Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of abuse, sexual violence, and domestic violence.
The world is in no shortage of detective and crime shows, so on that front, Furious, the newest series from Hulu and Disney+, isn’t breaking new ground. But what Furious does, and does well, is shift the focus from typical male-dominated stories to one that presents itself as a homicide detective tale that slowly unravels into an exploration of how two women move through life after experiencing sexual abuse. The result makes for an occasionally harrowing watch that grabs the viewer’s attention with a story fit for today’s time of greater awareness (but lack of action) towards the crimes of powerful men against women.
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Furious’ Detective Story That Turns Into Something More
Loosely based on the 1987 film Black Widow, Furious follows former NYPD officer and newly transferred FBI Agent Alice Black (Emmy Rossum) as she’s assigned a murder case of the son of one of New York City’s richest men, which a mysterious and calculating female serial killer committed.
But as the search deepens and more dead bodies turn up, Alice soon finds herself coming face to face with her dark past that she’d rather forget. Furious runs on two different paths in its eight episodes. One side of the show is its crime-detective elements that work mostly fine. It delivers what viewers have come to expect from the genre while leaving tantalizing teases and reveals in each episode.
If you think the show disclosed all its secrets, it surprises you with one more shocker, with some having that impact to leave your jaw on the floor. But where Furious truly differentiates itself is in its exploration of those who have gone through abuse and sexual violence. Alice and the female suspect she’s after, Catherine (Lola Petticrew), both have experienced horrible things. For Alice, she is fresh from a long-term abusive relationship and still healing from the PTSD and emotional scars of domestic violence, while Catherine was trafficked as a child and is now getting revenge on the men who did her wrong.
The show does a great job of highlighting how long-lasting and painful the effects of abuse are on women. Alice and Catherine are flawed individuals whose trauma has led them down different but equally bumpy paths. As much as they are good at what they do, their past has left them broken mentally and emotionally.
The Realities Women Face
What’s also notable about Furious is its boldness to spotlight how women are often seen as liars or ostracized even though they are the victims. The show makes it no secret that Alice is disliked by a lot of her male coworkers, with the abuse she experienced being chalked up as “rumors”. The dialogue can get so pointed that the series becomes frustrating to watch at times, and an exercise in patience is required, but only because of how unrelenting the scenes can get in the male characters twisting Alice’s words and actions against her.
As difficult as it is, it’s also a sad reminder that it’s the life many women who have experienced similar things go through, where they are the ones portrayed as the villain and their stories ignored by the public. In many ways, this show feels fit for a post- #MeToo and Epstein Files era where awareness of the crimes of powerful men is high but also distrust of survivors who try to tell their stories.
What starts as a murder mystery expands into a crime-thriller that isn’t afraid to tell a story about powerful men who want their secrets kept hidden and the women trying to stop that, though through vastly different methods. It doesn’t hold the viewers’ hand in having the tough conversations and asking the hard questions as morals are tested and justice done legally isn’t the same as justice done right. But for viewers who stick it out, they are rewarded with a gripping thriller whose highs will be remembered long after an episode is done.
An Overall Strong Series
Speaking of highs, the series works so well because of the strong performances of its lead stars. Emmy Rossum delivers a career-highlight here as Alice, a confident but flawed FBI agent who deviates from the archetypal detective protagonist. She’s smart and capable, but also held back by traumas and triggers and can and does make mistakes. Rossum gives the character a broken charisma that will make viewers both root and feel for her.
Lola Petticrew, meanwhile, humanizes with sheer intensity what could be an easily dislikable character. Catherine is more than just a serial killer, as Petticrew finds the humanity in a woman who didn’t have power and control over her life for most of her life. As the series progresses, viewers meet a woman who experienced things no woman should ever experience as she’s pushed to the brink in seeking the justice that has long evaded her.
Together, they serve as both a study of contrasts and similarities that elevate stereotypes into compelling characters through stellar performances. These women are angry for various reasons, hence the show’s title, and rightfully so.
Furious can be and usually is a tough watch because it reflects a reality of life most would rather not talk about or sweep under the rug. Alice and Catherine may not have the kind of hunter-prey dynamic that can keep up with the best of them, but what they have is a dynamic of damaged individuals challenging society’s ideas of women who have experienced abuse.
It’s a detective story that’s rooted in female trauma, but instead of portraying women as just victims, it dives into how they process their grief in a culture that is not welcoming, kind, and understanding towards them. If you let the show come together, it sticks with you as an unflinching showcase and nuanced take of female pain and rage wrapped in a tense revenge thriller that tests what is right and wrong in a complicated, unfair, and unforgiving world.
Furious is now streaming on Disney+ with new episodes dropping weekly.
Featured Image and Photos: Courtesy of Disney+
Frequently Asked Questions
Furious is an eight-episode thriller streaming on Disney+ and Hulu that follows Emmy Rossum as Alice Black, a former NYPD officer turned FBI agent investigating a serial killer targeting the sons of powerful men. The series is loosely based on the 1987 film Black Widow and expands into an exploration of how two women — Alice and the killer she pursues — navigate life after experiencing sexual abuse and trafficking.
Furious stars Emmy Rossum as Alice Black, an FBI agent and domestic violence survivor, and Lola Petticrew as Catherine, a serial killer who was trafficked as a child and is seeking revenge on the men who abused her.
Furious is worth watching for viewers who can engage with difficult subject matter. Emmy Rossum delivers what critics describe as a career-highlight performance, while Lola Petticrew humanizes a morally complex character with intensity. The show rewards patience — particularly in scenes depicting how institutions dismiss abuse survivors — with a gripping thriller that resonates beyond its episodes.
Furious is loosely based on the 1987 film Black Widow, not a true story or book. While the show’s exploration of powerful men abusing women and institutional disbelief of survivors reflects real-world dynamics — particularly in a post-#MeToo and Epstein Files era — the characters and plot are fictional.
Furious has eight episodes, currently streaming on Disney+ with new episodes dropping weekly. The series is a Hulu and Disney+ production and is available on both platforms, depending on regional availability.
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