By Megan Freeman, May 17, 2022
Suicide is always a touchy subject and is a stressful and tragic time for those left behind. Sadly, on July 13, 2014, Conrad Roy committed suicide and this is all documented in the eight-episode Hulu original series, “The Girl From Plainville.”
The show is a true story that was dramatized for TV and takes place in Plainville, Massachusetts. It highlights the text exchanges between Conrad Roy and his girlfriend Michelle Carter, who would text every day for hours on end. Roy was extremely depressed and wanted to take his own life, and Carter encouraged him to do it, which was later revealed through these messages.
This show is outrageous, with moments where you will be shocked and whisper to yourself, “what did I just watch?” you may even cry.
This series is well made with slow pacing, making every episode crazier. You will be at the edge of the seat, and when it hits you that this really happened, the tears will fall. It is raw, honest and downright sickening.
The way the show tell Roy’s story is respectful, but this show is not for the faint of heart. Yes, some moments are lighthearted, with some jokes that are said or the wholesome moments between Roy and his mother Lynn Roy. Anyone can tell that she loved her son, and it is heartbreaking to watch the show flashback, to before Conrad’s death. The series also shows the turbulent relationship between Roy and his father.
Although this show deals with suicide, which has been a common topic in television, it is unlike anything I have seen before. I can only closely compare it to the show “13 Reasons Why,” but “The Girl From Plainville” depicts the struggles of suicide so much better.
It is not cheesy, overbearing nor does it depict suicide as “trendy,” which is sick, to say the least. It shows the real side of what it looks like to struggle with being suicidal and the raw emotions that come with it. This is with limitations, of course, as they do not show everything. The pieces of the puzzle that led to Carter being sent to trial slowly come together throughout the season.
This girl is crazy. The way she tells Roy that she loves him, then does something as vile as what she did is unbelievable. The show gives both Roy and Carter’s side of the story equal airtime. The court trial is hard to watch, and the texts they read between the two are outrageous.
I won’t say too much about Roy’s death or the crazy court trial due to spoilers, but I will say that the Roy’s family dynamic is an interesting one. Roy had two sisters who are not highlighted much in the series, but Roy’s behavior and frustrations about life can be closely related to his relationship with his father.
The show is slightly cringey to watch, because the first couple of episodes are strange and will leave you feeling unsettled. The way the show sets up Carter and her insanity is remarkable; they do not give anything away too soon but allow the viewer to build their own predictions of what could happen next.
Overall, this show is a beautiful but sad masterpiece, a true tearjerker. I just want anybody that may deal with these issues to read this and think twice about wanting to watch something like this because I can see how it may be triggering for some people. I believe this show was made to bring awareness to the issue of suicide. And that is why I highly recommend this show.
If you or someone you know struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts, please navigate to this website. To anyone reading who may be struggling, it does get better. There will be better days. Stay. The world would not be the same without you.
Feature image courtesy of Duo Nguyen.