Netflix’s ‘Unbelievable’: A Harrowing True-Crime Masterpiece Earns Rave Reviews and Awards Buzz

By Sarah Klein, Television Critic Variety Entertainment Section December 17, 2025

Netflix’s limited series Unbelievable, which premiered in September 2019, continues to captivate audiences and critics alike with its unflinching portrayal of a real-life serial rape case and the systemic failures that allowed it to continue. Directed in part by Columbia School of the Arts alumna Lisa Cholodenko ’97, the eight-episode drama has been hailed as a revolutionary depiction of sexual assault and its aftermath, shifting focus from the perpetrator to the victims and the investigators who believed them.

rottentomatoes.com

ew.com

Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning 2015 article “An Unbelievable Story of Rape” by T. Christian Miller of ProPublica and Ken Armstrong of The Marshall Project, the series follows Marie Adler (Kaitlyn Dever), a young woman in Washington state whose rape report is dismissed by police, leading her to recant under pressure. Years later, two female detectives in Colorado—Grace Rasmussen (Toni Collette) and Karen Duvall (Merritt Wever)—connect a series of similar assaults, ultimately uncovering the serial rapist responsible for Marie’s attack and others.

imdb.com

Unbelievable (TV Mini Series 2019) – Kaitlyn Dever as Marie Adler – IMDb

Co-created by Susannah Grant (Oscar-nominated for Erin Brockovich), Michael Chabon, and Ayelet Waldman, Unbelievable prioritizes empathy and procedural realism over sensationalism. Cholodenko directed the first three episodes, setting a tone of quiet intensity and humanistic detail that permeates the series. “To stay true to myself and the scripts and the article—to not sensationalize it but at the same time make it entertaining and compelling—I felt was a tall order,” Cholodenko told interviewers. She praised the cast and crew for creating an environment that honored the story’s gravity.

latimes.com

Lisa Cholodenko named guest director of L.A. Film Festival – Los Angeles Times

The performances have drawn universal acclaim. Dever’s portrayal of Marie—a vulnerable yet resilient survivor navigating foster care and disbelief—is described as “crystalline” and “exceptional,” earning predictions of major awards. Collette and Wever, as the contrasting yet complementary detectives, deliver powerhouse chemistry: Collette’s hard-edged determination pairs perfectly with Wever’s compassionate empathy. Critics note their odd-couple dynamic elevates the investigative threads, with Wever’s scenes with victims showcasing profound sensitivity.

nytimes.com

kcur.org

Reviews emphasize the series’ radical approach. The Los Angeles Times called it “one of the most revolutionary depictions of rape and its aftermath in the history of the small screen,” for its relentless focus on victims rather than the attacker. The New York Times praised its “taut and engrossing” mystery with denouements mixing “celebration and regret.” Vulture highlighted how it exposes inconsistencies in the justice system, stating, “This should not qualify as a radical approach… But it indeed feels radical.”

youtube.com

Interrogation scene from Unbelievable | Netflix

Unbelievable arrived amid a wave of stories addressing sexual assault, alongside films like Bombshell. Its impact extends beyond entertainment, prompting discussions on victim treatment and police training—several agencies have used the source article for educational purposes.

Awards recognition followed swiftly. The series garnered four Primetime Emmy nominations (including Outstanding Limited Series), with wins in directing and acting categories in subsequent years. It earned Golden Globe nods for Best Limited Series, Best Actress for Dever and Wever, and Best Supporting Actress for Collette, plus Critics’ Choice and SAG Award nominations. Earlier, it received a Gotham Award nod for Breakthrough Series (Long Form) and a Peabody Award.

Cholodenko, an Emmy winner for directing HBO’s Olive Kitteridge, brings her signature nuance to the material. Known for films like The Kids Are All Right, her work here underscores her skill in handling complex human stories.

As true-crime dramas proliferate, Unbelievable stands out for its compassion, restraint, and insistence on believing women. It remains essential viewing, a testament to storytelling’s power to illuminate injustice and foster change.

rollingstone.com

Unbelievable’ Review: Pain and Grace Collide in Powerful Crime Series