Scarpetta

For the last couple of nights we've binge-watched a "new" program on Prime called "Scarpetta." Because we saw it, you don't need to. It's not worth your time.

The program is loosely based on the best selling books written by Patricia Cornwall. Her main character is Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a forensic scientist and Chief Medical Officer for the State of Virginia. The novels are great fun to read. I have enjoyed all of them over the years, so when a series was announced I was hopeful it would be as good as the books. Alas, the books are way better. 

Nicole Kidman plays Kay Scarpetta and Jamie Lee Curtis plays Scarpetta's sister Dot. In the books the two do not get along. In the series the sisters truly dislike one another. The bickering and arguing is done well but it's painful to watch. Dot has a daughter who lives with her auntie Kay and she has a strained relationship with her mother, Dot. As the story progresses, there are flashbacks relating to crimes from the past. They star a 25 years younger Kay Scrapetta and Dot. The flashbacks are difficult to understand and not necessarily linear. Different people play Kay and Dot, which helps determine if the story is set in the past or the present. Of course there's a crime. Of course there are autopsies and medical reports. The supporting characters play their roles well but there are gaps in the story.

After 8 complicated episodes, the season was finally over. All I can say is the story was not woven together well. Both of us had a hard time following the story. What started out as a series of promise turned otherwise. In my humble opinion, don't waste your time. BTW the only reason we watched the whole season is we kept hoping the story would get better. As you can tell, it did not improve.