User Reviews

I enjoyed the slow burn. Sam Neill is excellent. He does a great job of portraying someone who's holding back. While the series progresses he keeps you guessing as to the type of person he might be. It's easy to say in retrospect that you knew the answer all along but, honestly, he made me wonder and I really enjoyed the journey. Annette Bening also does an excellent job of portraying a woman coming to terms with the meaning of her life upon retirement. Her kids are grown and she finds herself being alone with her husband. What happens when your identity for so long has been defined by your family and your profession? Was it all worth it? I enjoyed finding out.

Liane Moriarty's story is transferred to Miami and torn between a satire about the disintegration of a dysfunctional family (who love their tennis) and a TV melodrama mystery. There is lazy dialogue that sounds as if taken directly from the book, and characters not fully realised or fleshed out. Even the actors seem a bit lost, with Sam Neill hamming it up, just going through the motions.

Still the mystery element keeps the interest, with two detectives hot on the trail. Other factors that stood out (and hopefully get wackier) is the children who come together in search of their mother. This forces the siblings to sort out their relationship hang-ups and family squabbles.

Overall disappointing, but the dark humour and mystery just keeps it afloat.

I am getting tired of shows with such promise at the beginning only to be squandered away with a rushed, thoughtless, disappointing ending. Such is the case of "Apples Never Fall." Annette Bening (recently in "Nyad"), Jake Lacy of "White Lotus," and Alison Brie ("Promising Young Woman") lure me in, and for the most part, the mysterious unfolding of events keep me tuned. The feel of this series is very similar to "Big Little Lies," being that both are based on the work of the same author. However, "Apples Never Fall" is clearly the inferior of the two, with its contrived plot turns and a waste of an ending.

If you are willing to adjust your expectations of this limited series, you may not be let down by this generally well-acted drama.

In reality, there really is no "mystery" other than not knowing *anything* substantial about the central event for 7 of the 8 episodes. Plenty of suspicions and dubious conclusions by law enforcement are lobbed (sorry) between characters relentlessly episode after episode, with key "evidence" uncovered along the way being almost hilariously circumstantial (and obviously meant to mislead).

The *vast* majority of the episodes center around the family dynamics of the. Delaneys, with plenty of flashbacks that fill in present day interactions to explain why some family members react and behave the way they do.

In the end, the final episode was a complete letdown, with the last 5 seconds of the penultimate episode being the biggest twist/shocker of the series. I did not read the book, but it felt like the last episode was stretching the last couple pages of the book into a full hour of content.

If you temper your expectations oso that you don't expect a big payoff to the series, and instead watch it as a family melodrama wrapped around a "meh" mystery, your opinion might be higher.

Two award-winning veteran actors, Annette Bening and Sam Neill drag this predictable plot along, supported by their soap opera children. Robert Taylor, Sheriff Walt Longmire that was, has a small supporting role late in the show.

It's watchable enough, when Annette disappears and the family self-destructs. There are a couple of interesting twists in the backstory as the scenes switch from "then" to "now", but that part of the plot is unbelievable in the end. Everyone swearing to do better and the renewed happy family final scene is laughable. Mom was always taken for granted and left cleaning up after her ungrateful spoiled brats of a family. Mom and Dad's toxic relationship DNA has reproduced to some degree in the children. It's a cautionary tale and one probably familiar to lots of wives and mothers. Not awful, just could have been a lot better.

Yes, ignore the low ratings from folks. This has a lovely slow burn. Easy to digest and follow even when it goes back from Then to Now and vice versa. Each episode focuses on a character and their vantage point or pov. Each tell a part of the story which if was spoken or shared, we would have figured out the mystery sooner. But this story is about what's done in the dark, the secrets you keep, the self preservation of yourself affects your life and your family. The decisions we make alter the perspective of others. How they see us and how they see themselves. All of this plays into the telling of the story.

To be honest I thought the ending was going to fall short. But it didn't. They could have however, had an eight episode entitled Savannah. The only mystery is the life and the character of Savannah which is never fully developed or shown. To see her then and now would have warranted a 10/10.

