Barnes & Noble will show you that these curiously titled tales are perhaps even more frequent with novels like The Woman in Cabin 10, to name a recent example.
Kristen Bell stars as our wine-obsessed, turtleneck-wearing protagonist, Anna, a grieving woman who finds herself investigating the possible murder of her attractive neighbor’s girlfriend. The Woman, as with most parodies, will not appeal to everyone. The show pokes fun at the intentionally self-serious approach taken by the films it is imitating, and this leads to a comedic style in which the humor is not always obvious. Sure, there are clear moments of intended humor like Bell’s comically large wine stash or her over-the-top sexual fantasies, but the show rarely draws attention to its funniest moments like the fact that Anna’s new neighbor, Neil (Tom Riley), is British, despite the show taking place in some random American suburb.
Rather than providing you with the three customary seconds to laugh which appear after each joke in most modern American comedies (and most Marvel movies, for that matter), the cast and crew of The Woman take a hilariously straightforward approach to the show’s increasingly ludicrous premise. As committed as these actors are to their “really good bad acting,” as Bell herself put it, the show would not work as well without its equally committed behind-the-scenes players. The show’s desaturated color palette, over-the-top musical cues, and intentionally dramatic editing perfectly parody the obnoxious self-importance present within the sub-genre. Even so, there will surely be many viewers who do not vibe with this show’s sense of humor, and I would not be surprised if it takes an episode or two for casual Netflix viewers of the “watch while you scroll” variety to realize they are watching a parody. However, if you are able to lock into the intention of this show within the first few episodes, you will be treated to what might be the best straightforward parody since Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.
If The Woman falters, it is only in the sense that it is to be solely enjoyed as a parody. What makes films like Hot Fuzz or Cabin in the Woods so rewatchable is that they lovingly poke fun at their respective genres of action and horror while also providing their audiences with genuine action and horror thrills. The same cannot be said for the central mystery of The Woman in spite of its delightfully silly twists and turns. For this reason, The Woman may not have the rewatchability it needs in order to ascend to cult classic status, though that should not deter you from giving this show a chance.
The Woman is a highly bingeable parody show with an amusingly specific target. If the premise sounds appealing, you will almost certainly have a decent time, and if you rolled your eyes through films like The Girl on the Train or The Woman in the Window, you may even have a great one. If nothing else, I hope The Woman opens the doorway for more entries into the parody genre as it has been sorely missed. The trajectory of Hollywood over the past 20 years has been one of increasing self-seriousness, and a few well-timed comedic jabs in the vein of The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Windowmight be just what we need.
Grade: B+
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