"Elizabeth Olsen delivers an electrifying, razor-sharp performance in this gripping true-crime portrait of suburban Texas repression turned deadly."
David E. Kelley steers Love & Death with chilling precision, transforming a notorious 1980 Texas axe murder into an astute study of quiet domestic desperation. Anchored by Elizabeth Olsen’s mesmerizing turn as Candy Montgomery and Jesse Plemons’s measured restraint, this HBO Max limited series balances churchgoing pleasantries with mounting dread. The production delivers a polished, devastating indictment of small-town conformity, resulting in a thoroughly compelling historical crime account from start to finish.
| Watched? | # | Air Date | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| E1 | Apr 27, 2023 | The Huntress | |
| E2 | Apr 27, 2023 | Encounters | |
| E3 | Apr 27, 2023 | Stepping Stone | |
| E4 | May 04, 2023 | Do No Evil | |
| E5 | May 11, 2023 | The Arrest | |
| E6 | May 18, 2023 | The Big Top | |
| E7 | May 25, 2023 | Ssssshh |
Production Type: Limited Series
Love & Death is a standalone Limited Series designed as a completed, finite historical narrative. Developed by David E. Kelley and directed by Lesli Linka Glatter, the production was mounted as a premium cinematic exploration of the 1980 Texas axe murder involving Candy Montgomery. The project utilized a significant budget to meticulously recreate the period setting and suburban atmosphere of Wylie, Texas, focusing on a character-driven approach that required a high-caliber cast to execute its specific emotional arc.
The series was structured specifically to adapt the non-fiction book Evidence of Love and the comprehensive investigative articles from Texas Monthly. Because the narrative follows the chronological progression from the initial affair to the final courtroom verdict, the story reaches a definitive legal and thematic resolution. As a result, the production was completed as a one-off event with no intention of continuing beyond the historical facts of the case.