Love & Death

Two churchgoing couples in a quiet Texas town live by a neat set of rules, swapping Sundays at the pews for barbecues on the porch and a shared reputation for steadiness. Candy and Pat Montgomery appear to have a sturdy marriage, while Betty and Allan Gore keep up the same front. Yet behind the well kept lawns and friendly waves, a forbidden attraction begins to tug at boundaries that many refuse to question. The tension grows as competing loyalties pull at each partner and the social script they follow is tested. When the affair crosses a line, the community is jolted and lives are upended in unexpected ways. It’s a portrait of outward civility masking private desire and the ways rumor can reshape a town’s memory.

Released in 2023 the limited series is created by David E Kelley alongside Jim Atkinson and John Bloom, with the true crime account Evidence of Love serving as the source material for the story. Elizabeth Olsen stars as Candy Montgomery, and the show is noted for its meticulous visuals.

To date the show has not been a major awards contender, with critics focusing on performances and storytelling rather than formal accolades. Elizabeth Olsen's portrayal in particular has drawn attention for balancing warmth with menace, while the supporting cast earns praise for anchoring the narrative. Some reviewers appreciated the restrained pacing that lets the true crime material breathe without sensationalism.

Love and Death sits within the ongoing wave of true crime dramas that reexamine traditional suburbia. It nods to a real life case that sparked discussion about faith, gender expectations, and the media glare that surrounds small town scandal. The series invites debate about faith communities, the gendered look at crime, and how the public replays stories to fit familiar archetypes.

The episodes tilt toward what people want to see and what they fear to admit. The narrative probes trust, loyalty, and the costs of keeping up appearances in a faith oriented community. It looks at how gossip and judgment shape memory, and how ordinary life can fracture under the pressure of a dramatic secret.