On August 9, 2017, a TV show premiered with two huge names attached — Stephen King (one of the most successful writers alive) and David E. Kelley (one of the most successful TV creators alive) — and no one saw it. That show? Mr. Mercedes, an adaptation of King’s 2014 novel, the first in a trilogy about a detective named Bill Hodges and the psychopath that got away. But while your mileage may vary when it comes to the book — and the work of Kelley, who created shows like The Practice and Ally McBeal — neither of them are to blame. The problem was that it premiered on the Audience Network, a pay channel owned by AT&T that nobody knew how to find.

After the Audience Network folded in 2020, Mr. Mercedes, which somehow managed to get three full seasons, rolled over to Peacock. A good thing, too, as it’s got a cast to die for — Brendan Gleeson, Harry Treadaway, Jharrel Jerome, Holland Taylor, Kelly Lynch, Breeda Wool, and Justine Lupe — delivering top-notch work.

In this deep dive into the series’ first season, Losers Randall Colburn, Justin Gerber, Ashley Casseday, and Dan Pfleegor discuss the ways in which the show improves upon the source material, how a good performance can elevate a dud character, and the cultural turmoil of the time that clearly influenced its production. Later this summer, the Losers will check in on the show’s subsequent seasons as their coverage of the trilogy continues.

Stream the discussion below and start reading Revival for June. For further adventures, join the Club over long days and pleasant nights via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RadioPublic, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS. You can also unlock hundreds of hours of content in The Barrens (Patreon), including more Lobstrosities like this episode.

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