With streaming services pumping out so much new content every day, it's no surprise that every couple of weeks a different series or movie has taken over Netflix. From reality shows to romantic dramas to crime thrillers, seemingly anything can become a huge hit. Unfortunately, some things also tend to fall under the radar.
While there doesn't seem to be a real formula when it comes to what's a success and what isn't, there are definitely a few factors that can help. Something like having a famous cast, a well-known creative team, or a heavy-handed marketing campaign can make all the difference. There are also aspects of the genre, subject, and of course quality of the product. Having all of these qualities can be a big advantage, but they of course aren't necessary to go viral. They also aren't a guarantee for success.
Not everything that seems like it'll be a big success actually gets to back up the hype. It can be really bizarre when a piece of work has everything it takes to be a total win and ends up a flop. When this happens there is always a reason. Something is either wrong with the work itself, its team, or how it was marketed because things that should be a success don't fail without reason. A recent example of this would be a new limited series to hit Netflix called Pieces of Her.
Pieces of Her is a crime thriller based on a novel of the same name written by Karin Slaughter. The main character is a woman named Andy, played by Bella Heathcote, in the TV adaptation. She's just turned 30 years old and is out for celebratory lunch with her mother Laura, played by the always iconic Toni Collette, when an unexpected violent incident occurs. Andy sees her mom take charge and perform an act of bravery, and brutality, she's never seen before. After the attack, secrets about Laura and her past start to resurface, putting both her and Andy in danger.
The series has a lot going for it. It's based on a preexisting work from a very successful author and has a great cast. It also advertises itself as a twisty crime drama, which is both trendy and universally liked. These kinds of series are often a great format for streaming services because they're a mystery and can be really addictive. Streaming services offer the chance to binge and satisfy the viewer. Everything about Pieces of Her feels like a recipe for success, and it's to be a surefire hit. Except it was not. The show ended up flying completely under the radar. Why is that?
Though it's not extremely scandalous or scathing, the number one reason Pieces of Her wasn't a massive success was most likely the marketing. Before other shows are released, Netflix doesn't often hesitate to pump a lot into marketing. Commercials will air on TV for weeks beforehand, ads will pop up on YouTube videos, and the trailer will roll as soon as users open up their app. None of this happened with Pieces of Her, and that might have been because it doesn't have the quality to back up its star power and premise.
Pieces of Her in general has received mixed to negative reviews from critics and hasn't been praised amazingly by audiences either. While the overall storyline goes places that could be fascinating, the overall tone just falls flat. The first episode or two are impressive and intriguing, however, there isn't much follow-through until it gets a little exciting at the very end. That addictive quality that seems to be so important for a crime thriller on a streaming service, isn't there. It's easy to see how viewers could lose interest and back out, which is just not good.
The story has some fantastic cultish undertones which are fun and trendy. People love that kind of stuff right now because it's fascinating and easy to get invested in. Pieces of Her didn't have enough of those elements to really sell the audience, which is a shame because the story was there. It also tried to be very tightly wound. While there were a lot of twists and turns, none of them were hard to see coming and a ton of tropes were used. If this was someone's first time watching this genre, they would probably love it! However, for fans of crime thrillers, this won't do much.
There are some great elements to Pieces of Her that shouldn't be overlooked. It's quite comprehensive and easy to watch, and the cast is very competent. Toni Collette especially shines in her role, and it's actually a bit of a shame that she's not in it more. However, there's just nothing special about it to push it over the edge. It's unfortunate because it has the makings of a classic, but no one can deny that it's missed the mark.