Why Women Kill: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Why Women Kill: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 28, 2024

Paramount has released both seasons of the TV show 'Why Women Kill' to Blu-ray. This six-disc set includes all twenty episodes presented in wide aspect ratio and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless audio. No supplemental content is included across any of the six discs. At time of writing, the seasons are not available separately; this collection is the only way to own either season.

Official synopsis: 'Why Women Kill' season one tells the story of three women living in the same Pasadena mansion in three different decades, a housewife in the ’60s, a socialite in the ’80s and a lawyer in 2018, each dealing with infidelity in their marriages. The series touches on how the roles of women have changed, but how their reaction to betrayal...has not. Season two features a new ensemble cast and storylines set in 1949 that will explore what it means to be beautiful, the hidden truth behind the facades people present to the world, the effects of being ignored and overlooked by society, and the lengths one woman will go in order to finally belong...

Why Women Kill spans two seasons and four stories (three across season one, a singular focus season two) that share in common, in season one, a particular home and across both seasons complex webs of sexual and marital infidelity that drive various couples to deadly consequences. The show builds on classic Soap Opera elements but does so with a modern edge and a much more graphic nature than its classic predecessors of yore, those shows that explored similar themes but which were much more visually and verbally tame form daytime television decades ago.

The highlight here is absolutely the production design. Much work -- a labor of love -- clearly was poured into each season to build a beautifully exacting replica of the time, easily pulling the viewer into the stories and accomplishing one of the key themes which is that even if the calendar turns and styles change, the human element remains the same. The cast is terrific, mostly, with fully inhabited characters at work across the most innocent and the most devious of moments and sexual encounters. However, the cast (and the script) works hard to build the show beyond the essential building blocks, progressing towards something that proves to be more than the superficialities that define it.

The following episodes comprise seasons one and two. Summaries are courtesy of Paramount.

Season One, Disc One:

• Murder Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry: One Pasadena, Calif. house serves as the focal point for three decades worth of marital strife. In 1963, Beth Ann's life as a doting housewife is upended when she learns of her husband Rob's infidelity. In 1984, socialite Simone is blindsided by her husband Karl's devastating secret. In present day, high-powered lawyer Taylor has an open marriage with husband Eli.
• I'd Like to Kill Ya, But I Just Washed My Hair: A usually reserved Beth Ann attempts to spice up her marriage. Simone turns to Naomi's son Tommy for solace after finding out Karl hasn't been as good at covering his adulterous tracks as he let on. Eli checks an item off of his sexual bucket list, but his happiness is short lived when he realizes there's more to Taylor and Jade's relationship than he initially thought.
• I Killed Everyone He Did, But Backwards and In High Heels: Beth Ann comes up with a scheme to keep Rob away from April (Sadie Calvano) but ends up growing closer to her husband's mistress in the process. Simone and Karl try to keep up appearances at a gala but cooler heads do not prevail when Tommy gets jealous. Taylor and Eli run into Jade's former lovers, forcing Taylor to confront the true nature of her feelings. Katie Finneran guest stars.
• You Had Me at Homicide: Beth Ann takes a walk on the wild side with April, leading to an interesting evening at a dinner party with Rob's boss. Tommy wants to put a label on his relationship with Simone but a visit from Simone's daughter Amy threatens to derail everything. Life in the throuple gets rocky for Taylor, Jade and Eli when they get mixed up with Jade's crazy ex-boyfriend. Li Jun Li guest stars.

Season One, Disc Two:

• There's No Crying in Murder: Beth Ann's budding friendship with April leaves her feeling conflicted, just as she is beginning to win back Rob's attention.
• Practically Lethal in Every Way: Beth Ann and Rob throw a housewarming party to introduce themselves to the neighborhood, but something seems to be amiss with neighbors Mary and Ralph. Hijinks ensue and secrets come to light when Simone and Karl have dinner with Amy's conservative future in-laws.
• I Found Out What The Secret To Murder Is: Friends. Best Friends.: Beth Ann is elated when Rob ends his affair, but that feeling is short-lived when Beth Ann learns that everything is not as she thinks.

Season One, Disc Three:

• Marriages Don't Break Up On Account Of Murder - It's Just A Symptom That Something Else Is Wrong: Beth Ann recruits Sheila to help pull off her faux diagnosis, taking her already far-fetched plan another step too far.
• I Was Just Wondering What Makes Dames Like You So Deadly: As Beth Ann plots to remove April from Rob's life for good, a surprising confrontation reveals a secret that will shock Beth Ann to her core.
• Kill Me as if It Were the Last Time: Season finale. Kill or be killed, that is the question.

