[Image: Peacock]
Amanda Seyfried as a tough-as-nails Philly cop is not exactly the obvious pick. A French orphan caught in the throes of revolution? Sure. A free-spirited bride scheming to uncover which of three men is her father on a sun-drenched Greek island? Absolutely. But a streetwise patrol officer chasing down a murder case is something a little new for the blonde actress.
Peacock’s Long Bright River, based on Liz Moore’s bestselling novel, throws Seyfried into unfamiliar waters, testing both her dramatic weight and the well-worn crime drama formula. It mostly works—though the show takes its sweet time getting there, Daily Beast notes.
Seyfried plays Mickey, a cop patrolling the rough streets of Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood. Unlike most officers who keep their distance, she actually sees the people who live there—learning names, checking in, trying to help. But her own life is just as tangled. Her younger sister, Casey (Ashleigh Cummings), has struggled with addiction since her teens, cycling in and out of rehab. They’ve been estranged for years, but when Casey vanishes amid a string of murders targeting unhoused women, Mickey’s personal and professional worlds collide. And the deeper she digs, the more she realizes just how close to home this case really is.
On the surface, Long Bright River doesn’t stray far from the usual detective drama playbook. You’ve got the no-nonsense police chief constantly undermining our lead, the ex-partner with an unresolved history, the deadbeat dad dodging child support. But the show tries to color outside the lines, giving Mickey odd little details—she plays the oboe, loves opera, and tells her son (Callum Vinson) bedtime stories about grim, blood-soaked tragedies. It’s just enough to keep things from feeling too by-the-numbers.
That personality boost helps, especially in the sluggish first few episodes. Like the novel, the show takes a while to hit its stride, spinning its wheels in a way that could’ve been trimmed down. But once Mickey reconnects with her ex-partner Truman (Nicholas Pinnock) and they start piecing things together, the pace picks up.
The heart of the story, though, isn’t the crime—it’s the sisters. Flashbacks show Mickey and Casey as near-twins in childhood, only to grow into complete opposites: Casey, the wild one with her hot pink hair; Mickey, buttoned-up and by-the-book. The case is just the vehicle—the real drama is in their fractured bond.
So, is Long Bright River worth it? Yeah, if you’re patient. It’s not reinventing the genre, and it leans a little too hard into the prestige drama vibe it hasn’t fully earned. But it’s moody, well-acted, and just twisty enough to keep you watching. If you can push through the slow start, there’s a solid—if familiar—story waiting on the other side.
Long Bright River is out today on Peacock.
[Source: Daily Beast]
