The Act: Season 1

TV-MA
2019
Poster for The Act: Season 1

A seasonal anthology series that tells startling, stranger-than-fiction true crime stories with the first season following Gypsy Blanchard, a girl... More

Where to watch The Act: Season 1

The Act: Season 1 is available to stream in Australia... More now on Google TV and Apple TV Store.

The Act: Season 1 episodes

Episode 1.1

La Maison Du Bon Rêve

Doting mother Dee Dee Blanchard and her sweet daughter Gypsy... More arrive in a new neighborhood, where Gypsy feels lonely due to a barrage of medical issues and eager to make friends. But their new neighbors can be nosy, and Dee Dee and Gypsy have secrets to hide.

Episode 1.2

Teeth

Dee Dee is on a high since Gypsy will be... More given the “Child of the Year Award,” which makes Dee Dee feel like Mother of the Year. But before the big event, Gypsy has a dental emergency that gets the attention of a skeptical doctor who could expose Dee Dee’s secrets.

Episode 1.3

Two Wolverines

Dee Dee makes Gypsy play dress up for a costume... More convention, where they each attract charming men who could dangerously complicate their insular relationship. And Gypsy is starting to question the lies her mother tells her — especially about how old she really is.

Episode 1.4

Stay Inside

Gypsy’s getting older and Dee Dee is forced to new... More legal maneuvers to keep control of her “little girl.” But Dee Dee’s limited by her own health problems, and Gypsy goes to greater lengths than ever to connect with men and experience a sexual awakening.

EPISODE 1.5

Plan B

Gypsy and Nick scheme to meet in person and hope... More to win Dee Dee's approval, but when their plan goes disastrously wrong they'll be pushed to make an extreme choice in order to be together.

EPISODE 1.6

A Whole New World

While Gypsy and Nick are on the run, flashbacks to... More a much younger Dee Dee reveal how trauma with her own mother set her up for conflict with Gypsy.

EPISODE 1.7

Bonnie & Clyde

Gypsy is excited to start over with Nick in Wisconsin,... More but their new life doesn't match the happily-ever-after she imagined, and her anxiety worsens as past transgressions begin to catch up with them.

EPISODE 1.8

Free

Gypsy fights for her life by defending her actions, while... More Mel and Lacey realize that behind closed doors things were not always as they seemed.

The Act: Season 1 | Ratings & Reviews

"It’s a reminder that even when you think you know a great deal about (a) true story, there can be value in retelling it."

RogerEbert.comRogerEbert.com

"The bizarre intricacies of the Blanchard case, as portrayed by actors – makes for a weird, often uncomfortable viewing experience..."

The GuardianThe Guardian

"Tour de force is the go-to phrase for this kind of role, but in King’s case I prefer beast mode. She grabs ahold of the character with frightening strength and does not let her grip slip for a second."

VultureVulture

"I enjoyed it for the performances: Chloë Sevigny, as Dee Dee’s plain-talking neighbour Mel, and Joey King, who is brilliant as Dee Dee’s helium-voiced daughter."

The TimesThe Times

"A dishy guilty pleasure wrapped up in a pretty prestige bow."

A.V. ClubA.V. Club

"The Act is infused with a slow-drip poison that’s both thematically appropriate and incredibly hard to watch."

VoxVox

"Though a little more adventurousness would’ve gone a long way, the strangeness of this true story is more than enough to keep you hooked..."

IndieWireIndieWire

"The Act follows last year’s Escape from Dannemora as an excessively spacious venue for Arquette to do first-rate work."

The New YorkerThe New Yorker

"Watching the series becomes a bit of a slog where you are just waiting for the crime to happen so that the narrative can move forward."

PastePaste

"Sometimes The Act is a thoughtful meditation on mutual devastation and twisted intimacy within the cycle of abuse—and sometimes, it’s an epic cage match with one victorious survivor."

Vanity FairVanity Fair

The Act: Season 1 | Details

Rating
TV-MA,
Genre
Drama
Country of origin
United States of America