I'll definitely be watching this again. And as a father and husband reminding myself that all my actions and words have a bigger impact and butterfly effect that I could ever imagine.

I'm a big fan of Liane Moriarty's books. I found the book had a real look at family dynamics, especially between siblings. Also, the trauma that we carry from our own childhood well into adulthood. I think most of that transferred to the mini-series and I think that it stayed true to the book. They did do a bit of a change, adding in one of the children being a homosexual. However, it didn't add nor take away from the story. I found it really interesting especially how things can change and people can condemn people without proof or conviction. I think it expressed also how parents feel as I get older with the lack of communication or respect they get from their adult children. I have to admit that I couldn't stop watching it and I've binge watching it all night. I would've liked more of a resolution that the book had, but I'm satisfied. I am certainly more satisfied with this adaptation than I was with "Big Little Lies" because that street so far from the book.

While the performances are fairly uneven, I really enjoyed this adaptation of a book I really enjoyed. It's concerned with showing showing the casual damage family dynamics cause even with the privileged. Without communication skills people are just socialized into unfulfilling, cyclical abuse trauma. All with the backdrop of a mystery, which is more a whodunit than a whodunit.

The book is much better at keeping things interesting between the A plot and B plot by virtue of being in the heads of the characters, feeling more relatable, and dovetailing each kids' story with the overarching plot. The show isn't bad.

In fact, it's kind of funny reviews that dislike it say they gussed the ending right away, so it wasn't good, when the actual point is being able to emphasize with fallible people all thinking they're doing what's right for them and the family. Patting yourself on the back for being unable to empathize and being fixated on the mystery is a weird flex, but what can you expect from the general public, I guess.

This is the story of a family with secrets and resentments, all of which come to the fore when the mother disappears and may have been murdered, Contrary to some other reviewers, I thought the acting was great, the characters and relationships well-developed, and there is a good mystery to boot. One reviewer criticized it as being a Lifetime type show, but I think those who like relationship movies would appreciate it. For me, the "Lifetime" epithet means maudlin and "Apples Never Fall' was certainly not that. It certainly held our interest and we were never tempted to skip ahead to episode seven to see how it all ended,. It is based on the best-selling book by Australian author Liane Moriarty.

So I had nothing to watch and I saw that Annette Bening and Sam Neil were in a new show. I was so excited. And then....ugh. It is so bad. I think I saw someone compare this to Succession saying it was not as good. That would be the biggest understatement! The character plot line of the family is all over the place. It was if they had to check all the boxes of any movie in existence. Drama, money, lesbian, black sheep, infidelity, mental illness, violence, sex, the list goes on. That is why I got to the point that I didn't care what happened. Just put me out of my misery. I fast forwarded thru the ridiculous added dramatic scenes just to see how it ends. Uggh. Watch something else.

There is absolutely nothing groundbreaking about the show, but it is enjoyable, well acted, interesting, and the perfect length at seven episodes. I did not read the source material yet, but I never compare books and movies for the sake of determining which one was "better", so that really doesn't matter to me anyway. I've always loved Annette Benning and Sam Neill, and both have certainly become better with age! The rest of the cast supports them well.

As for the low scores... completely ridiculous. I probably would've rated this a 7, but I gave it an extra point just to counter some of the unfair reviewers. One person in particular rates it a 2, and goes off about Hollywood culture war, blah blah, rich white people are being demonized blah blah. Well, I'm white, and I don't see that at all. Some people just need to get a life.

This series started well and pulled me in for the first half. Sadly it is another example of a series that ends poorly leaving the viewer wondering what the heck did I just watch. The family dynamics are truly sad with each person being totally self absorbed and the Father, Sam Neill, being truly dislikeable. In the middle of that lot you have the interloper who no one questions. This, in my view, makes the series totally unbelievable. After a complicated six episodes of family dynamics, which, in parts, was full of suspense, the whole lot fell flat with several things left unanswered. This left me wondering what I had just watched.

