There has long been a stereotype of teenage girls being dangerous, and sometimes this assumption rings true. The theme pops up inHulu’sUnder the Bridge. In the true crime drama series, the frustration and invisibility that the teenage girls of the story feel bubble over until they actually commit a heinous crime. The group is referred to as “Bics”; when an adult asks why, a girl replies, “Because we’re disposable.” It’s this quest to be seen and to be appreciated that fuels their reckless and often destructive behaviors. But beforeUnder the Bridge, another Hulutrue-crime seriesexaminedwhat happens when a teenage girl makes deadly choicesin her desire to be loved — or even just to be seen as someone of value.
The Girl From Plainville
Based on true events, The Girl From Plainville dramatizes the death of Conrad Roy, a teenager from Massachusetts who committed suicide at the urging of his girlfriend, Michelle Carter, in 2014. The series focuses on Conrad’s death and Michelle’s subsequent conviction for involuntary manslaughter for her involvement in it. Elle Fanning stars as Michelle.
What Is ‘The Girl From Plainville’ About?
In 2022, Hulu aired the 8-episode seriesThe Girl From Plainville. It depictsthe real-life case of Michelle Carter(Elle Fanning), a teenage girl who was charged with manslaughter after she encouraged her boyfriend, Conrad Roy (Colton Ryan), to kill himself. The case itself garnered major attention when the public became aware of it. The 18-year-old Roy died by suicide in 2014 afterreceiving texts from Carter, who seemingly egged him on to complete the task. Carter was charged in 2015 with involuntary manslaughter (including the charge of ‘wantonly and recklessly’ assisting suicide). Carter was just 17 years old at the time she was arraigned.
The trial became a media sensation (partly because of the shocking nature of the crime, and also because Carter showed up to the courtroom with strange dark eyebrows, which made her go viral). The case even inspired an HBO documentary calledI Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth Vs. Michelle Carter.But it wasn’t untilThe Girl From Plainvilleaired that the public could really get a handle on who Carter wasas a person and what might have led her to those ultimately disastrous actions.
Elle Fanning Leads a Strong Cast in ‘The Girl From Plainville’
A main reason the series was successful was because of the cast.Fanning was able to accomplish what most people questioned she could: actually create compassion for Carter. How does one find empathy for someone who directly caused the death of a young man she claimed to love?Fanning portrayed Carter as a deeply troubled young womanwho was determined to get attention (even if that attention came about because of the suicide of her boyfriend). Ryan didn’t have as long of a credits list as Fanning at the time of filmingThe Girl From Plainville(perhaps his most memorable role prior to that was Connor Murphy in the film version ofDear Evan Hansen), but he was more than capable of holding his own in the series. It’s through Ryan’s vulnerability and heart that the audience experiences the depths of Roy’s sorrows and sees the steps he goes through to attempt to fight off his own demons.
The show also benefited from strong supporting actors, including Oscar-nominatedChloe Sevignyand Tony-winnerNorbert Leo Butzas Roy’s bereaved parents. The team behind the series, includingLiz Hannah(The Dropout) andLisa Cholodenko(Unbelievable), ensured that there was always a buildup of tension throughout each episode. Most viewers would already know Roy’s fate, but they might not have known the events that led up to his death. High-caliber actors, along with insightful writing, resulted ina series that pulsed with heartbreaking inevitability. There was even an air of sympathy around Carter’s character (which was heightened by including scenes of her struggling to fit in with her peers andengaging in eating disorder behavior). But it was also clear that Carter was a deeply damaged girl who only thrived when she got the attention she so desperately craved.
How Does ‘The Girl From Plainville’ Differ From the Actual Case?
Overall, the series is effective at presenting the events of this tragedy as they happened in real life.
‘The Girl From Plainville’ Strikes a Similar Tone To ‘Under the Bridge’
One of the biggest similaritiesUnder the Bridgeshares withThe Girl From Plainvilleis their non-linear timeline. There arelots of flashbacksthat depict the characters in earlier scenes, often before the most traumatic events occurred. This allows the audience to see the innocence of the victims that existed before the tragic deaths took place.Both series also rely on stellar acting from younger actorsto zero in on the thoughts and behaviors of the characters, as well as more grounded scenes with the adult actors (such asArchie PanjabiinUnder the Bridgeand Sevigny inThe Girl From Plainville).Without such a strong cast andhigh-quality writing, the jumping between timeframes would be confusing. With both series, this technique just adds more depth to the overall story. Even though most viewers already know the eventual fate of the characters, the writing in both shows is suspenseful enough to maintain intrigue.
Both series take on extremelydifficult subject matter. InThe Girl From Plainville, episodes tackle sensitive topics such as eating disorders, depression, anxiety, domestic violence, and suicide. Butthese issues are handled with care and not used salaciously, but only to further the viewers' understanding of the characters. Both shows stay centered on how teenage brains often function: with a focus on being accepted, no matter the cost or the consequences. InThe Girl From Plainville, many scenes illustrate this black-and-white thinking that both Carter and Roy fell victim to; they believed that things would always be hopeless, so they acted out in thoughtless despair. As a viewer merely tuning in to these characters' lives, it is easy to see that it’s not until teenagers grow into adulthood that they realize their problems stem from immaturity and from surrounding themselves with the wrong people (which is glaringly apparent in both series).
There’s a scene inThe Girl From Plainvillewhere the series imagines what would have happened if Carter hadn’t insisted on texting Roy on that fateful day. Maybe they would have met in a bar in college, and they would have talked about their interests in a more normal way. They could have developed a relationship that grew from a healthy space versus aninherently toxic one. It’s a haunting scene that leaves viewers even more heartbroken because of the what-ifs implied. LikeUnder the Bridge,The Girl From Plainvillegives audiencesa nuanced look into thecomplicated minds of teenage girls. As with these two real-life cases, it’s apparent that if left unchecked, desperate girls can take drastic measures that end up with innocent lives being lost.
The Girl From Plainvilleis available to stream on Hulu.
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