Should You Try It: Disclaimer on Apple TV+

We’re in the midst of a busy Fall, with more than a few new viewing options flooding the small screen. But which of the new shows should you make a point to check out? Let this series be the guide as we give you all the details you need to make an informed decision. Today, it’s a high-profile project for Apple TV+.

Series: Disclaimer

Where to Find It: The first two episodes premier Friday, October 11 on Apple TV+ with subsequent episodes dropping weekly.

What’s It About: When you get a high-profile director and high-profile actress working on a mini-series, it’s always good to take note. That’s the case with Disclaimer on Apple TV+, a new seven-part series from director Alfonso Cuaron starring Cate Blanchett. The series is based on the novel from Renee Knight.

The story follows three different stories. In the first, we meet Jonathan (Louis Partridge), a young man on a journey of self-discovery. He’s making his way through Italy. First, with a companion, and later on his own. It’s there he meets a young mother, Catherine (Leila George). Their encounter will change his life.

Next, we meet Stephen (Kevin Kline), an aging professor in England. He’s had a long, decorated career as an educator but of late he’s lost his spark. He still mourns the wife (Lesley Manville) who died nine years earlier. When he finds a secret novel in her desk drawer, it sets him on a mission to make a wrong right decades later.

Finally, we meet Catherine (Blanchett) who is a wild professional success with a messy home life. She’s married to Robert (Sacha Baron Cohen) and trying to be a mother to adult son Nicholas (Kodi Smit-McPhee). When she is mailed a copy of a newly published novel, she sees references to a secret that threatens to upend her picturesque life.

You Should Try It If: You’re a fan of mini-series, a fan of the cast, or a fan of a good mystery played out over time.

One Man’s Opinion of Disclaimer

This is a big swing for Apple TV+ and it’s one that has a high-profile creative team and cast. It’s also not a big commitment. The series spans only seven episodes, all under an hour. The first two episodes to be released Friday are only about 45 minutes and move at a decent pace.

At first the three narratives seem a little disjointed, but within the first hour it becomes clear how they all connect. Then it’s a matter of watching events across the three stories and timelines play out. Then it’s a matter of being drawn into the story, which becomes engaging quickly.

I enjoyed Blanchett and Kline’s performances particularly. There’s enough mystery in the story and how it’s playing out to keep you hooked, too. I quickly transitioned from episode one to episode two to see how it was going to progress. Not everything about the production totally works—with a narrator element in one of the stories feeling a bit out-of-place—but the style and talent in front of and behind the camera makes it compelling. This is worth checking out.