Apple TV+ continues to cement itself as the streamer that takes the biggest risks and tells the boldest stories, all while (more often than not) adhering to a level of superior quality. Disclaimer, the psychological thriller limited series, is an embarrassment of riches. Renée Knight’s 2015 novel is brought to life by Oscar winner Alfonso Cuarón, who, in seven episodes, manages to weave a tale so complicated, so riveting, and so manipulative that, by the end, you’ll find yourself retracing your steps to try to figure out how you got to such an emotionally exhausted place. Simply put: this is a story about what happens when your past comes back to haunt you.

Alfonso Cuarón Crafts a Complex World in ‘Disclaimer’
Image via Apple TV+

One of the most striking elements of Cuarón’s series – aside from its sheer aesthetic – is how he chooses to tell the story. Three carefully crafted storylines (two present, one past) are woven together with a menacing precision that only gets sharper each episode. The series smartly opens with Cate Blanchett’s Catherine Ravenscroft at the top of her professional game, being honored at a lavish ceremony for her immensely successful career in journalism. Her life’s work has been dedicated to unearthing the harsh truths and secretive, exploitative behavior of those with power – an ironic thread that’ll be pulled delicately throughout Disclaimer’s seven chapters.

Always at her side is Robert (Sacha Baron Cohen), Catherine’s doting husband, who comes across more as an uber-supportive accessory to Catherine’s opulence than he does a powerful force in their relationship. When he’s not swishing grossly expensive wine in his mouth and carrying on about its textures and flavors to his wife (who couldn’t care less), he’s reassuring her that she’s a great mother to their perpetually disinterested and humdrum son, Nicholas (Kodi Smit-McPhee). This comfortable, cushioned life is completely upended when Catherine receives a book in the mail with a plot eerily reminiscent of something that happened many years ago — something she’s managed to bury deep within her, only for it now to boil over and burn everyone it touches.

Cuarón brilliantly lets the viewer bask in the Ravenscroft family’s wealth and privilege, which only heightens the heartbreaking parallel storyline that uses Catherine’s past to dismantle her present. Smartly juxtaposed with Catherine’s luxurious life and respected reputation is Kevin Kline’s Stephen at his lowest, both drowning in and paralyzed by his grief and suffering. Not only did he lose his wife (Lesley Manville) but his son, Jonathan (Louis Partridge), the latter of whom died 20 years ago. Stephen’s only purpose left in life is to exact revenge on the person he believes is responsible for the death of his son: Catherine. The events of what happened between Jonathan and Catherine in Italy decades prior are laid out – in inexplicable detail – in a book (who wrote it and how Stephen got his hands on it are revealed early in the series) that Stephen hopes will not only flood Catherine with shame and humiliation, but ruin the happy life she has, and that he was robbed of due to that fateful Italian getaway that took his son far too soon.

Alfonso Cuarón Uses Bold Storytelling to Great Effect in ‘Disclaimer’
Image via Apple TV+

Flashbacks and narrations are two things that could easily be a narrative crutch, but for Cuarón, they are his superpowers. The storyline in the past (which is meant to be the events in the book Catherine receives) gives us a look at Jonathan’s free-spirited and adventurous life traversing Europe with his girlfriend, painting a picture of a young man who was as much fueled by his carnal desires as he was his genuine curiosity for the world around him. Like many people his age, he has a nothing-can-stop-me mindset equipped with figurative armor impervious to anyone who can challenge him emotionally. The Jonathan we meet from the book is fun, whimsical, albeit a bit self-involved. In short, he’s portrayed as someone who is rather innocent, and in turn, is corrupted by a young Catherine (expertly played by Leila George), who pursues him and manipulates him with her cunning charm and good looks.

These flashbacks directly inform how we view Blanchett’s present-day Catherine, and cast a judgment on every little effort she makes to connect with her son. Because of these flashbacks, Catherine’s already at a disadvantage with the viewer; her obsession with ridding her life of any copies of these books while also frantically asking Nicholas what he thought about the woman in the story (who she’s figured out is meant to be her) just goes to inflate her ego. Blanchett effortlessly encapsulates the panic and powerlessness of someone white-knuckling the reputation that they’ve worked so hard to maintain.

Narration serves as a blunt look inside the minds of our characters in the present, mostly exposing their shame and feelings they’d never admit to anyone, let alone themselves. (On the surface, for example, Robert is nothing but supportive of his wife’s successful career, but the narration exposes his innermost insecurities, namely his fragile manhood and constant feelings of inadequacy.) It connects to a larger theme of the show which is that we are so quick to judge people and rarely, if ever, do we take the time to consider the many complicated factors that directly and indirectly impact human behavior. It’s easy and comfortable in such a fast-paced society to accept things at face value. By the end of the series, you’ll likely be viewing people — and yourself — differently than you ever have before. (And that’s the point.)

