The Resort Review: The Disappointment of Time / A Noxious Toothworm / Tempus Exhaurire (Season 1 Episodes 1-3)
The Resort has made its debut on Peacock with an impressive first three episodes that span multiple genres in this mystery/thriller/comedy extraordinaire.
The series follows Emma and Noah, a couple on an anniversary trip who find themselves entangled in a 15-year-old mystery.
There’s something about mysteries that take place on an island that always sucks me right in, and The Resort is no exception. When I think of other series that follow the premise of “strange mystery in a remote setting,” I think of series like Lost, The Wilds, and Yellowjackets, to name a few.
But The Resort brings a fresh spin to the concept, modernizing it and keeping it surprisingly light and fun. It trades in paranormal smoke monsters and cult-ish soccer teams, for mid-2000s nostalgia and genuinely funny humor.
The Resort Season 1 Episode 1, “The Disappointment of Time”, does a good job in presenting the mystery, but what it really excels in is familiarizing us with the characters we’ll be following.
Emma and Noah are played by Cristin Millotti (How I Met Your Mother) and William Jackson Harper (The Good Place), and the two have very genuine and magnetic chemistry.
It’s clear from the start that they don’t have the happiest of relationships. There’s a definite strain hanging over them, but you can tell there was once a deep love between them — something that is given more attention on The Resort Season 1 Episode 2, “A Noxious Toothworm,” during a flashback, which is actually my favorite episode so far.
Our other main players are Sam and Violet, played by Skyler Gisondo and Nina Bloomgarden, respectively. I am slightly surprised by how much I gravitate toward their characters — the chemistry between them is instantaneous and alluring from the get-go, and I find myself anxiously awaiting their scenes.
And it’s a good thing that both Sam and Violet and Noah and Emma are as likable as they are because there aren’t many other characters we follow.
Sure there are some background characters, such as the couple Emma and Noah meet on the tourist bus, and Sam’s parents and girlfriend, but they’re only around for brief scenes and don’t have much effect on the plot.
This is a smart decision because it makes it feel as if these characters are really on their own, making their eventual storylines all the more thrilling.
The series follows two separate timelines: Emma and Noah in the present day, and Sam and Violet in 2007, and the show finds a steady balance between the two. The mystery unfolding in 2007 is unexpected, and it’s such an interesting aspect that is being explored.
The mystery genre has been fairly well explored, at times it can become repetitive, but the story The Resort delivers is unique and keeps you guessing throughout every episode. There’s also little information given to us — it’s bit by little bit, and we find out along with our characters what’s going on.
When the mystery does begin to unfold; however, it’s immediately kicked into high gear.
The Resort Season 1 Episode 2 gives us plenty of character and plot development, introducing new and intriguing pieces of this case that leave you on the edge of your seat.
The Resort Season 1 Episode 3, “Tempus Exhaurire”, focuses more heavily on the budding relationship between Sam and Violet — and their relationship may just be my favorite part of the series. It’s such a natural development, and if I didn’t know better, I would have believed they’ve known each other for years.
It’s rare to have such an instant connection between characters, so they are a delightful addition to an already strong show.
There are so many interesting parallels to Emma and Noah’s own relationship. Is that strictly coincidental, or is it fate that Emma and Noah have stumbled upon this mystery?
The biggest standout of the series comes in the subtle comedy. It’s not a cut-and-dry mystery/thriller, it’s genuinely funny, and not in a forced way. It’s so natural, and not just through silly jokes, it’s in little bits of dialogue and body language. It’s so well done!
The highlight is Emma and Noah reading Sam and Violet’s texts. It is so brilliantly funny, and it’s absolutely how someone would react to reading these messages out of context.
Honestly, them trying to figure out this case with nothing but said texts makes for a hilariously awkward investigation that I’m surprised they’re doing as well as they are.
The pacing is also great, each episode held a strong 35-minute runtime, making everything fast-paced but still leaving enough room to properly flesh out the story and characters.
Too often you can get bored in a show when things are too drawn out, especially when it comes to mysteries. Yes, taking your time to tell your story with care is important, but there isn’t any need to draw things out unnecessarily, and it’s wonderful that The Resort recognizes that.
The Resort is a perfect summer show and has so far lived up to expectations (and has genuinely surprised me). I’m excited to see where this one goes.
What did you think of these episodes of The Resort? What are you most looking forward to? What was your favorite part? Let us know in the comments below!
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The Resort airs Thursdays on Peacock.
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Samantha Graves
Samantha is an avid pop-culture enthusiast who arguably watches too much TV and movies and can often be found on Twitter gushing about her favourite things. She’s #TeamJess, a Lucas and Peyton defender, and an all-around Hollywood fanatic. She also has a podcast (Enter The Fangirls).