Add Elizabeth Olsen's 2023 True Crime Miniseries to Your Netflix Queue

Elizabeth Olsen has long proven that she is much more than the younger sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. If your exposure to her work has been limited to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, her 2023 miniseries Love & Death, now available on Netflix, is a perfect showcase of her range.

Although Love & Death is officially an HBO Max production, a streaming agreement allows Netflix to host select HBO content. This deal explains why titles like Sex and the City and Love & Death appear in Netflixs catalog, separate from Netflixs acquisition of the Warner Bros. library announced in December 2025.

The Storyline

The series dramatizes the true crime story of Candy Montgomery, a Texas woman accused of the shocking murder of her friend. Olsen portrays Candy, while Patrick Fugit plays her devoted husband Pat Montgomery. Jesse Plemons takes on the role of Allan Gore, the husband of Candys victim, Betty Gore, portrayed by Lily Rabe.

Love & Death explores the friendship between Candy and Betty, the horrific crime that shattered their community, and the legal proceedings that followed.

Plot Overview

Set in 1970s Texas, Candy leads a comfortable life but desires something morespecifically, Allan Gore, a fellow churchgoer. The series blends dark humor and suspense as Candy confesses her intentions to her pastor, Jackie Ponder, and schematically plans the affair with Allan before it begins.

As the affair develops, the complications grow. Pat remains oblivious to Candys actions, while Betty demands more of Allan after the birth of their second child. A marriage retreat initially restores some balance, but suspicion and tension escalate, ultimately culminating in violence.

Production and Reception

Love & Death features a skilled ensemble cast and is led by experienced showrunner David E. Kelley. Across seven episodes, it delivers a fast-paced, engaging narrative. However, it inevitably invites comparison to Candy, a Hulu miniseries released just a year earlier, which covers the same real-life events.

Candy, created by Nick Antosca and Robin Veith, stars Jessica Biel as Candy Montgomery, Timothy Simons as Pat, Pablo Schreiber as Allan, and Melanie Lynskey as Betty. Critics and viewers have noted that Biels portrayal offers a darker, more nuanced take on Candy, giving the Hulu version a slight edge in terms of intensity and psychological depth.

Where to Watch

Both series are worth exploring for fans of true crime drama. Love & Death is available on HBO Max and Netflix, while Candy streams on Hulu.

Author: Ava Mitchell