'Wilderness' Premiere Review: Love, Murder, and Mistakes

From the first episode, Amazon Prime’s new drama show “Wilderness” manages to both grab the viewer’s attention and make them feel uneasy. The contrast in the opening scene between the happy couple driving on the highway and the eerie voice that main character Olivia Taylor (Jenna Coleman) uses to narrate, accompanied by Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do,” quickly produces both intrigue and apprehension.

Nine months before the show begins, Will (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) and Olivia are introduced as British newlyweds who just moved to New York, sharing such love and passion that will certainly make the viewer smile; from heartwarming eye contact to spicy kisses and teasing dialogue, the flawless match of their personalities and good looks are the perfect formula. All until Olivia finds out from a text that her husband is cheating on her. While the discovery seems rather cliche and the scene somewhat rushed, both actors pack the atmosphere with emotion through trembling voices, strong physicality, and facial expressions that truly reveal each character’s feelings. Turning to a friend during her grief, Olivia reveals that her greatest fear is to become like her mother — a woman obsessed with the ex-husband that cheated on her for years.

It is not long before Olivia’s dark, psychotic side returns: She raids the apartment and watches Will’s belongings burn with satisfaction, her rage accentuated by a fittingly punk rendition of Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs’ “Sacrilege.” Unfortunately, this fire seems to extinguish quickly. Will, whom Olivia had kicked out, arrives pleading for forgiveness and offering the road trip of a lifetime, the honeymoon vacation they never got to enjoy. Against what would be expected based on the previous scene, Olivia passively agrees, leaving the audience wondering whether she has truly moved on, or she is plotting something.

After finding yet more evidence of Will’s affair in his computer, Olivia bottles up the disgust and betrayal, keeping quiet. With ease, Coleman transitions from one emotion to the next through the tension in her features and gaze, making Olvia’s unhinged expression and lifeless eyes reveal her murderous intentions. The black widow spider that their car runs over as the couple hits the road is more than enough an omen of what is to come.

Olivia’s backstory is lightly touched on, hints about the strains in the relationship with her mother — including having a drink before answering her mom’s call, being visibly awkward during it, and hanging up abruptly — are clear. The fact that this call takes place right before Olivia first finds out about her husband’s affair is a nice touch — a detail that hints to a story being repeated; what once happened to her mother is now happening to her. The overall expansion in her character both allows the viewer to start grasping her actions and intentions, and leaves room for curiosity as to how the character will develop and how far will Olivia go (does she know her own limits? Or will the audience figure it out along with her?).

Will, on the other hand, is shown as a rather plain character, who comes off as a pawn for the plot; it is difficult to trace the intentions behind his actions or understand why, if he seems to love Olivia so much, he is having an affair with another woman? The absence of depth on Will’s character harms the overall credibility of the storyline in the premiere, and it is unclear whether development in future episodes will be enough to make up for it. Similarly, the lack of flow in the script makes the episode feel rather forced. While some scenes, such as the showcase of Olivia’s rage, develop with a natural sort of truthfulness, others, such as when Will begs for forgiveness, seem unlikely to take place in real life (why would the same person who was burning clothes forgive him so quickly and easily?)

From how well the music matches its respective scenes, down to the enhancement of facial expressions through the use of lightning, cinematography makes up for the somewhat lacking script. Details as tiny as a fly in the window of a restaurant the couple stops by while on the road truly bring the story to life, while usage of popular music — always a risky production choice — accentuates the emotion of both the characters and the audience. Coupling this execution with a promising cast and intrigue as to whether Olivia will do all it takes to attain her revenge will certainly leave the audience waiting for the next episode.