Apple TV+'s Thriller Series The Last Thing He Told Me Is Also a Story About Unconventional Motherhood
Chapter One: The Mysterious Disappearance
Hannah Hall sat in the living room of her beautiful California home, staring at the empty space on the couch where her husband Owen Michaels usually sat. It had been days since he had disappeared, leaving behind a duffel bag filled with $60,000 and a note that simply read, "Protect her."
Hannah had no idea where he could have gone or why he had left. Owen was an engineer building software to privatize online life, and he worked at a tech firm called The Shop. But everything had changed when the SEC and FBI raided the company. Suddenly, Owen was gone, leaving Hannah and their 16-year-old daughter Bailey alone.
Chapter Two: Everyone Should Take Inventory
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As Hannah struggled to come to terms with her husband's sudden disappearance, she found herself going through a chapter near the end of Laura Dave's novel, The Last Thing He Told Me. It was titled "Everyone Should Take Inventory," and it was a list of everything that the protagonist, also named Hannah, knew to be true about her own husband.
Hannah read through the list, which included details like Owen's love of Pad Thai, his tendency to never take off his wedding ring even to shower, and his inability to turn off a movie until he had seen the credits. As she read, she realized that this was how they truly knew someone - in the quietest of moments, when they got to be the witness to someone's life.
Chapter Three: A Thriller Miniseries
As Hannah continued to grapple with her husband's disappearance, she was approached by producers who wanted to turn The Last Thing He Told Me into a thriller miniseries. Jennifer Garner was set to play Hannah, while Angourie Rice would take on the role of Bailey. The show was co-created and executive produced by Laura Dave and her husband, Josh Singer, who was a screenwriter.
Chapter Four: Unconventional Family
The miniseries followed the novel closely, telling the story of a mother and daughter who were forced to embark on an urgent quest to find Owen, or at least to find out why he had fled. Along the way, they encountered a U.S. Marshall assigned to the case and delved into the backstory of Owen's former father-in-law.
But at its heart, The Last Thing He Told Me was a story about motherhood and the unconventional ways that family can form. Both Hannah and Bailey had experienced loss before - Bailey's mother had died in a hit-and-run incident, while Hannah had been largely raised by her grandfather. As they searched for Owen, they formed new relationships and discovered the true meaning of family.
Chapter Five: The Different Ways We Show Up for Each Other
Speaking with TIME, Laura Dave said that creating The Last Thing He Told Me was a way to "lean into the idea that no version of motherhood is more honorable, more important, more 'natural.'" She added that "we define home and love in ways that may be more generous and fulfilling than our younger selves could have imagined."
In the miniseries, Hannah found support in her best friend from childhood, Jules, and Jules' partner Max. They became a second family for Hannah and Bailey, providing comfort and support during a difficult time.
Chapter Six: Finding Closure
As the miniseries drew to a close, Hannah and Bailey finally discovered the truth about Owen's disappearance. It was a twist that no one saw coming, but it brought closure and allowed them to move on with their lives. Along the way, they had learned important lessons about family, love, and the different ways that we show up for each other.
After walking for what seemed like hours, Mary began to feel exhausted. Her legs were starting to ache, and she desperately needed a break. Just as she was about to sit down and catch her breath, she saw a small, dilapidated cabin in the distance.
A glimmer of hope shone in her eyes as she picked up her pace and headed towards the cabin. When she finally reached it, she banged on the door and called out for help. To her surprise, the door creaked open, and an old man with a long white beard appeared.
"Please, sir, can you help me?" Mary pleaded. "I'm lost, and I've been walking for hours. I need somewhere to rest."
The old man looked at her with kind eyes and invited her inside. As Mary entered the cabin, she was greeted by a warm fire and the smell of cooking stew. The old man sat her down by the fire and served her a bowl of stew and some fresh bread.
As she ate, Mary began to tell the old man about her journey and how she ended up lost in the woods. The old man listened intently and then offered to help her find her way home.
The next morning, after a good night's sleep, the old man set out with Mary to guide her through the woods. With his knowledge of the land, they were able to navigate their way through the forest and back to Mary's village.
When they arrived, Mary was overjoyed to be home and thanked the old man for his kindness. She promised to never forget his generosity and vowed to pay it forward by helping others in need.
From that day on, Mary became known as the kind and helpful girl in the village, and she spent the rest of her life spreading kindness and helping others, just as the old man had helped her.
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