Essex County

Essex County is an adaptation of the award winning graphic novels by Jeff Lemire. It is set in rural Essex County and tracks the interweaving tales of the many characters introduced in the early episodes.

With a slow, meandering start, it will unfortunately drop a lot of viewers who are used to the early hooks and baiting cliffhangers of typical limited series. Much like the graphic novels, it begins slowly and quietly, and some patience is required to reach it's heart. This is a shame, because the story builds beautifully with engrossing twists and satisfying resolutions.

The variety and nuance of characters are of a kind that any Midwest or southern Canadian county person can relate to - so unlike the stereotypes typically depicted in film. Most of the actors are superb in difficult roles.

It isn't perfect. The number of characters early feels overwhelming, and it's hard at times to tell who the stories will really revolve around. Some of the acting early on is hesitant and lacking the comfort one would expect of long acquaintances. At moments the pacing is slightly off, and some of the beautiful scenery begs for a linger.

But these are minor issues quickly wiped away by an engrossing tale. The acting becomes flawless, the locations are almost unbelievable finds, and the many threads of the characters come together into a single broad tapestry.

A semi-fantastical mystery that shows something real about the complexity of "simple" rural life, it shouldn't be missed by those who can relate - nor by those wanting an utterly unique view across the fields.

This review could be very brief. Why? Because one word would be enough to indicate my thoughts about this series. That word is "superb". Lemire's graphic novel has been lovingly tranferred to television. The entire cast is quite extraordinary, led by the Canadian treasure Molly Parker. Each character is so well defined and expertly played by the actors. But it is Molly Parker that provides the foundation for the others. Her face is so expressive - she does not require dialogue to show her feelings. This is magnificent acting. I live in Essex County in Southwestern Ontario, so I know that it is not filmed here. I believe it was filmed in the North Bay area. However there were numerous references to local places in our county. So the producers are forgiven! I sincerely hope that the CBC renews this treasure for a second season. It may start slowly, but I guarantee that you will fall in love with the story and characters.