Emmy Rossum Hunts a Serial Killer in Elizabeth Meriwether's New Thriller "Furious"

Furious, a new eight-episode crime thriller now available on Disney+, centres on an FBI agent hunting a calculating female serial killer, with both characters navigating their own paths toward justice. Created by Elizabeth Meriwether, the series marks her third major project following The Dropout and Dying for Sex, and it has been praised by critics as intelligent, character-driven television designed for adult audiences.

Plot and Characters

Emmy Rossum plays Alice Black, a former New York Police Department homicide detective now working as a probationary FBI agent on the sex crimes unit. Alice's career trajectory shifted dramatically after her childhood sweetheart and fellow officer assaulted her so severely that she required hospitalisation. When she reported the incident internally, her department largely turned against her, leaving her isolated within the force.

The investigation begins when her one remaining ally from the NYPD, Danny Kelly (Scoot McNairy), contacts Alice about a suspicious death. The victim is Caleb Easton, son of a local billionaire. As Alice pursues the case, she encounters Catherine, the calculating serial killer portrayed by Lola Petticrew. Catherine operates through what the show describes as manufactured intimacy, luring victims into false relationships before carrying out her crimes. The narrative explores how both women pursue justice according to their own definitions, blurring the line between right and wrong.

Creative Team and Production

Meriwether wrote the first three of the eight episodes, with the remaining four divided among five writers—four women and one man. The cast includes Quincy Tyler Bernstine alongside Rossum and Petticrew. Brian Kirk directed the opening episodes. The series is produced by 20th Television and Searchlight Television, with Ronald Bass, Matt Olmstead, and Sam Hoffman serving as executive producers alongside Meriwether and Rossum.

The Guardian's review emphasised that the drama is powered throughout by "an unfaltering current of female rage," describing it as entertainment that demands viewer attention. Petticrew, who delivered a standout performance in the 2024 series Say Nothing, anchors the killer's role with a chameleonic precision that grounds the psychological thriller. The supporting cast and dense, lean script have earned recognition as sophisticated television that respects its audience's intelligence.