Mare of Easttown

As the years go by, we do Christmas presents less and less, shrinking to almost nothing - which is fine. But the attractions of “what’s on the box” over Christmas seem to do the same. Back in the day, I can remember assembling careful timetables of what’s on which channel, and what each member of the family wants to watch, so we wouldn’t miss any of the riches unrolling before out eyes. Not any more.

This year I planned ahead. Seeing there was very little I wanted to watch, and knowing I wouldn’t be getting any surprise packages of unexpected box sets, I went out and bought myself Mare of Easttown, about which I’d heard good things. I thought it might help pass the occasional empty evening.

It’s brilliant. The first time I sampled it I watched four episodes on the trot before deciding that at my age I really should be in bed by midnight. Yes, it’s an intricate murder story, with different plots intertwining and the usual tangle of complicated clues which only get worked out in the final last few minutes. It’s also the occasion for a stunning performance from Kate Winslet, developing the notion of “troubled cop” into a marvellous, complex portrait of ex-basketball star, daughter, mother and granddaughter, not to mention friend with some intense but volatile friendships with other women. Oh yes, and she’s also the cop. But it’s not just a vehicle. It’s also a close, loving portrait of small-town Pennsylvania - very shabby in many ways, but always interesting and never dull. There’s characters here you’re tempted to skim over, take for granted - but that would be a mistake. In a good, convincing way, this is full of surprises - definitely one to own and rewatch.