Abhiroop Das
Created by Elizabeth Meriwether, Hulu’s ‘Furious‘ traces the parallel, cat-and-mouse journeys of FBI Agent Alice Black and serial killer Catherine. Alice used to work as a police officer at one point, but following an abusive relationship with a co-worker, she decided to begin a fresh chapter entirely. It is here that her path intersects with that of Catherine, who typically targets millionaires and yet never leaves a trace of her presence on site. As Alice digs deeper, however, she uncovers a far greater dimension to this story, one connected to trauma, memory, and perhaps most importantly, the spirit of vengeance. Thus, the crime thriller drama series is unique both in how it takes on the serial killer genre and how it puts women at the forefront of the narrative, charting many untold corners of the criminal justice system.
Furious is a Loose Retelling of a Classic Serial Killer Film
‘Furious’ is a work of fiction partially inspired by the 1987 film ‘Black Widow,’ penned by Ronald Bass. In it, investigator Alexandra Barnes pursues a serial killer named Catherine, who is infamous for donning multiple personae and marrying millionaires, before killing them in cold blood. It was actually actor Emmy Rossum who rediscovered the film decades later after its release and saw a medium-defying potential. “The skeleton of the movie felt like it could be a show,” she explained in a conversation with Vulture, drawing attention to the dynamic between the two main characters, which remains unique to this day. After developing the project with her company, Composition 8, Rossum welcomed Elizabeth Meriwether as the creator and lead writer, adding a fresh spin to the story.
‘Furiousa’ marks Meriwether’s first time penning a crime thriller story, and going into the project, she consciously decided to step away from the allure of a highly technical show and instead focused more on the human aspect. However, that doesn’t mean that the show shies away from depicting an intensely realistic version of the FBI and criminal justice investigations in general. Rossum and Meriwether recalled spending hours with female FBI agents, police officers, and district attorneys to get a better grasp on how the on-screen investigation might play out in real life. Adding to that, Meriwether integrated a lot of contemporary news stories into her creation, drawing from a broader sense of immediacy rather than any of the specific details.
Emmy Rossum Trained With a Real-Life FBI Agent to Fully Grasp Her Character
While most of the elements in ‘Furious’ have been invented from scratch, some aspects seem to loosely reference the reality of our times. One such parallel has been drawn between the show’s depiction of the child-abusing network of the elite and the Jeffrey Epstein case. When asked about the comparisons during the interview with Vulture, Elizabeth Meriwether said she wanted the story to be “recognizable on an emotional level,” pointing to stories about “predatory men and the ways the justice system hasn’t been able to find the right way to prosecute them,” while stopping short of confirming or denying any intentional references between the Easton family in the show, and Epstein in real-life.
For Emmy Rossum, infusing realism into the story involved a physical component as much as a psychological one. She trained in Texas with retired FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer, getting the basic gist of firearms and tactical work, and spoke with women about how the profession follows agents into their private lives. While talking with People, the actor noted that “it’s not like other jobs where you put the hat on and take the hat off,” recounting an anecdote about a law enforcement officer teaching her children to memorize license plates. While these details help inject a strong sense of immersion into the story, Meriwether and her creative team have also added their fair share of invented characters and plot beats, ensuring the story stays detached from any singular real-life event.
Catherine is a Fictional Construct Who Blends Cinematic Inspiration With Real-Life Experiences
The character of Catherine, who lies at the heart of ‘Furious’ as a narrative, is a fictional serial killer partially based on her ‘Black Widow’ counterpart of the same name. However, their connection only exists on a superficial level, as Catherine’s character in the show is much more fleshed out, with many original additions in the screenplay. To create the role with the right amount of sensitivity, Elizabeth Meriwether spoke with a victim of sex trafficking and with social workers, gaining crucial insight into how to approach the show. While it is unlikely that any of the real-life accounts directly translate into Catherine’s arc, it is possible that Meriwether and her team took broad inspiration from these stories to create a grounded, realistic depiction.
Actor Lola Petticrew found much common ground with her character, Catherine, while bringing the role to life. In a conversation with Awards Buzz, she expressed hope about Catherine resonating with the audience in a way that pushes “some of their moral boundaries into a place that’s a little uncomfortable.” To make her character sound believable, Petticrew took on an entirely different voice, describing it as an opportunity to explore a different sense of self and identity, which ties directly into her character’s specialty of donning and discarding personae. While Catherine is not based on any real-life serial killers, it is these little details that make things stand out as a fictional construct.
Read More: Where is Hulu’s Furious Filmed?
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