Both of these series feature women at the core of mysterious murders. Pieces of Her pits Toni Collette against her dark past, while The Thing About Pam brings Rene Zellweger to TV in a fat suit.

Pieces of Her There’s a pivotal incident during the first 10 minutes that’s absolutely gripping and its consequences play out over the series. Toni Collette stars as the mother with a mysterious past. After ending up on TV, she and her daughter (Bella Heathcote) embark on separate journeys to solve the secrets and save their lives. Although it feels like a somewhat bland production based on Netflix algorithms, there are sufficient twists and dangerous encounters along the way to keep make it moderately tense. Interestingly, even though it’s supposedly starts in a small Georgia town, this was actually shot in Australia. (Review based on 5 of 8 one-hour episodes) (3.5 / 5)
Netflix link

The Thing About Pam When her best friend is brutally murdered, Pam Hupp (Renée Zellweger in a fat suit) suspiciously works to frame the father. This mystery is based on an actual case that was featured on Dateline NBC, so the outcome is obvious. Getting there is the challenge of this series, which it does with mixed results. First, Zellweger relishes her chance for a non-glamorous character, even though she seems a bit self congratulatory. The narrative unravels slowly, giving her plenty of screen time. Weirdly, the use of a somewhat jaunty narrator lends a slightly dark comic tone. It’s the voice of Keith Morrison, who’s been a correspondent on Dateline since 1995 (and harkens back to the style of Jim Dale on Pushing Daisies). Zellweger isn’t the only thing that doesn’t feel 100%: The plot unfolds with several more over-the-top performances and revelations that could come faster, but by the end of the series, it’s proven an incredible story.  (3.5 / 5)
NBC link
Peacock link
Hulu link