Kristen Bell says cameras missed a top-tier performance: the one she gave while pitching her new Netflix series, a satire on psychological thrillers like “The Woman in the Window” and “The Girl on the Train.”
She laughs and says, “Trying to convince different streaming platforms and networks what we were trying do, when the tone had really not been done before. That was some of my best acting.” “Trust me, it will be funny, scary, and suspenseful.
Bell is the executive producer of “The Woman in the House across the Street from the Girl in the Window”, an eight-part limited series that is now streaming. Bell portrays Anna, a woman who is weighed down by the loss of her daughter three years prior, and which leads to the collapse of her marriage.
After witnessing the murder at his home through her window, she spends her time observing the neighborhood. Anna’s habit of mixing booze with medication can lead to hallucinations so it’s possible she didn’t see anything.
Anna draws on the characteristics of protagonists in thrillers like this to make it funny. Red wine is not by the glass for Anna, but by the bottle.
Bell says, “The show begins out subtle, but then you start to notice the clichés.” Bell says, “For example, my character’s self-absorbed personality. She is an artist and can’t draw anymore because of her grief. She knows she should, but she believes she is too talented. You can see her paintings and you’ll notice that they are very average. Bell claims that the character is “the least like me” she’s ever played because “I don’t drink or stare at my neighbours.” She sees Anna, however, as a “kind person at heart” and is sincere.
Rachel Ramras is the co-creator of the show and an avid reader of the genre. She says that the title is just one way to let the audience know you are able to laugh. You should also be looking for the exciting and scary moments.
Hugh Davidson, Larry Dorf and Ramras are both comedians (“The Looney Tunes Show,” and “Mike Tyson Mysteries”) but they took their new series seriously.
Davidson states that this is not a spoof in which we make fun of the filmmaking methods or any other similar thing. “Ours is a thriller that pushes certain elements to the point where you might find it absurd and have a good time with it.
Dorf states, “It’s almost like we took a psychological thriller to the next level.”
Ramras says, “If you don’t feel like watching the next episode, then it doesn’t really matter how funny it’s.” It was a challenge for writers.
Bell also faced challenges with the series. Bell says that it was hard to maintain a straight face during romance scenes, which were so cliché. She also had to be covered with mushroom soup during a fight scene. The icy shots when Anna, an ombrophobic, was caught in the rain.
“I was constantly being submerged in ice-cold waters, even though it was only 50 degrees outside. Bell admits that it wasn’t the most glamorous job she’s ever held. We wanted her to feel threatening every time she went out. So, was I half-way through the shoot sopping wet? Absolutely.”
Bell also loves the series finale. “There was one part that I found so bizarre, but it felt completely true to the tone we were trying to set. Even though it was absurd, it felt right. I doubt anyone can watch the final episode and predict the ending. e This was more predictable for me than the ending of this show.