The best gardens feature an eclectic mix of flowers; after all, if everything looks the same then nothing will stand out. That's one of the many things that make Grosse Pointe Garden Society work so well.
There are flower metaphors aplenty. AnnaSophia Robb's Alice, a high school teacher whose beloved dog is missing, takes viewers through the show's cast of characters in the pilot episode by comparing them with their floral counterparts. (She's a geranium, because geraniums can't thrive if you plant them where they don't belong.) Aja Naomi King delights as Catherine, a real estate agent who has more than business dealings with her partner. Ben Rappaport is a landscaper, but more importantly he's a father trying to stay relevant in his kids' lives as his ex-wife's new man tries to take his place. And then there's Birdie (Melissa Fumero), a socialite and quasi-celebrity with self-servingly good intentions who has a knack for trouble.
The story moves back and forth between present day and six months prior; the show utilizes clever ways to indicate when the story is taking place so you never feel overwhelmed by time jumps. At the center is the Grosse Pointe Garden Society with the iron-fisted Marilyn (Jennifer Irwin) in control; Marilyn allows club members to believe they have a say in the goings on, but she's really the one who calls the shots. as she guides the club toward winning prestigious awards each year.
As with any garden, there are plenty of busy bees who like to move from flower to flower, and that's how the Grosse Pointe gossip mill works. Everyone knows everything about everything...so when the four friends are seen burying a body, well, the clock is ticking before fingers start pointing in their direction.
Grosse Pointe Garden Society is easy to watch and enjoy. The story isn't overly complicated and all of the players are laid out so that you immediately fall in love with the protagonists and curse the villains. There's a great mystery at the heart of the story, but there's also lots of drama in each character's life and it leaves you wanting to know more. There's no missing the soapiness of the love triangles and tawdry affairs, but there's enough quick-witted dialogue and quirky comebacks to keep the show's darker moments from bringing the mood down too much.
Promising seeds have been planted with Grosse Pointe Garden Society and we're looking forward to see what grows.
Grosse Pointe Garden Society airs Sundays at 10 pm ET/PT on NBC, with new episodes streaming the following day on Peacock.
