Olive Kitteridge (miniseries)

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Olive Kitteridge
Olive Kitteridge poster.jpg
Promotional poster
Genre Drama
Based on Olive Kitteridge
by Elizabeth Strout
Teleplay by Jane Anderson
Directed by Lisa Cholodenko
Starring
Music by Carter Burwell
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes4
Production
Executive producers
ProducerDavid Coatsworth
Cinematography Frederick Elmes
Editor Jeffrey M. Werner
Running time233 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network HBO
ReleaseNovember 2 (2014-11-02) 
November 3, 2014 (2014-11-03)

Olive Kitteridge is an American television miniseries based on Elizabeth Strout's 2008 novel Olive Kitteridge . Set in Maine, [1] the HBO miniseries features Frances McDormand as the title character, Richard Jenkins as Olive's loving husband Henry Kitteridge, Zoe Kazan as Denise Thibodeau, and Bill Murray as Jack Kennison. [2] The show is divided into four parts, each depicting a certain point of time in the novel. [1]

Contents

The miniseries debuted in the United States on November 2, 2014, on the American premium TV network HBO, which aired the show's first two episodes back-to-back that evening; the third and fourth episodes aired back-to-back the following evening. It was shown in a similar format in the United Kingdom on Sky Atlantic, on December 14 and December 15, 2014. [3] It premiered in Australia on Showcase from 13 January 2015. [4] At the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards, the miniseries won eight awards including Outstanding Limited Series, Outstanding Lead Actress for McDormand and Outstanding Lead Actor for Jenkins.

Premise

Olive Kitteridge is a misanthropic and strict, but well-meaning, retired schoolteacher who lives in the fictional seaside town of Crosby, Maine. She is married to Henry Kitteridge, a kind, considerate man who runs a pharmacy downtown, and has a troubled son named Christopher, who grows up to be a podiatrist. For 25 years, Olive has experienced problems of depression, bereavement, jealousy, and friction with family members and friends.

Cast

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
1"Pharmacy" Lisa Cholodenko Jane Anderson November 2, 2014 (2014-11-02)
Maine, 1980. Olive Kitteridge is a no-nonsense high school math teacher who doesn't suffer fools and never hesitates to express an opinion, no matter how much hurt she might cause. She treats her husband Henry with indifference and is strict with her son Christopher, who struggles to please her. Henry is the local pharmacist and after his long-time assistant dies from a stroke, he hires a young woman, Denise Thibodeau, whose husband is also named Henry. The two Henrys go hunting with a third man, and the younger Henry is killed in a freak accident. The older Henry grows close to Denise after her husband's death, teaching her how to drive and gifting her an adopted kitten. Olive harbors an attraction to an English teacher at her school and takes an interest in Kevin Coulson, one of her students. Kevin's mother Rachel suffers from bipolar disorder.
2"Incoming Tide"Lisa CholodenkoJane AndersonNovember 2, 2014 (2014-11-02)
Years have passed and Kevin Coulson, now studying in New York City to be a psychiatrist, returns to town. He struggles with the effects of his mother Rachel's suicide and experiences symptoms of schizophrenia, including vivid hallucinations. Kevin is contemplating suicide himself, but is interrupted by Olive, who engages him in conversation about the town and notices a gun in the back seat of his car. Kevin also saves a former classmate from drowning. Christopher is about to marry, and Olive invites Kevin to attend the rehearsal dinner. Olive dislikes her future daughter-in-law, Suzanne, as well as her prospective in-laws. She invites Kevin to stay with them and to the wedding the next day. On the day of the wedding, Olive acts coldly to those around her, including her new in-laws and members of Suzanne's family.
3"A Different Road"Lisa CholodenkoJane AndersonNovember 3, 2014 (2014-11-03)
Olive and Henry are saddened when they receive a call from Christopher, now living in California and working as a podiatrist, to say that he and Suzanne are getting a divorce. Christopher appears content with his divorce and explains that he is in therapy. He also tells his parents that he will not be coming to Maine for a visit. Returning home from a dinner out, Olive and Henry stop at a hospital to use the bathroom. Two gun-toting addicts arrive looking for drugs, taking patients and staff members hostage. While held captive, Olive and Henry argue, blaming each other for Christopher's unwillingness to visit. Olive also reveals that she planned to leave him for her former colleague. After the ordeal, Christopher suggests that his parents should enter counseling, but Olive won't hear of it. Henry suffers a stroke and loses his ability to communicate.
4"Security"Lisa CholodenkoJane AndersonNovember 3, 2014 (2014-11-03)
Olive visits Christopher and his new wife Ann in New York City, but relations between them continue to be strained. Olive likes Ann more than she liked Christopher's first wife but is critical about how Ann parents her two children from previous relationships and her housekeeping skills. The tension culminates in a fight between Olive and Christopher, who argues that she was harsh and uncaring to him as a child. Olive returns from her trip early, learning that her husband has died. Six months later, Olive befriends a wealthy widower, Jack Kenison, and the two enter a relationship despite their initial disagreements.