Season Two, Disc One:

• Secret Beyond The Door: With dreams of status and glamour, Alma Fillcot (Allison Tolman) hopes to fill a recently vacated seat in her local Garden Club, led by the intimidating Rita Castillo (Lana Parrilla).
• The Woman In The Window: A shaken Alma investigates Bertram's disturbing collection of "souvenirs," determined not to let this discovery complicate her Garden Club aspirations.
• Lady In The Lake: Alma and Bertram devise a plan to bury a potential setback. Their daughter, Dee, enlists Vern's services when she suspects Scooter of lying, meanwhile Rita attempts to clear the air with Catherine.
• Scene Of The Crime: After Alma is tipped off that the Garden Club will make a surprise visit to her home, she persuades Bertram to help her prepare despite the police investigation of their missing neighbor next door.

Season Two, Disc Two:

• They Made Me A Killer: Alma learns how cruel a wounded Rita can be, but quickly realizes she can use the situation to her advantage. Bertram feels tempted to resume his "hobby," leading him to seek counsel with a trusted figure from his past.
• Dangerous Intruder: Alma takes matters into her own hands after persuading Bertram to ease Carlo's suffering.
• The Woman in Question: Newly widowed, Rita’s elation is short-lived when Catherine questions her innocence in Carlo’s death, much to Alma’s delight. Dee introduces her parents to Vern at a dinner with multiple shocking revelations.

Season Two, Disc Three:

• Murder, My Sweet: As Alma celebrates finally being admitted into the Garden Club, Bertram mourns the loss of the old Alma.
• The Unguarded Moment: Three weeks have passed and Alma, now very comfortable with her position in the Garden Club, decides to run for the vacated presidency.
• The Lady Confesses: Season finale. In order to protect her glory, notoriety, and newly glamorous life, Alma concocts a desperate and dramatic scheme after Vern's investigation leads to his new in-laws.

Why Women Kill: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Paramount brings Why Women Kill to Blu-ray in a two-season, complete-series package that presents both seasons at 1080p and both looking quite striking. The image is vivid across both seasons and all the various timelines and settings, boasting exceptional color expression that sees practically every shade leap off the screen with high yield boldness and saturation. The 60s setting is particularly wonderful for its high output of varied color schemes, but to be sure the other timeframes are equally impressive in terms of the practically perfect color splashes and nuanced excellence on display in everything from bold strokes on cars and walls to finer makeup colors and clothing hues. White levels are strikingly bold, black levels are satisfyingly deep, and skin tones are wonderfully natural. Not to be outdone is the stable of excellent, high-end details that jump off the screen for complexity and clarity. Faces are magnificently rendered with perfectly revealing hairs, pores, lines, and even makeup application characteristics in plain evidence. The house is a playground across all the timeframes for fine detail examination and pinpoint clarity in every frame. The same holds true in the second season as well. The image shows no signs of errant noise or other maladies. Encode issues are nonexistent. This one is pretty much picture perfect.

Why Women Kill: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Both seasons of Why Women Kill arrive on Blu-ray with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtracks. The overall presentation parameters are in fine working order, offering excellent clarity to the score, presenting fine detailing to the entire orchestral range while also spreading satisfactorily off to the sides with mild surround wrap. Sides and surrounds additionally carry supportive ambience to better set the scene in various locations, sometimes with more prominent sounds taking center stage while at others finding just the right presentation parameters for mild location support to subtly, but still critically, draw the listener into the locales. The track is not heavy on the sort of pounding, heavy, and otherwise subwoofer-utilizing sort of effects, but when the odd thud or slam or other heavy impact moment comes there's no shortage of necessary power at play. Dialogue is clear and centered for the duration, offering good, clear speech that is lifelike in delivery, whether talking loud screams or hushed whispers.

Why Women Kill: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Unfortunately, this two-season Blu-ray release of Why Women Kill contains no supplemental content. No DVD or digital copies are included with purchase. This release does not ship with a slipcover.

Why Women Kill: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Why Women Kill blends soap opera antics with high production values and a cutting edge of modernity (even in the throwback settings) that make this a unique show, albeit one that might be of a more limited, rather than broad, appeal. It's dark and vulgar but at the same time light and buoyant, a curious amalgamation that more often than not gels to structural satisfaction. The Blu-ray is very good in terms of its striking video quality and fine audio delivery, but the lack of supplements is a downer. Still, fans will find this to be well worth the asking price.