Guilty Party – Season One [2021]

The premise for Guilty Party is not new, but the mix between drama, comedy and the cast performance makes the series enjoyable. Almost.

Sadly, unlike Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, Guilty Party doesn’t seem to have much to say about true crime beyond just using it as a backdrop for mystery and mostly awkward comedy. The silver lining of all of this is that Kate Beckinsale is as good as ever.

As a whole, this series leans toward the funny end of the spectrum of the “amateur detective who gets in over their head” premise. Sadly, it also tends to use that comedy to cover up the shakier aspects of the writing. Yes, I get that it’s the first season, and both the writers and producers are still trying to find their tone. But in the era of the unlimited great streaming content, I tend to expect a product that’s a lot better.

In general, the show doesn’t seem to have enough story elements to really make us latch onto Beth (Beckinsale) or her quest to get her career back. And she’s the main character!

Should you watch it?

It’s clear that Guilty Party has set out to spin a narrative about a complicated woman working a complicated case. But the whole thing seems on the verge of buckling under one complication too many. If you don’t have anything else on your watchlist, file this one is a “nice to have”.

Where can I watch it?

You can stream Guilty Party exclusively on Paramount+.