‘Grosse Pointe Garden Society’ review: A fun, low-stakes, undemanding murder mystery
Considering the large number of murder satire stories about rich people these days, I found it bold of NBC to make another with Grosse Pointe Garden Society. There’s The White Lotus, No Good Deed, Rivals, Dead to Me, Little White Lies, The Afterparty, Only Murders in the Building, etc. To throw in another on this waning trend is a risk. Did it pay off?
Although Grosse Pointe Garden Society likely won’t be sweeping the Emmys or Critics Choice Awards, I found the laidback comedic styling and storytelling relaxing. As much as I adore The White Lotus, watching it takes energy.
Grosse Pointe Garden Society has the vibe of a comforting low-stakes show (though the stakes are meant to be high) and the reliable good-time energy that Agatha Christie’s novels gave her readers. I can see this series as the show you throw on at the end of a long day while you melt into the couch.
Considering the co-creators’ previous works, it all makes sense. Executive producer Jenna Bans started her writing career on Desperate Housewives and went on to write for Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and Scandal. Her co-creator, Bill Krebs, comes from a long line of Comedy Central hits like Workaholics, which may give Grosse Pointe Garden Society a comedic edge over its current rivals.
This show feels similar to Desperate Housewives. Though the characters represent a range of income levels, they all converge at a high-society gardening club. Alice (AnnaSophia Robb) has wealthy in-laws, Brett (Ben Rappaport) has a rich ex-wife, Catherine (Aja Naomi King) is a successful real estate agent with a husband who owns a very successful business, and Birdie (Melissa Fumero) is your classic burnt-out ex-it girl. There’s infidelity, petty squabbles, and cash cover-ups. These are serious problems with schemed solutions.
The casting choices for the show are … interesting
AnnaSophia Robb and Aja Naomi King were clearly typecast—they’re playing very similar roles to their most famous projects (The Carrie Diaries and How To Get Away With Murder, respectively). Melissa Fumero, however, plays a character very different from Amy Santiago on Brooklyn 99. Birdie is a much grittier character with a softness meant to be buried very deep, though so far, I’m slightly unconvinced Fumero has what it takes to make this story work for her—it’s hard to see anything other than a goodie two-shoes.
I’m unfamiliar with Ben Rappaport, but I am enjoying his performance; he makes a great pair with AnnaSophia Robb, and their chemistry is palpable. I was surprised when Nancy Travis popped up; I haven’t seen her in much since So I Married An Axe Murderer, but her place in Alice’s story makes so much sense, and I can’t wait to watch those two battle it out some more.
Additionally, the supporting cast is filled with surprisingly familiar faces. Saamer Usami from Inventing Anna plays Gary and stands out as a noble and believably accurate douchebag. Daniella Alonso from One Tree Hill and Mathew Davis from The Vampire Diaries were comforting faces to see, even if their arcs have consequences for the main characters. It’s incredible how many of my favorite worlds collide in the casting of this show.
Time to enjoy the ride
Throughout the pilot, we’re swung from one point in time to another, with cleverly placed posters to tell us exactly when we are in the timeline. We don’t know who’s been murdered, but we do know who is burying the body. In just 40 minutes, plenty of the show’s characters seem capable of murder. There’s a motive from each of the show’s main characters and a clear end date for the grand reveal: the Grosse Pointe Garden Society Montecarlo Charity Gala.
This stylization of a few people in black tie attire getting their hands dirty resembles season 1 of Little White Lies, and I love it! It’s a well-utilized trope that pulls us into the mystery while offering a metaphor for the dirty underbelly of high society. There is so much in these characters’ lives that could potentially lead to the inevitable murder, and I’m happy to be along for the ride.
Grosse Pointe Garden Society is no HBO drama. There’s unlikely to be widespread critical acclaim for this series. Within its niche, however, it’s a perfect show to dive into—it requires little effort from you and your tired brain in this harsh world. This series might just be enough to pull us all out of our respective slumps—for as long as an episode lasts, anyway.
The first episode of Grosse Pointe Garden Society premieres on NBC on Sunday, February 23, with new episodes dropping weekly. Episodes will be available on Peacock the next day.
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