Related Cate Blanchett Is Haunted by Kevin Kline in the New ‘Disclaimer’ Trailer Alfonso Cuarón’s gripping series also stars Sacha Baron Cohen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Lesley Manville, and more.

Leila George Rises to the Top of ‘Disclaimer’s Impressive Ensemble

Probably the most impressive part of this series is how much attention and care Cuarón gives to his characters. There are so many minute details and strategic creative decisions that seep into your brain that you might not even realize until you’re mindlessly folding laundry or putting dishes away hours later. As Kline’s performance straddles the line between heartbreaking and villainous while he goes to great lengths to exact revenge, it’s consistently softened by the fact that he’s always wearing his deceased wife’s favorite sweater. Stephen becomes increasingly hard to root for the further he follows through with his plan, with Kline channeling a troubled man rooted in denial. Manville deals with her grief through an unchecked rage that no one — not even her husband — is safe from.

Oddly, Kodi Smit-McPhee is underused for the majority of this series, with Nicholas barely budging beyond his mumbled “sure, whatever” attitude. He’s elusive and so clearly craves an emotional bond with his mother that he continuously pushes away, much to Catherine’s frustration. If you didn’t know Catherine’s alleged guilty past, it would be easy to dismiss Nicholas as a brat any time he shrugged off his mother’s ill-fated attempts at connection. Episode 5, however, is when Smit-McPhee breaks free from his character’s confines and shows off his emotional range. Without veering into spoiler territory, his performance in the latter part of the series makes his emotionally-stifled role not only worth it but more powerful. Additionally, Sacha Baron Cohen magnificently embodies that of a man whose character is more informed by his weaknesses than his strengths. While Cohen’s verbal sparring with Blanchett is captivating, it’s his scenes where he’s alone and silenced by his own racing thoughts that are among the standouts. So much about Robert is conveyed through his shaky temperament and threatened ego than it is through what he actually verbalizes, all of which Cohen pulls off especially well.

Blanchett is, as one would expect of the two-time Oscar winner, completely dialed into the nuances and idiosyncrasies of her character, with her performance only getting better the more the walls start to close in on her. However, it’s Leila George — who’s tasked with playing a younger Catherine — who is nothing short of extraordinary. George manages to capture Blanchett’s mannerisms and cadence while infusing Catherine with a dominative, scandalous edge we couldn’t fathom from the Catherine in the present. It’s clear she “gets off” on making others feel less-than, as evident in her first real interaction with Louis Partridge’s Jonathan at the hotel bar. It’s not a matter of if she will seduce him, but when, with her wielding her sexuality like a knife at his throat. George revels in Catherine’s uber-confidence and ability to control a situation with ease, and taps into a polar-opposite set of emotions later in the series that’ll leave you speechless. (And, well, you won’t look at Kylie Minogue the same way ever again.)

‘Disclaimer’s Haunting Ending Will Leave You Speechless
Image via Apple TV+

Fueling Disclaimer from start to finish is its dynamic and emotionally charged composition. A good score keeps up with the story’s emotional beats, while a great score elevates the story to an entirely new level it couldn’t achieve strictly through words. It’s no surprise, then, that Disclaimer’s composer is Finneas O’Connell, someone who consistently proves he’s adept at telling a complete, complex narrative through sound. Dread, isolation, fear, and exhilaration are just some of the emotions O’Connell makes so visceral and potent. (As mentioned, the series is an embarrassment of riches.)

It can be hard to admit when loved ones are ever at fault. Right when you think you have a firm grip on Disclaimer’s plot and know the characters inside and out, the rug is viciously yanked out from under you. The latter half of the series, especially, is packed to the brim with revelations and misdirections, though it would be unfair to elaborate any more than that. Sure, one can argue that some plot points are too easily solved, and some key details are conveniently kept from the audience for too long. However, the stark pros greatly outweigh any weak spots the narrative has. Disclaimer is a series that, like life, is unpredictable, breathtaking, and, at times, deeply troubling. Most of all, it’s not what it seems.

Disclaimer’s first two episodes premiere October 11 on Apple TV+ in the U.S.

Disclaimer is a riveting, jarring psychological thriller series with an impressive ensemble led by Cate Blanchett.ProsAlfonso Cuarón puts character first and executes fully fleshed-out arcs.Leila George’s complex performance is a standout from excellent cast.Finneas O’Connell’s music elevates Alfonso Cuarón’s unpredictable and extremely emotional narrative.

Disclaimer is a 2024 psychological thriller miniseries following Catherine Ravenscroft, an acclaimed journalist known for exposing the misdeeds of others. Her life takes a shocking turn when she receives a novel from an unknown author that reveals her darkest secrets, forcing her to confront her past.Release Date October 10, 2024 Main Genre Drama Seasons 1

Watch on Apple TV+