User Reviews

Easily one of the best shows on Showtime with superb acting, great performances and a fascinating true life story which I knew nothing about. I'm not a country music fan and you don't have to be to enjoy this well made show. Highly recommended - 10 stars

I'm not a country music fan, but am familiar with some of the hits from Tammy Wynette (Jessica Chastain) and George Jones (Michael Shannon). This biopic follows the usual trajectory: Career excitement and sexual attraction followed by substance and emotional abuse. What makes this series stand out are the incredible creations from Shannon and Chastain. They not only effectively capture the immense chemistry between the duo and their conflicted connection, but their singing is equally full of emotion. Speaking of, several of their hits are performed almost full length, so you can expect plenty of twang. The couple's relationship alternates between dramatic and disastrous and these performances rewardingly capture their magnetism and their heartbreaking relationship.

Jessica Chastain has now played two Tammys in her career and she has played them both with brilliance and this time she is reunited with her Take Shelter co-star, Michael Shannon, who like her as always proves himself to be an excellent actor. Their chemistry and dynamic are incredible. The one thing I couldn't understand is why the production opted to have both actors sing the songs with their own voices, and not because either of them were bad singers, because they weren't, even the soundtrack that was released from this miniseries is with their voices, but their voices, especially Chastain's, don't have the same tone as the originals. This doesn't take anything away from their acting, but it becomes a key aspect of their performances, which despite being more spontaneous, still lack the power of a real singer. Nevertheless, go and see it.