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Sharp Objects

Sharp Objects

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2018Miniseries1 season8 episodes~60 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

Reporter Camille Preaker confronts the psychological demons from her past when she returns to her hometown to investigate the murders of two young girls.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Sharp Objects?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Sharp Objects streaming on HBO Max and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Sharp Objects?

Sharp Objects earns 10 badges, led by Top 10% of shows and Binge-worthy.

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  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Sharp Objects worth watching?

Sharp Objects' Midcredits score is the 91st percentile of all shows, from 144K ratings across 2 sources. 89% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

91st percentile

Better received than 91% of shows

90th percentile among Crime90th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)86th
Approval (how many liked it)91st

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

79 /100

86th percentile of all shows

89th percentile among Crime85th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Ratings pile up at 9–10 with almost no detractors — near-universal love.

Approval

How many liked it

89% liked it

91st percentile of all shows

88th percentile among Crime90th percentile among 2010s
89% rated it 7–1011% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

96th percentile

143K ratings across platforms

93rd percentile among Crime96th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 8% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

It is a deliberately slow, character-driven psychological drama about trauma in a small southern town, with superb acting and atmospheric craft.

Fans praised

  • Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson deliver career-best performances
  • Jean-Marc Vallée's editing and cinematography immersively depict trauma
  • Slow-burn pacing earns a devastating, earned final twist

Detractors panned

  • Incredibly slow pacing stretched across too many episodes
  • Flashback editing is confusing and overused
  • Implausible plot logic and rushed, unsatisfying final reveal

What stands out

Acting95

Adams, Clarkson, and Scanlen praised as exceptional

Cinematography92

Beautifully framed, atmospheric small-town visuals

Atmosphere90

Suffocating, humid, eerie Wind Gap mood

Emotional impactDivisive85

Visceral trauma depiction; fans report being shaken

CharactersDivisive78

Deeply damaged, complex leads; some call them unlikable or caricatures

EndingDivisive60

Final reveal stunning to many, but seen as under-explained

Plot and storyDivisive60

Character study over whodunit; final twist divisive and rushed

PacingDivisive40

Painfully slow for many; fans see it as a deliberate immersion

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Under-30s

Under-30s scored it 10 points higher than over-30s.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Critics vs users 8 points apart
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Episodes

1 season

Miniseries · 2018 · 8 episodes · 7.6 average across 8 rated episodes

  • S1E1

    Vanish

    Jul 8, 201863 minTMDB rating 7.1
  • S1E2

    Dirt

    Jul 15, 201853 minTMDB rating 7.5
  • S1E3

    Fix

    Jul 22, 201854 minTMDB rating 7.7
  • S1E4

    Ripe

    Jul 29, 201850 minTMDB rating 7.6
  • S1E5

    Closer

    Aug 5, 201852 minTMDB rating 7.5
  • S1E6

    Cherry

    Aug 12, 201854 minTMDB rating 7.4
  • S1E7

    Falling

    Aug 19, 201854 minTMDB rating 8.1Season best
  • S1E8

    Milk

    Aug 26, 201850 minTMDB rating 8.0Finale

Watch experience

What is Sharp Objects like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and intense — a relentless watch that leaves you haunted.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseDreadMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Bleak · 3% of showsSolemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Nonlinear · 5% of shows: Events shown out of chronological order.SerializedOne continuous story
ToneThe series is played with complete sincerity, treating its dark subject matter with gravity and psychological depth.
The rideThe series sustains a thick atmosphere of tension and dread, escalating to a devastating climax in the final episodes.
StructureThe story is told through a nonlinear sequence of flashbacks and present-day scenes, with some episodes opening with a glimpse of the final scene.
Episode formatThe season is a single continuous story following Camille's investigation and its psychological toll.
Season formatAll eight episodes follow one progressing narrative arc without episodic resets.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Haunting · 9% of showsDevastating · 1% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves a pervasive sense of dread and sorrow, lingering long after the final scene.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Mystery
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% (this title) · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

8% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeCamille's investigation into the murders of two girls drives the plot, but the story is equally a character study of her own trauma and family secrets.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% (this title) · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsMemory · 3% of showsSelf-worth · 7% of shows
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe series is fundamentally about the toxic, inescapable bonds of family, where Camille's investigation forces her to confront her traumatic childhood and her fraught relationship with her mother.
StanceThematic stance is a mournful interrogation of how family trauma shapes and damages its victims, rather than a celebration or simple warning.

The world

ContemporaryRuralDomesticSuburbanStylized realism
AmbientSupportive music · original score · Michael Penn
SettingA stifling, humid small town in the American South, where everyone knows each other's secrets.
MusicThe dissonant, atmospheric score underlines the show's unease.

Content guide

Is Sharp Objects okay for kids?

TV-MA

Sharp Objects is rated TV-MA. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (81/100), sexual content at intense (67/100), language at intense (63/100), drug and alcohol content at severe (91/100) and frightening material at intense (70/100). Overall it is heavier than 85% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 28 other countries
  • UK18
  • AustraliaMA15+
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland18
  • New Zealand16
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil18
  • Austria16
  • Czechia18+
  • FinlandK16
  • Hungary18
  • IndiaA
  • ItalyVM14
  • MexicoB-15
  • MY18
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway12
  • Poland18
  • Portugal12AP
  • RO18
  • Russia18+
  • SingaporeR21
  • South Africa16
  • Spain18
  • SwedenFrån 15 år
  • Switzerland16
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 92% of all showsHeavier than 85% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Severe
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 70%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 75%
Profanity
Intense
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 40%
Alcohol & Drugs
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 95%
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 70%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: drug and alcohol content, violence, frightening material, sexual content, and language.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Sharp Objects have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Sharp Objects?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Amy Adams
as Camille Preaker
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Patricia Clarkson
as Adora Crellin
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Chris Messina
as Detective Richard Willis
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Eliza Scanlen
as Amma Crellin
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Matt Craven
as Chief Bill Vickery
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Henry Czerny
as Alan Crellin
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Taylor John Smith
as John Keene
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Madison Davenport
as Ashley Wheeler
Miguel Sandoval
as Frank Curry
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Sophia Lillis
as Young Camille
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

More like this

What are shows like Sharp Objects?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Sharp Objects include The Sinner (2017), His & Hers (2026) and Shining Girls (2022).

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What other shows share a tag with Sharp Objects?

108 other shows share the rarest tag below, relationship: parent and child estranged. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.