Yet another Liane Moriarty achievement. The lingering pace and the front row seat of the messiness of a seemingly perfect family gives this slow burn drama a sense of intimacy that you don't necessarily get from other suspense mysteries. It is well paced, with a front row seat to the intricacies and complexities of family life, all while circling around the mystery of, "what happened to Joy?" In a lot of ways, the story of Joy's disappearance is secondary to the commentary on what it means to be family and to the extents we will go for our family and for ourselves at their expense. I'm not sure why the negativity around this show - the acting is fantastic and the source material is masterful.

My only criticism is some of the unrealistic nature of the police involvement and how essentially the kids are doing their jobs (in order to avoid spoilers, I'm not going elaborate on that.)

I'm 3 episodes in an i have to admit i'm hooked. On the surface, this appeared to be the all-American family, but as with all things, the reality is rarely what it seems. The mother disappears and in the beginning, the father tells a different story to everyone. Lie after lie keeps piling up until someone goes to the police.

Apples Never Fall is very intriguing. Layer after layer is peeled back and we keep finding more secrets. If the remaining 4 episodes can continue at this pace, i'm very excited to see the rest.

Based on the episodes i've seen, 7 stars out of 10.

Very recommended.

An excellent watch.

Having read the book, and also having seen th excellent Big Little Lies adaptation by the same author, Liane Moriarty, this production is somewhat lacking.

The pacing is off, a hollow soap opera quality if you will; and the fake American accents by Australian actors Conor Merrigan Turner and Essie Randles are distracting. The author Liane Moriarty is Australian so somehow hiring Australian actors I guess is a tribute to that, accent be damned.

The 'mystery; itself is intriguing, as it was in the book, with a decent enough twist which I always enjoy. The family dynamics and individual characteristics of each family member is well done. I think Big Little Lies is the better adaptation, and I can't help but to compare it to that but definitely entertaining enough to keep me watching.

This was a very cozy watch. The acting is top notch by everyone, and a couple of the siblings are pretty much newcomers and they were super great. I really liked how they set up each episode to be about a different suspect. And I loved the set design of the house, it was like its own character, I wanted to live there. The ending was a little shaky for me, but the road to get there made it all worth the watch anyway. Annette Bening was exceptional, but ultimately I watched this for Mr. Handsome Jake Lacy and will continue to watch everything he's in, not sorry. (shoutout Significant Other 2022)

I finished watching all episodes and I have to tell you that it is not really a mystery, or a detective story, or a whodunit, it is a family drama. You know how the whole series ends by the end of episode 1, unless you're a complete doofus.

When the mother goes missing, family issues arise and family members begin blaming each other and mostly their father.

There is also a look-back plot-line of a young woman who befriends the parents one day and stays with them for a period of time and that changes the family dynamics, effecting both parents and their adult children.

And there is, also, a nearly idiotic plot-line in today times of two not very bright detectives looking for a missing mother.

IMHO, all actors did a good job with their characters, especially Sam Neill, who plays the most complex and most human character.

I gave this series a 7 out of 10 because it's not awful like most Netflix shows, but not as great as it could've been. Hopefully, we wont get a second season as this story got wrapped up and concluded.

Overall, can't recommend, but can''t advice against watching it either.

Has your mom ever been ranting and threatened "maybe one day I'll just pack up and leave, never come back!" This is what "Apples Never Fall," reminded me of. A take on the "what if," of that kind of situation. The allusions continue as you begin to think of the phrase "Apples Never Fall," ... "Far from the tree," I believe is how that saying ends. Indeed this comes to fruition when the family ties and secrets begin to unravel slowly. Everyone has skeletons in their closets. I appreciated that, in the end, everyone was able to admit their own faults and that Joy wasn't killed off simply in the name of intrigue.

All in all, the story kept me invested throughout. The use of flashbacks helped set the (albeit) slower pace. It definitely felt like an investigation unfolding, and stayed true to the limited series ideals. I enjoyed the way that the tale really made sense from both angles, and how the different POVs and flashbacks only enhanced the "confusion," and drama. By the end, I was even considering a third option--maybe the father didn't kill JOY...its all very reminiscent of the "Pretty Little Liars" production style.

