“Hey, hey!”
Sirens is an engaging, fast-paced show that takes certain themes that are done very frequently across film and television alike, and puts its own spin on them.
*spoilers ahead*
When the first episode begins, we are introduced to Devon (Fahy) as she sits on the steps of the police station after spending the night in jail, and sends a series of texts consisting of one word, a plea to her sister, Simone (Alcock): sirens. The texts go unanswered, the only reply being a massive edible arrangement, which Devon then lugs with her on the seventeen-hour journey to find her sister. Once Devon arrives at the massive, multi-million-dollar mansion where Simone has been staying, chaos immediately begins to unfold. Not only has Simone been living at this palatial estate and in a secret (but not for long) relationship with a man named Ethan (Howerton), she is also the live-in assistant for the enigmatic socialite, Michaela Kell (Moore). The entire place reeks of a cult, which Devon is quick to point out, and what follows is a series of events, split up into five episodes that explore trauma, class, power, and obsession.
When we are first introduced to this rich (no pun intended), cast of characters, the first episode is filled to the brim with biting, sarcastic comebacks from Devon (Fahy) and hilarious one-liners from a straight faced, Michaela (Moore), as Devon tries to make sense of this outlandish world she has been thrust into. I found myself laughing and cringing along with Devon at the sheer absurdity of the daily routines and rituals of this household of billionaires, along with their at times extremely cult-like activities. Along with the darker, satirical nature of the first episode, there is also an air of mystery and tension, which continues to pervade the rest of the series, a tension which only builds as it progresses.
While judging from the first two episodes, one may think that this tone of dark, satirical comedy has set the scene for the remaining episodes, but that is not entirely the case. The further we go into the series, the more we begin to gain deeper insight and understanding into each of the characters. Sirens could have easily remained a one-note dramedy with surface-level characters. Instead, it maintains that dark, comedic tone and further delves into mystery and heavier drama. Along with strong performances from the entire cast, every character we come to know feels fully fleshed out and full of complexities, thus making the story all the more compelling.
The strongest aspect of this series is the performances by the three leads. As Devon, Meghann Fahy does an amazing job of bringing depth and complexity to her character, with what easily could have been a tough, funny, but one-note character. Instead, she shows us the many sides of Devon, and by the end of the series, has laid bare all of Devon’s fears and insecurities. We see that Devon is someone who became the primary caretaker of her sister at a very young age, and though that is not something she regrets doing, it has affected the course of her life. Fahy shows us a confident, but deeply hurt person who wants nothing more than her sister back in her life as she, once again, falls into the role of caretaker for their father, Bruce (Bill Camp). Many of us have had the pleasure of watching Meghann Fahy command the screen in season two of The White Lotus, but you won’t want to miss her giving what might just be my new favourite performance of hers.
Milly Alcock shines as Simone, commanding the screen and holding her own in scenes with some of the greats. Deeper than that, she brings a strong balance of mystery, playfulness, vulnerability, and confidence to Simone, which keeps the audience guessing until the end. When we first meet her, we know that this is not the Simone that her sister knows. She is even referred to as a “mini-Michaela” by other members of the household. What Alcock does such brilliantly is never letting the audience know what Simone’s true intentions are. She's always holding her cards close to her chest, and we never really know what her next move might be. We also come to know, through scenes with Devon, the immense trauma that she suffered as a child, and why she wants so badly to move away from her past and towards a completely different future. Alcock gives a well-rounded performance as Simone and is just magnetic on-screen, and I look forward to seeing much more of her work in the future.
As Michaela, Julianne Moore is tremendously exciting to watch. With her cool, calm demeanor and soft, light voice, it’s impossible not to be drawn to her, despite how manipulative she may appear. Moore balances this clearly, very calculated persona that Michaela has cultivated with a grounded, multi-faceted performance. We see two very distinct sides of Michaela: the side that she wants everyone to see, and as the story progresses and things begin to unravel, Moore begins to peel back the layers, and we are then allowed to see the other side that she has been trying so desperately to hide.
