Introduction

Mystery thrillers are a genre that I love and despise. The reason I love them is simple: I love mysteries that keep me guessing and thinking. It helps keep me locked into the narrative, and I feel it becomes even more immersive when the mystery is worth trying to solve.

However, I also said I hate them, and that reason is simple as well—most mystery thrillers are predictable. Yeah, they might still be good stories, but I often have them figured out pretty early on. His & Hers, however, became my exception.

Adapted from the novel by Alice Feeney, His & Hers is a six-episode limited series that I wasn’t sure if I’d like but ended up falling in love with. Here’s the mystery though: will you love His & Hers too, or want to pass up this mystery thriller for something else? We will find out in my review of His & Hers.

Don’t worry readers, this review will contain no spoilers, as that would honestly ruin the entire experience.

Story

Detective Jack Harper and his new partner Priya Patel work for the Dahlonega, Georgia police department, where crime seems to be quite uncommon. That’s why when Jack ends up leading a murder investigation on a woman found in the woods, it should be an easy case to solve.

However, when his estranged wife Anna Andrews appears as a news reporter on scene—a world she’s been away from for quite some time—he realizes this case is about to become a true test of his detective skills.

I hope you are ready for a mystery thriller that is going to consistently test your own detective skills. His & Hers might seem like a simple murder plot on paper, but I promise you, by the credit roll on episode one, you will soon discover this story runs deeper than just an upset wife and a detective with plenty of skeletons in his closet.

I was on a rollercoaster ride as you discover why Anna and Jack have separated, who this murdered woman is, and how she connects to Anna’s past and, oddly, to Jack’s current life. Every time my sleuth skills thought I was closer to piecing this strange puzzle together, I quickly realized His & Hers does a tremendous job fooling the audience.

Yet, I say that not in a negative way. Some mystery stories that confuse or misguide the viewer do it in a way that is ridiculous and quite convenient. His & Hers does throw some red herrings in for good measure, but every story revelation or character plot has purpose and meaning. I never rolled my eyes when I learned I was wrong about who I thought the killer was or who could be next in what ends up being a multiple homicide affair.

His & Hers isn’t without its faults though. There are some scenes that made me laugh at how badly they seem thrown in. Case in point, there’s a moment where two characters have a true heart-to-heart moment that screams wholesome and deep, only for them to then have sex in a place that is kind of messed up seeing as what transpired there originally.

This doesn’t happen a lot, but I do feel His & Hers tries to be sexual just to be sexual.

The ending, however, is what really makes His & Hers special. Again, no spoilers, but when the series concludes you will be mystified by the end result. Anna’s friends, Jack’s strange moves that seem to counter his detective work, and even Priya’s attempts to show her own talents all lead to a grander story that will leave you shocked and baffled.

I think the story of His & Hers is nothing short of incredible and shows that a mystery can be done cleverly with misdirection and smart narrative design.

Acting and Cast

The cast of His & Hers isn’t a bunch of no-names, but rather a group of well-known actors and actresses. Anna Andrews is played by Tessa Thompson, while Jack Harper is portrayed by Jon Bernthal, and both do a near-perfect job in their respective roles.

I say near perfect because there are a few times where I felt Jon Bernthal let his other roles slip into Jack’s persona, which can ruin immersion a bit.

Sunita Mani plays Priya, and I loved her mix of trying to appease her new boss while also proving her skills. There are numerous other actors in His & Hers, including Pablo Schreiber, Marin Ireland, Poppy Liu, Chris Bauer, and Crystal Fox, but I won’t go into who they portray as that would oddly enough ruin the story when they appear.

Just know the entire cast nails their roles, and the acting was nothing but fabulous.

Cinematography and Direction

Where His & Hers feels the weakest is the camera work and direction at times. You could make a drinking game—though we don’t advise this—of how many drive-up sequences are in an episode.

I get people drive places constantly, but there’s a reason many movies and TV shows don’t show every single driving moment. Direction-wise, this goes hand in hand with the story issues I had. Some direction choices feel ill-timed and unnecessary.

His & Hers works best when the camera focuses on characters confessing feelings or during flashbacks. These moments are perfect. Also, I’m not a meteorologist, but rain usually hits an entire area, not just one specific location the camera is focused on…right?

Conclusion

I really enjoyed His & Hers even with its glaring issues. The story and acting save this six-episode series and keep you engaged from beginning to end.

The ending helped influence my score quite a bit, as it was so well done and smart. I highly recommend mystery thriller fans check out His & Hers while they can, as limited series tend to disappear quickly. Otherwise, you’ll miss out on one of the better mystery stories I’ve watched in a long while.