As for the cast, at times I felt that there may have been too many supporting roles. I felt that Logan and Brooke were overshadowed, a lot of the time. I thought Joy was often overly naive. Stan and Troy seeming like the any people with some semblance of sense and depth at times.

While not anything that will amaze, this is the perfect show to get you out of a slump when you aren't sure what to watch next. It's a total fit for someone looking for juicy family drama with some unexpected twists. Sam Neill gives a new meaning to the words brooding stoic, and I'd love to see Annette Bening in a more intense drama!

This show's main attraction is Annette Bening. It starts off as a mystery with a whole lot of family dynamics to be unfolded and explored.

The show has mostly well-known, good actors and it is set in beautiful houses. But it's like a second-rate summer novel. The storyline gets a pass. No more.

You keep watching it because it isn't bad enough to let it go, and because you want to know what happened, but as episodes roll on, blame is pointed to every character in a strive for plot twists and surprises that frankly make the ensemble quite ridiculous in the end.

This is what is frustrating about this show. You keep going to find out why all this is happening, and when they finally have it all out in the final episode, it sounds like my twelve year old niece concocted the whole story.

With such a bad story it is impossilbe to draw any interesting acting or character portrayals from the actors. Troy is pretty good, in his usual rich-prick role we know him for. But the rest, including the father, are quite forgettable.

Funnily, as I look over the IMDB page, the similar shows recommended have the same problem: bad, bad, simplistic and childish storylines. Palm Royale, the Elvis Presley grand-daughter show ... a waste of good resources.

But hey, if you don't really care about suspension of disbelief, you can binge watch them one after the other!

This is so bad and I am not exaggerating. It is hard to put a finger on how to describe it, but I kept looking at the actors waiting them to look to camera and say something like "What do you think of this farce?" - to somehow break the spell. The comical expressions of Sam Neil , in order to feign guilt (I assume that is what he was trying to do) are odd to say the least, especially when being subtly accused of his wife's disappearance.

And another thing - Sam Neil says in almost the opening scene that he is from Queensland, and then puts on an American accent that sounds so fake it makes you cringe with every utterance. Why he could not have just used his NZ/Oz accent to at least help with the show's authenticity is beyond me.

This 7-part series is based on a book by an author that my wife reads and enjoys, although she had not read this particular book. While this series has a number of awkward spots in total it is interesting and entertaining story-telling. The title is a shortening of the old saying "Apples never fall far from the tree." The last episode ties lots of things up and is written to show how it is important for families, parents and their adult children, to keep dialog going and not take each other for granted.

Annette Bening is Joy Delaney and Sam Neill is her long-time husband Stan Delaney. Each was a tennis star in earlier days and in retirement established a successful tennis academy. As this series opens they are fairly freshly retired, having sold the academy.

There is an additional character, Savannah, a stranger that shows up at their door claiming to be a victim of boyfriend abuse and Joy, being a kind person, takes her in. She quickly becomes an ex officio member of the family, to the consternation of the others. It turns out she has a key role in resolving everything.

Joy and Stan have four adult children, each quite different, each with a different idea of what success in life might look like. There is an argument, the children blame Joy, won't take or return her calls under the guise of being too busy. Then Joy disappears. They find her phone in the laundry basket.

This all happens in the first episode, setting up what transpires in the rest of the episodes. The whole show is presented by alternating between a "then" and "now" manner, each time it goes from one to the other script at the bottom of the frame states which it is. So we get some information, but not all, and the rest is revealed gradually. In truth it could have been a 2-hour movie but I get why it is a 7-part series, more opportunity for insertion of 1-minute commercials during each episode. Revenue is important.

Joy is at first just presumed simply missing, as the days go by family and police get hints that she may in fact be no longer alive. So, much of the show is family dynamics as they search for their mother and the reasons she disappeared.

My wife and I watched it streaming on Peacock over three evening, 2, 2, then 3 episodes. It is satisfyingly entertaining.

The several negative reviews and "1" ratings are totally bogus, it is as if they didn't actually see the series.