Pop Culture Happy Hour – "All Her Fault" (November 24, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Linda Holmes is joined by Vulture TV critic Roxana Hadadi to discuss Peacock’s buzzy series All Her Fault, based on Andrea Mara’s novel. The conversation dives into the series' twisty, female-driven storytelling, its commentary on gender dynamics within domestic life, and its standout performances—especially from Sarah Snook and Dakota Fanning. The episode also critiques the show’s structure and explores how it both conforms to and subverts the domestic thriller genre.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Series Premise and Setup (03:30–04:07)

• Linda Holmes summarizes the series: Sarah Snook’s Marissa, a well-off mother and wife, discovers her child is missing after a playdate—and the woman at the door doesn’t know who she is.
• Holmes notes the show expands beyond the child abduction premise, interrogating how several women must continually accommodate the failings of men in their lives.

2. The “Misandrist Masterpiece” Label (04:32–04:37)

• Roxana Hadadi openly embraces calling the show a “misandrist masterpiece.”
  • [04:38] Roxana: “This show does a very good job being, like, certain men of a certain class and a certain level of prestige are absolutely the worst.”
• The show’s roots are traced back to the wave of domestic thrillers like Big Little Lies, but both agree All Her Fault stands out due to the nuanced female friendships at its core.

3. Focus on Female Friendship and Bonding (05:08–06:36)

• Both critics are pleasantly surprised by the meaningful, palpable friendship between Marissa and Jenny (Dakota Fanning).
  • [05:59] Roxana: “I loved that, truly. Like, I thought that it was a very well depicted friendship and that they felt like real people.”
• The friendship is forged in extraordinary, stressful circumstances and provides real emotional depth usually absent in the genre.

4. Agency and Decision-Making for Women (06:36–07:41)

• Holmes praises the series for permitting Marissa genuine agency and bold choices, contrasting with typical domestic thrillers where women are reactive or victims.
  • [07:41] Linda: “They’re bold enough to say, this woman...makes some decisions about what she needs to do for self-preservation and the good of her kid that maybe not every show like this would allow her to do.”

5. Major Plot Twists (Spoiler-heavy) (07:41–14:59)

• Milo’s Abduction: The twist reveals Marissa’s husband Peter (Jake Lacy) orchestrated a baby switch after a car crash, raising someone else’s child as his own.
  • [08:14] Roxana (in character): “You stole a child, Peter. What the…”
  • [08:21] Peter (quote): “I saved that baby and I saved you the pain of losing a son. I saved all of us.”
• Two Awful Husbands: Both Marissa’s and Jenny’s husbands are distinctly terrible—Peter is “spectacularly bad,” but Jenny’s spouse is a “pedestrian” manipulator who lies to secure leisure time and foists all responsibilities onto Jenny.
  • [09:17] Jenny’s husband (paraphrased): “I just need a break. I need some time to myself...a little self care.”
  • [09:53] Roxana: “His pedestrian evil was more…infuriating to me than Peter, the genuine villain.”

6. Thematic Depth: Guilt, Gender Roles, and Power (12:29–14:59)

• Discussions center on how guilt is wielded against the show’s women, shrinking their worlds and enforcing compliance.
  • [13:00] Linda: “The title, All Her Fault turns out to be very, very much what the show is about. Right?”
• The dialogue underscores the weaponization of “emotional labor” as assumed women’s work, dramatized through seemingly minor but corrosive male behavior.
  • Memorable exchange with Jenny’s husband:
    [12:51] A: "When you spoke to the nanny's references, did you sense anything unusual?"
    [12:53] Jenny’s husband: “Oh, I didn’t talk to anyone. That’s really more Jenny’s department.”

7. Dramatic Climax: Female Agency & the “Kiss of Death” (13:52–16:08)

• Marissa realizes her only option is to kill Peter. She exploits his allergy and his own incompetence—tampering with his EpiPen and deliberately exposing him to soy via a “kiss of death.”
  • [14:34] Roxana: “I manage your allergy for you.”
  • [14:59] Roxana: “The show allows him to essentially die at the hand of his own weaponized incompetence.”
  • Both critics find this an extremely satisfying noir-ish conclusion, lauding Sarah Snook’s performance in these final scenes.