Moore allows us to see a deeply vulnerable and lonely side of Michaela, one who wanted, but could not have children, and hides that behind skincare, luxury clothing, and an obsession with birds of prey (especially her beloved Barnaby). Moore took a character who, in many cases, could perhaps be deeply unsympathetic, and instead, offers us a deep understanding of who she is and the relationships that she seeks out, particularly with Simone. I would quite honestly watch Julianne Moore read the back of a cereal box on-screen for two hours, but it was very intriguing to watch her lean into the full-blown campy humour of some of Michaela’s one-liners, and also create an incredibly complex and engrossing character.
Not only does Sirens give us incredible performances from its three leads, but it also gives us very compelling performances from other cast members. Kevin Bacon delivers a great performance as Peter Kell, Michaela’s husband. At first, looming in the background, observing Michaela as she goes about her day, joking with everyone, and sitting in his office drinking whiskey and smoking weed, but as the series progresses more is revealed about Peter too, and by the end, we see a much darker side of him that, I for one, did not see coming.
Though he may have very limited screen time, Bill Camp offers an understated performance as Bruce. A thoroughly unlikeable character, particularly after we learn how he treated Devon and Simone as children, it’s hard to find sympathy for him, but with the few scenes that he has, he offers a thought-provoking performance and has very poignant scenes with Devon, Peter, Simone, and Michaela. Felix Solis also gives a very entertaining performance as Jose, who helps run the Kell household and is a die-hard Dolphins fan who, by the end of the series, very clearly deserves a pay raise for all of the overtime he’s worked. Britne Olford as Missy is a great addition to the cast of characters as well, and her performance is a perfect example of how a character's screen time does not determine the overall impact of a character.
The one place where Sirens fell flat for me was the final episode. What could have been a great end to an addictive, fun, and engaging watch, instead seemed to lose most of its momentum and culminated in a rather disappointing finale. Episode four ended on a huge cliffhanger, and prior to that moment, it had offered us the most insight into all of the characters and the inner workings of their relationships up to that point.
In episode five, we witness Devon leaving the island as she sets off to resume life as it was, and accept the distant relationship with her sister. We see Simone’s rise to power and new relationship with Peter, and Michaela’s downfall. While at first, we are led to believe that Michaela is still in command and removing Simone from her life after her discovery at the end of episode four, it’s actually Peter who ends up confronting Michaela, stating he wants a divorce. Which leads to the reveal of Simone taking Michaela’s place at Peter’s side, and Michaela leaving the island on the same ferry that Devon is on.
The last scene of the show offers an interesting conversation between Michaela and Devon, revealing that Simone is now a part of this cyclical routine that Peter goes through with women. Michaela was the first, after Peter left his wife, Jocelyn, and now the cycle continues with Simone. Now, is this a realistic ending? Yes, in the sense that, in our society, we do often see men who treat relationships with women as Peter does. Especially considering that the series is adapted from the 2011 play, Elemeno Pea (also written by Meltzer), which in itself is inspired by Greek mythology, showing us that years and years may pass, but the same cycle will continue, and this is taken quite literally, when the final shot of the show is Simone standing on the edge of the cliff looking out, the very same cliff where Michaela stood in the first episode. So yes, it does feel realistic, but it is precisely that that doesn’t feel in keeping with the previous four episodes.
For a show that leaned so heavily into salacious drama, camp, cults, and escapism, the ending just felt off. The show had crafted three complex leads, all driving very different and interesting narratives in their own regard, and instead, we are left with a man at the helm. Which, yes, follows that mythological tradition and is grounded in realism, but seems to differ greatly (too greatly) in tone from the previous four episodes to feel entirely justified.
That being said, up until the final episode, Sirens had me hooked, and despite the disappointing ending, I would still recommend giving the series a watch. It’s the three leads that keep the momentum going through it all, and it is truly a joy to watch three incredibly talented women dive into these parts. Apart from the cast, the show itself is beautifully shot, and this is only elevated by the gorgeous scenery, incredible production, and costume designs. The show is incredibly atmospheric and really allows the audience to step into this strange world for a few hours.
Sirens is an engaging, fast-paced show that takes certain themes that are done very frequently across film and television alike, and puts its own spin on them. And while the ending surely loses its sense of tone, it is still very worth your time. It has a great cast, all of whom are at the top of their game, portraying interesting and engaging characters who all have fantastic chemistry with one another.
I will now be saying “hey, hey!” for at least the next five to ten business days.
Sirens is now streaming on Netflix
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