Reception

Critical response

Olive Kitteridge received widespread critical acclaim for its writing, directing, cinematography, and Frances McDormand's central performance as well as those of Jenkins, Murray and Gallagher. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the show has an approval rating of 95% based on 63 reviews, with an average rating of 8.68/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Olive Kitteridge's narrative slow burn enhances fascinating performances – and a story worthy of its source material." [5] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 89 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". [6]

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef.
2014
Venice Film Festival Silver Mouse Lisa Cholodenko Won [7]
2015
American Cinema Editors Awards Best Edited Miniseries or Motion Picture for Television Jeffrey M. Werner (for "A Different Road")Nominated [8]
Costume Designers Guild Awards Outstanding Made for Television Movie or MiniseriesJenny EaganNominated [9]
Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Limited Series Won [10]
Best Actor in a Movie or Limited Series Richard Jenkins Nominated
Best Actress in a Movie or Limited Series Frances McDormand Won
Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or Limited Series Bill Murray Won
Cory Michael Smith Nominated
Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Miniseries Lisa CholodenkoWon [11]
Dorian Awards TV Performance of the Year – ActressFrances McDormandNominated [12]
TV Director of the YearLisa CholodenkoNominated
Golden Globe Awards Best Miniseries or Television Film Nominated [13]
Best Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television Frances McDormandNominated
Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture
Made for Television
Bill MurrayNominated
Gracie Awards Outstanding Producer – EntertainmentJane AndersonWon [14]
Hollywood Post Alliance Awards Outstanding Color Grading – Television Pankaj BajpaiNominated [15]
Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling –
Television Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Cydney CornellNominated [16]
Best Period and/or Character Makeup –
Television Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Christien Tinsley, Gerald Quist, and Liz BernstromNominated
Best Special Makeup Effects –
Television Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Christien Tinsley, Gerald Quist, and Hiro YadaNominated
Online Film & Television Association AwardsBest MiniseriesNominated [17]
Best Actor in a Motion Picture or MiniseriesRichard JenkinsNominated
Best Actress in a Motion Picture or MiniseriesFrances McDormandWon
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries John Gallagher Jr. Nominated
Bill MurrayWon
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Rosemarie DeWitt Nominated
Best Direction of a Motion Picture or MiniseriesLisa CholodenkoWon
Best Writing of a Motion Picture or MiniseriesJane AndersonWon
Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture or MiniseriesWon
Best Cinematography in a Non-SeriesWon
Best Costume Design in a Non-SeriesNominated
Best Editing in a Non-SeriesWon
Best Makeup/Hairstyling in a Non-SeriesNominated
Best Music in a Non-SeriesNominated
Best New Theme Song in a SeriesNominated
Best Production Design in a Non-SeriesNominated
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Limited Series Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks, Jane Anderson,
Frances McDormand, Steven Shareshian, and
David Coatsworth
Won [18]
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie Richard JenkinsWon
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie Frances McDormandWon
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie Bill MurrayWon
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie Zoe Kazan Nominated
Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special Lisa CholodenkoWon
Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special Jane AndersonWon
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Casting for a Limited Series, Movie or a Special Laura Rosenthal and Carolyn PickmanWon
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Limited Series or a Movie Cydney CornellNominated
Outstanding Main Title Design Garson Yu, Synderela Peng,
Michael Lane Parks, Alex Pollini, and
John Robson
Nominated
Outstanding Costumes for a Contemporary Series, Limited Series or Movie Jenny Eagan and Debbie Holbrook
(for "Incoming Tide")
Nominated
Outstanding Makeup for a Limited Series or a Movie (Non-Prosthetic) Christien Tinsley, Gerald Quist, and
Liz Bernstrom
Nominated
Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Limited Series or a Movie Jeffrey M. Werner (for "Security")Won
Satellite Awards Best Miniseries Made for Television Won [19]
Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television Richard JenkinsNominated
Best Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television Frances McDormandWon
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or
Motion Picture Made for Television
Zoe KazanNominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries Richard JenkinsNominated [20]
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries Frances McDormandWon
Television Critics Association Awards Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials Nominated [21]
Writers Guild of America Awards Long Form – Adapted Jane Anderson;
Based on the novel by Elizabeth Strout
Won [22]
2016
Artios Awards Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Television Movie or Mini SeriesLaura Rosenthal, Carolyn Pickman,
Maribeth Fox, and Jodi Angstreich
Won [23]

Home media

Olive Kitteridge was released by HBO on DVD and Blu-ray on February 10, 2015. [24]

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