Sharp Objects, a series showing on DStv, is a psychological crime thriller featuring Amy Adams as a tormented journalist named Camille Preaker. Over eight episodes, Preaker returns to her hometown - the rather dreary and depressing Wind Gap, Missouri - to investigate the murders of two young girls.
The series is dark and beautifully shot, and littered with characters who, in one way or another, are all facing their own personal demons. But what is most impressive for me is the 10 uncannily accurate ways the job and life of a journalist are depicted:
1. WE CAN'T AFFORD A NICE CAR BUT ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD STEREO
Camille Preaker drives a circa 1986 red Volvo 240 GL that appears rusty and potentially unreliable. However, despite the car's age and ailing condition, she has ensured the stereo is in perfect working condition so that she can blast her obscure music with perfect pitch and clarity (see point #4) while driving around looking all moody and depressed and wondering WTF.
2. PEOPLE HATE US FOR TRYING TO DO OUR JOB
In episode two, Camille's mother, Adora, is appalled to see her taking notes during the funeral of the latest teenage girl to be murdered, so much so that she tries to snatch the notebook away and, in the end, Camille leaves the church in a huff, unable to get her job done and most likely thinking about how her mother doesn't have any inkling what it's like to be under pressure from your editor to get All The Facts, even if it sometimes seems inappropriate.
Then, in episode three, after the first part of Camille's article is published, the police chief and a few other residents take great offence to what she's written about the town and the people, despite these people agreeing to be interviewed/written about, while also having no clue what journalism is actually about.
This is exactly what happens...