It is, to be sure, a masterclass in tension, in taking things right to the edge of credulity but never over and it never forgets the power of the jump scare.

All of this unfolds like a kind of heatwave fever dream, the cicadas buzzing incessantly, oblivious bystanders to the mad psychodrama unfolding around them. It’s gripping late-night summer viewing.

This Cady is a more complex, stealthier presence. There’s charm to Bardem, a tightrope walk of cunning cloaked in an undeniable charisma.

There are moments where it can feel like the story is spinning its wheels — an understandable concern when source material from a 2-hour movie or 200-page novel — and I found myself hoping Cady or the Bowdens would do something more in the moment. But despite those few bumps, the series never loses sight of its characters.

In pursuit of an expanded canvas for Cady and the Bowdens, showrunner Nick Antosca has thrown in the kitchen sink, then the tumble dryer and the aircon unit.

Cape Fear doesn't have the same creative audacity as Fargo. It's perfectly fine, I suppose, but not more than that. Frankly, I was expecting a little more, Counselor.

An A-list series that, in terms of originality, vitality, and rationality, proves an F-grade affair.