HBO's spring, must-see whodunnit series was about so much more than the question of "Who killed Erin McMenamin?" Mare of Easttown, set in the deeply lived-in Delaware County of Pennsylvania, is a murder mystery show wrapped around meditations about family, community, and the secrets everyone keeps.

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While the driving force of the show is Erin's murder and the disappearances of local girls, it was the characters created by the show's storytelling team of Brad Ingelsby and Craig Zobel that made Mare such a riveting watch.

Carrie

Mare and Carrie Layden in Mare of Easttown

It may seem controversial to place Carrie (Sosie Bacon) on the list at all when she was seen frequently berating Mare (Kate Winslet) and endangering the life of her son, Drew.

However, while Carrie might not be a likable person to know in real life, her character was immaculately constructed. What could've been a one-note, sub-plot shepherd was instead a deeply empathetic look at someone trying desperately to change but weighed down by circumstances out of her control.

Father Dan

Father Dan works in the kitchen

The use of the Catholic Church (specifically St. Michael's) as a motif in Mare was expertly and carefully done. From that realm, Father Dan (Neal Huff) was the best character to be created, as he had ties to the religious sect of town and Mare's family.

He does not get a whole lot of screen time in the series, but Father Dan makes a big impact when he does. Few characters leave things unsaid as much as he does, but it's also some of the moments when he speaks from his heart that lead to Mare's thematic developments.

Frank

Frank in Mare of Easttown

Also known as the first red herring of Mare of Easttown, Frank (David Denman) got a raw deal initially when Mare accused him of nefarious behavior with Erin. Fortunately, everything was sorted expediently and Frank got back to his own life.

While the undercurrent of his new marriage helped to put Mare in an even more precarious place, he was never unjustly hostile. Frank always made time for his family and never attempted to push Mare out of the picture - or even his backyard. As far as comic relief-adjacent characters go, Frank was a solid one.

Richard

Guy Pearce at the bar

For a large portion of the audience, Richard Ryan (Guy Pearce) was suspect number one. Surely a mysterious vagabond-esque figure with great success, questionable motives, and a famous actor behind him would be more than just an author and love interest for Mare.

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Instead, that's all he ended up being. A gust of wind from somewhere not named Easttown who helped Mare on her emotional journey. The Richard scenes were never filler, as his character always brought a refreshing perspective to the series.

Erin

Erin McMenamin in her backyard

Erin McMenamin (Cailee Spaeny) may be a major catalyst for the show, but there is not much screen time for her beyond the first episode. That's where Mare's masterstroke ability to develop characters without them needing to say a word comes in most clutch.

So much is learned about Erin and her enormous heart throughout the series, making it all the more tragic that she is murdered in the first episode. But even before that, Mare took the time to explore her character and her life ahead of a dismal ending.

Lori

Lori Ross tells Mare to get out of her car in Mare of Easttown

In the early episodes of the show, Lori (Julianne Nicholson) was little more than a devoted, loyal friend who did her best to be there for those she cared about, even when they gave her plenty of reasons not to be.

This kind of abiding archetype could have just been a sounding board for Mare's anxieties, but as the season developed, she clearly became so much more. She was a woman hellbent on doing whatever she could to protect her child, even though it tore her apart emotionally. Her character arc is among the show's most beautifully realized.

Helen

Jean Smart as Helen in the kitchen on Mare of Easttown

Helen Fahey (Jean Smart) is another character who could've just been a glorified side role. Instead, Helen becomes the embodiment of what it means to pass down loss and trauma in a community that seems to be constantly repeating its mistakes.

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Helen's extended empathy is vital for understanding the legacy characters on the show and so much of that is revealed through a truly lived-in performance by Smart. Throw in moments of levity and Fruit Ninja and it's clear that Helen is among the series' best figures.

Siobhan

Siobhan Mare

Siobhan (Angourie Rice) makes for a fascinating character study on Mare of Easttown. She is at once deeply empathetic, tragically flawed, unnervingly relatable, and occasionally abrasive. But it all comes from a creative place where the show truly cared about giving her the development she needed.

By the end, Siobhan represents the hope that people can find a way to get out of Easttown for good. It's a necessary symbol in the series, but it wouldn't have meant nearly as much if the writing staff didn't take time to explore her character at a distance from the ongoing criminal investigations. It was never filler; it was always heart.

Zabel

Colin Zabel looks at Mare in Mare of Easttown episode 2

When Detective Colin Zabel (Evan Peters) first showed up, Mare's reaction seemed to prime audiences for the notion that he would get in her way. Instead, he was in immediate awe of her.

That starry-eyed sort of character is not typically played by Evan Peters, but casting him might be one of the best decisions made by the show. Peters brought Zabel to life with earnestness, a tip-toeing self-confidence, and an incredible drunken scene. The more that was learned about Zabel's regrets and ambitions, the more fully realized and impeccable the character became. Tragedy can never erase all that was gorgeously developed about the Zabel character.

Mare

Kate Winslet as Mare in a classroom in Mare of Easttown

It may seem underwhelming to put the series' main character as its best, but it can also be trite to pretend like the main character of a show is not the best simply because they receive the most screen time. Mare had the most development on the show and, as its titular character, was always going to receive the most attention.

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In some cases, that can leave the main character as overwritten or just "too much," in general. In Mare's case, it anchored the entire show. Her development moves at an achingly glacial pace, but every pay-off in her emotional journey is so much more satisfying because of how much the audience has invested in her. Is she immensely flawed? Of course. But as far as pure characterization goes, Mare will go down as one of the best in television for 2021.

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