Netflix's latest release, No Good Deed, starring Lisa Kudrow as Lydia Morgan, a former concert pianist enmeshed in the chaos of selling her house, invites viewers into a world characterized by suspense, humor, and dramatic underpinnings. In the series, Lydia and her husband Paul, played by Ray Romano, grapple with personal grief as they attempt to sell their home ladened with both sentimental memories and deep-set secrets.
Drawing parallels to Liz Feldman's previous hit, Dead to Me, No Good Deed achieves a careful balance between comedy and suspense, using jarring twists and hidden secrets to complement the show's comic rhythm. Despite its relentless storytelling, the series invites viewers to overlook the inevitable contrivances and focus on the nuanced observations of grief, secrets, and relationship dynamics woven throughout the plot.
The drama unfolds when the couple decides to sell their 1920s Spanish-style house, layered with both joyous and heartbreaking memories. Intricacies surface as realtor Greg navigates through potential buyers - couples wrestling with relationship-altering secrets. Lydia and Paul find themselves reopening old wounds as they grapple with the unsolved murder of their teenage son that happened in their house, leaving their relationship strained and co-dependent.
Amid its dramatic facade, No Good Deed ingeniously echoes elements of House Hunters and Alfred Hitchcock, intertwining unexpected violence, playful misunderstandings, and back-from-the-dead scenarios with assumptions about the economy of buying a murder house.
Despite being primarily a mystery, the series takes a while to determine what needs to be solved. While the plot revelations often defy conventional logic, the dramatic tension, mostly derived from Paul and Lydia's strained marriage and masterful performances by Kudrow and Romano, successfully compensates for the plot holes.
What truly stands out in No Good Deed is the powerful depiction of desperation and co-dependency in Paul and Lydia's estranged relationship. The actors' seasoned professional skills lend raw, exposed nerves to these characters who are seemingly trapped in a life they can't escape. Kudrow's versatility alongside the rest of the cast enlivens the series, while Romano's hangdog weariness amplifies the suspense.
There’s engaging material in the secondary storylines featuring prospective buyers but ultimately contributes more to the overall chaos. No Good Deed shines best between episodes three and six where the narrative's absurd twists, lively dialogue, and unspoken anxiety keep viewers hooked. As the series ties up its loose ends, it acknowledges its inherent silliness and assures a thrilling viewing experience that is hard to resist.
