HBO's Mare of Easttown was billed as a limited series, starring Kate Winslet as Mare Sheehan, a detective sergeant in Easttown, Pennsylvania. Her town's rocked by the murder of a young girl, Erin, with Mare's failure to close a previous kidnapping haunting her professionally. Throw in a slew of personal issues -- including depression over her son's suicide -- and Mare finds it hard to balance life. However, while she manages to solve both cases, a Season 2 does feel inevitable.
The crime drama is in the running for a bevy of Emmy Awards, but outside of its critical success, fans have taken to the emotion of the story and performances of the cast, especially Winslet, as something that HBO needs to put on display again. Whether it's Mare's eating habits or her and her mom Helen's comedic yet dysfunctional rapport, there's a lot to soak in, which is why the SNL sketch that was inspired resonated so much. In just seven episodes, there was simply a lot to connect with and it's why Winslet and creator Brad Ingelsby have expressed interest in eking out a follow-up.
Winslet has admitted that this was her most challenging role, given the scope and sprawling cast where many twists and turns emerged in the murder mystery. She even pseudo-directed on set, changing dialogue and story beats due to her experience, admitting she's never felt this way towards a role, immersing herself in a flawed cop and broken mother.
What Winslet loves a lot is that, outside of her and the cast working hard to perfect their Delaware accents, she's also never been in a role holding a gun. Thus, being a sloppy detective instead of a skilled action star is something she loves as it makes Mare even more human. As for where a sequel could go, it doesn't necessarily have to be limited to her pursuing cases. Mare's inner-circle has been steeped in controversy and conspiracy, especially when it comes to grieving parents. A new chapter can dissect her and Helen trying to help Drew (her grandson) work through his tics, as well as his mom, Carrie, having to get clean once more. The fact that Mare finally went into the attic where Drew's dad, Kevin, hanged himself could make her a more mature person this time around.
Also teeming with potential is her daughter, Siobhan, off to Berkeley to study the arts, while there's also Katie, a victim Mare rescued, who's forging a new life with her cancer-ridden mom, Dawn, overseeing her and her kid. Mare and Dawn fell out as Katie was missing for a year but they've reconciled too, so Mare has a stronger base to help her become a better person. There's even the romantic aspect of Mare's life, with her love interest, Richard (Guy Pearce), leaving for a teaching job for a year -- so a flash-forward can dissect them, and how she's coping with the death of Colin (Evan Peters). Mare feels guilty for inadvertently getting her fellow detective killed on the job, so the show can address possible feelings lingering and how Colin's mom is hurting, shaping one final relationship Mare needs to repair.
Lori's a great character to pivot on as well -- not because she's Mare's bestie, but also because Erin's death is due to Lori's family. Lori's husband, John, fathered a son, DJ, with the teenage Erin, his cousin's daughter, blowing the lid off an incestuous cover-up. John and his brother, Billy, tried to hide that Lori's son, Ryan, actually murdered Erin out of anger over the affair, so Mare can help her get over the trauma of seeing her family get torn apart. Ryan in juvie, Billy coming out after helping the cops, John trying to get over things, and Lori coping with now raising an illegitimate son would all be powerful arcs.
Mare may even reconnect with Kenny, Erin's dad, as he tried to kill Erin's ex, Dylan, thinking that Dylan killed her. With Dylan now trying to heal his own life, and the scandalous priest, Mark, trying to get over his dark past and frowned-upon friendship with Erin, this show really has so many sub-arcs to touch on. Thus, with emotional turmoil still afoot, HBO should follow up as it feels like all these lives entangled in webs of grief haven't garnered the closure they need just yet. We've seen them hurt so much; it makes sense for the series to let us see them heal.