8. Supporting Characters and Family Dynamics (16:42–18:25)

• Praise for the rich supporting characters, especially Peter’s brother and sister, and the way the show critiques family myth-making and scapegoating.
  • [17:21] A: “You had just gotten out of rehab.”
  • [17:23] B: “And it wouldn’t be the first time you had relapsed. That’s right, Leah.”
• The show allows these characters complex responses, especially after Peter’s death, highlighting lingering ambivalence and generational trauma.

9. Direction, Visual Storytelling, and Structure (18:25–21:53)

• Both note that the direction is unusually sharp for the genre, using visual staging to underscore emotional divides (e.g., Jenny discovering her husband in the parking lot).
  • [19:33] Linda: “There are a number of shots that show one person in the foreground, another person in the background. … They have a very nice sense of it.”
• Structural Critique: They take issue with the penultimate-episode flashback—a familiar “buzzkill” in streaming thrillers.
  • [20:33] Roxana: “Structurally, it's just like, you cannot do this, or you can just move the flashback around. … Seed it in the third episode … so that it doesn't interrupt the momentum.”
• Despite this, both agree the show delivers its revelations effectively, often through character dynamics and arguments instead of clunky exposition.

10. Closing Thoughts: Subversion and Entertainment Value (21:53–22:56)

• The show refreshes familiar genre territory with incisive social critique and “reads husbands for filth”—but never at the cost of entertainment.
  • [22:02] Roxana: “The show found a new way to explore that and to, like, read it for filth. … And it was just very entertaining.”
• Both enjoyed the show more than expected, especially because of Sarah Snook’s performance and the show’s willingness to let its women fight back.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Certain men of a certain class and a certain level of prestige are absolutely the worst."
  — Roxana Hadadi, [04:38]
• "I loved that, truly. Like, I thought that it was a very well depicted friendship and that they felt like real people."
  — Roxana Hadadi, [05:59]
• "You stole a child, Peter. What the..."
  — Roxana Hadadi (as Marissa), [08:14]
• "If he had just been willing to take care of his own stuff, he might have remained alive to continue to be a menacing jerk."
  — Linda Holmes, [14:35]
• "It is excellent femme fatale positioning...What we used to do in noir."
  — Roxana Hadadi, [14:59]
• "The title, All Her Fault, turns out to be very, very much what the show is about."
  — Linda Holmes, [13:00]
• "The show allows him to essentially die at the hand of his own weaponized incompetence. In that sense, really satisfying."
  — Roxana Hadadi, [14:59]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Premise/Setup: 03:30–04:07
• "Misandrist masterpiece" discussion: 04:32–04:38
• Depiction of female friendships: 05:08–06:36
• Women’s agency/choices: 06:36–07:41
• Major plot twists discussed (spoilers): 07:41–14:59
• Climax and Marissa’s agency: 13:52–16:08
• Family/side characters: 16:42–18:25
• Direction & structure: 18:25–21:53
• Closing thoughts: 21:53–22:56

Tone & Language

The conversation is conversational, candid, and witty, with both critics expressing genuine surprise and joy at how much they enjoyed the show. The exchange toggles between incisive social critique and playful banter, matching the show's blend of “satisfyingly absurd” narrative with sharp observations about gender roles and family.

Summary for Listeners

If you skipped this episode, the conversation covers all the reasons All Her Fault stands out among domestic thrillers: striking female friendships, sharp gender critique, a showstopping performance from Sarah Snook, and a memorable twist ending. The critics delve into plot and theme with wit and warmth, making clear that beneath the outrageous plot is a satisfying, subversive tale of women fighting back. Despite some structural quibbles (those penultimate episode flashbacks!), it's declared both “thoughtful” and entertaining—a must-watch for fans seeking smart, twisty drama.