Lady in the Lake Season 1 Episode 3 Review: I was the first to see her dead. You were the last to see her alive

Character studies work best when you can contrast characters with similar ambitions but different methods, histories, and goals. Lady in the Lake Season 1 Episode 3, “I Was The First To See Her Dead. You Were The Last To See Her Alive” demonstrates this story device well.

We see how Cleo and Maddie overlap in struggles and ambition but diverge in almost every other way.

Cleo feels like a sympathetic hero while Maddie takes on antihero territory. The way this Apple TV+ series explores these characters may cause different reactions to them.

Maddie’s story progresses slowly so it feels like not enough happens to understand the end goal with her. Cleo’s tale gives just enough action and character development to feel like a more fascinating story.

This very much feels more like Cleo’s story with Maddie in it. That’s a big difference from Laura Lippman’s novel, but a welcomed change.

The thing about antiheroes is that they are captivating, even if not exactly likable. Maddie is a captivating character, but one hard to like.

Let’s face it, Maddie’s son is a jerk. And at first, that makes you feel for Maddie, dealing with an ungrateful son and a seemingly horrible husband. However, as her story unfolds, their horribleness doesn’t quite remove some of her faults.

Maddie’s confession to her son about his real father didn’t feel like a slip of the tongue moment. It almost feels like a calculated move to get him not to adore his dad so much.

However, he pulls the Uno reverse card and reveals that he’s known the truth for a while. He just loves his dad even more.

The way Maddie does things, from trying to help solve the murder to spending time with her son, all seem like it’s part of a scheme. The scheme is trying to have a grand life.

It doesn’t seem like she loves writing or wants to help but wants the fame of crime solving and being a reporter.

That’s not to say Maddie is heartless but she seems like someone who cares but cares more about being seen as important and caring. 

Maddie is more fascinating because she isn’t this cookie-cutter pure character. She has grit and some fangs underneath her appearance of perfection.

Nevertheless, when contrasting Maddie and Cleo, Cleo stands out more.

She is genuine. It may end up hurting her in the long run but nothing about Cleo’s behavior is manipulative…yet.

We start to see her fangs form as she becomes bolder, ruthless, and loud.

However, it feels more like a result of necessity.

She finds herself in a tough situation and getting dragged into trouble. Cleo refuses to become a victim so she channels her cleverness to save her life.

The difference between these women seems to be that Maddie has always known privilege and that’s reflected in how she treats life and situations. Cleo has always known hardship and that’s reflected in her experience.

One works hard to free herself from a bad situation, while the other does the same to save her spirit. Maddie’s situation isn’t dire in the same way as Cleo’s situation, but she’s losing her joy by staying a housewife.

These women are taking charge of their lives for valid reasons. One feels more critical to her survival, but the same could be said for Maddie. Her situation was hurting her mental and emotional health, and that’s just as important as an actual life-threatening situation.

Learning more of Maddie’s background in future episodes may inspire the same level of sympathy that Cleo’s history draws. We just need to get to that moment.

An interesting thing Lady in the Lake explores is how the viewer projects on these characters. Many may love Maddie but others may not and that may not depend on what’s being presented about her, but projecting our prejudices and feelings on the character.

She may only lose some sympathy because she doesn’t act in the ways people believe a loving mother should. That’s the beauty of art. It’s not just about what you’re presented with but how worldview alters opinions.

That makes Cleo and Maddie great characters for Lady in the Lake. They aren’t simple and that causes a more nuanced exploration of them.

What did you think of this episode of Lady in the Lake? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Lady in the Lake streams on Thursdays on Apple TV+.

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