HBO’s Flawless 92% RT Miniseries Outdid Lazarus’ Biggest Twists 7 Years Before Prime Video

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It’s a common theme in family dramas on TV: sons often end up like their fathers, and daughters like their mothers. This can be a difficult storyline to handle. If done poorly, it suggests people have no control over their lives and are simply products of their biology. However, when a show cleverly shows a child repeating a parent’s patterns, it can powerfully illustrate the damaging impact of a negative role model. Both HBO’s Sharp Objects and Prime Video‘s series utilize this idea, resulting in strikingly similar cliffhanger endings that spark important discussions about unhealthy parental influence.

As a critic, I have to say that HBO’s Sharp Objects, which debuted in 2018, really set a new standard for unsettling television. Written by Marti Noxon and adapted from Gillian Flynn’s novel, it featured phenomenal performances from Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson, and Eliza Scanlen, and delved into some seriously dark Southern Gothic territory—all set in Missouri. The biggest shock? The reveal that Scanlen’s seemingly innocent character, Amma, was the killer her sister (Adams’ Camille) had been tracking the whole time. Now, seven years later, Harlan Coben’s Lazarus attempts a similar twist, but frankly, it doesn’t land with the same impact. Lazarus isn’t bad, but it’s hard not to compare it to the haunting and brilliantly executed finale of Sharp Objects, and in that comparison, it just falls a little flat.

Sharp Objects Kept Its Culprit Unpredictable Until the Last Second

Even before the final episode, cracks were starting to show in the seemingly perfect facade of Camille’s family, particularly with her mother, Adora. The episode before the last one revealed a shocking truth: Adora has Munchausen syndrome by proxy and intentionally poisoned her daughters. This confirmed Camille’s long-held belief that her mother accidentally killed her older sister years ago – a loss that has haunted Camille ever since. Determined to protect her remaining sister, Amma, and provide the motherly support Adora couldn’t, Camille intervenes to prevent Amma from a future filled with depression and trauma she’s already experiencing.

The police discovered bloody pliers linked to the murders of Ann Nash and Natalie Keene, but this discovery was intentionally misleading. The real killer was Amma, a fact Camille uncovered when she found the victims’ teeth embedded in the floor of Amma’s dollhouse, recreating her mother’s bedroom. Camille turned to see a scared Amma in the doorway, softly saying, “Don’t tell mama.” A scene after the credits revealed Amma committing the murders, including a new victim she had befriended.

The way the story ended felt disturbing, especially since the central mystery seemed already resolved. After Adora’s arrest, the finale showed Camille settling her life and taking Amma under her care, creating a peaceful atmosphere. However, this calm was shattered by a shocking revelation that, despite being unbelievable, made sense. Amma’s disturbing behavior stemmed from her mother, who acted out of intense jealousy. Amma inherited her mother’s need for attention and lacked any positive role models to guide her. This twist wasn’t anticipated by viewers, who previously saw Amma as a harmless, victimized girl. Her innocent appearance was largely due to Camille’s loving perspective, which shaped how the audience perceived her.

Lazarus Played the Process of Elimination Too Much

The final episode of Lazarus powerfully illustrates how violence and trauma can repeat through families. Joel discovers his father was responsible for the deaths of several patients, coldly claiming he was relieving their suffering and protecting others. Joel is horrified by his father’s lack of regret, especially when his father points out that sons often become like their fathers. However, Joel desperately wants to end this pattern of behavior and break the cycle.

Like Camille, Joel uncovers a shocking truth that completely changes his understanding of his family, his future, and the possibility of breaking a repeating pattern. He finds Laura seemingly dead in her room, and the scene echoes a haunting image from Sharp Objects – a parent mirrored in their child. Turning around, Joel sees his son, Aiden, standing in the doorway, holding a bloodied weapon and quietly apologizing. The episode ends abruptly, leaving Joel unable to question Aiden or reflect on his father’s final words.

While Lazarus shares similarities with Sharp Objects, it failed in one key area: it made it obvious that Aiden was the killer. Even without considering how Sharp Objects trains viewers to suspect everyone, Lazarus heavily signaled Aiden’s isolation and bullying, rather than letting those traits develop subtly. By the end, the show’s investigator, Joel, essentially pointed the finger at everyone else, leaving Aiden as the only possible suspect. Another misstep was failing to resolve the earlier murder of Margot, leaving that storyline unfinished.

Although quite different in style, both Sharp Objects and Lazarus explore similar ideas and share a surprisingly consistent ending, inviting viewers to compare them. Following up on a show like Sharp Objects, famous for a shocking twist that viewers still discuss years later, is a challenge. Lazarus attempted to build suspense gradually, offering clues along the way, but those clues were too obvious and gave away the ending.

All six episodes of Harlan Coben’s Lazarus are now streaming on Prime Video.

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2025-11-03 03:06