Mild Spoiler Warning for Episodes 1-3 of Harlan Cobens Shelter
1.
The ominous (and omniscient) old woman
What would an adolescent-targeted mystery be without a creepy old woman?
Its shrouded in unkempt bushes and vines.
Harlan Coben’s Shelter Cast | Prime Video
We wouldnt be surprised if the wallpaper is peeling and there are cracks in the bathroom tile.
A sort of evil Miss Havisham fromGreat Expectations,if you will.
Shes one of the shows leading suspects.
Shes puppeteering the men who spy on our children.
Shes serious and sagacious.
The lives she has had to ruin.
She speaks with precision and purpose.
However, theres a sense of ambiguity in her words.
Its not only old hat, but honestly a bit problematic.
The social outcast clad in black is an artist
Why must the quiet girl always possess an artistic inclination?
Never rainbows and unicorns, but skeletons and shadowy passageways, as to visually suggest her internal turmoil.
The artistic talent acts as an extension of the character furthering their illustration as introverted and self-sufficient.
Not too cool for school like the jock, but rather too realized for it.
Shes always smart and determined.
A dash of spice in a pool of vanilla.
Yet, there are other ways to suggest such qualities.
Its because many have known someone who fits this description that leads to its propagation.
The bully has a crappy home life
The good-looking jock who bullies the new kid.
Give us a break.
InShelter,Brian Altamus plays Troy, who becomes a self-selected nemesis to Mickey.
Yet, the bully cant simply be a bully.
He needs to be more complex than that.
Okay, lets give him a crappy dad and parents who dont get along.
One: its okay to just present a bully.
But, if you want to further characterize them, ideate something more original to substantiate their ways.
The brain is often more complicated than that, so make the story as equally complex as the psyche.
Or, if you prefer a direct road, at least pick one less traveled.
Lets give him a creepy tattoo an octopus that takes up half of his face.
How often do bad guys look like criminals in reality?
Think Ted Bundy or Richard Ramirez or The Cassonova Killer Paul John Knowles.
All have been described as charming, seductive, smooth-talking, and trustworthy.
And, of course, she cant simply be a supportive and loving mother who cherishes her daughter.
She must remind Shira that her uterus has an expiration date.
Being a successful, single woman isnt enough.
Yet, at least in the movies listed above, the relationships receive just exploration.
Thus, it is there seemingly to add a little drama to a slower scene.
But, for what purpose?
The show has enough tension.
