Elizabeth Olsen’s Love & Death Series Is a Netflix Hit 3 Years After Debut

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Elizabeth Olsen is famous for playing Wanda Maximoff, also known as Scarlet Witch, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But she’s been in many other successful movies and TV shows as well. Currently, her series Love & Death is a streaming hit, even though it first came out three years ago.

According to FlixPatrol, the series Love & Death is performing very well worldwide, currently ranking as the 4th most popular show globally. It’s a hit in several countries, including Brazil, Costa Rica, and Denmark. It’s the second most-watched show on Netflix in Argentina, Greece, and Mexico, and it actually reached the No. 1 spot in Croatia, Poland, and Romania.

Love & Death tells the story of Candy Montgomery (Elizabeth Olsen), a woman put on trial in 1980 for the murder of her former lover’s wife. The series also features Jesse Plemons as Allan Gore, a married man who has an affair with Candy. Lily Rabe portrays Allan’s wife, Betty Gore, and Patrick Fugit plays Candy’s husband, Pat Montgomery.

Love & Death Wasn’t the First Miniseries Based on This True-Crime Story

True crime stories are hugely popular, and shows like Ryan Murphy’s Monster series demonstrate how quickly they can become international hits. The case of Candy Montgomery, in particular, generated significant media coverage due to the shocking crime itself, the circumstances surrounding it, and the outcome of her trial.

In 2023, Elizabeth Olsen starred in a miniseries that explored the same true crime as Jessica Biel’s 2022 series, Candy. Both shows focused on Candy Montgomery and the events surrounding the crime, leading to frequent comparisons between the two different perspectives.

As a big fan of true crime adaptations, I remember when Love & Death came out and it didn’t quite make the splash everyone anticipated. A lot of reviewers drew comparisons to another series covering the same story, pointing out that one really delved into the characters’ minds and motivations, while Love & Death stuck closer to the documented facts. I think that difference in approach is a big reason why it ended up with such a mixed reception.

Love & Death Was a Bigger Hit with Viewers

Critics and audiences had differing opinions on the show. It currently has a 63% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on reviews from critics. Craig Mathieson of The Age (Australia) noted that the story, similar to Jessica Biel’s ‘Candy’, felt familiar, and that the show’s approach – blending observation with dry humor – wasn’t particularly compelling.

However, audiences seem to really enjoy Love & Death. The series has an 88% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating positive reactions. Many viewers specifically praised the performances, with one Rotten Tomatoes user, Nancy N, calling it “Wonderfully acted. Understated and controlled. Mesmerizing.” It currently has a 7.5 rating on IMDb, suggesting that the show resonated with viewers more than with critics.

Streaming shows are still incredibly popular in the 2020s, and Love & Death is a great example of a hit series. It tells the story of a family in the suburbs, their close community, and a true crime case that people are still talking about years later. After three years, Love & Death is now gaining a large audience around the world.

Love & Death is available to stream on Netflix.

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2026-03-19 21:06