True Crime: Strange and Stranger


“Landscapers”
Susan and Chris Edwards were a devoted couple who lived a quiet life in London and later in France. In 2013 they were ordered home by British police and arrested for killing Susan’s parents 15 years earlier and burying them in their backyard garden.
Their story is told in four compelling episodes. The first three alternate between the interrogation and the backstory, from their marriage up to the killing. Susan was a dreamer, obsessed with Hollywood films, particularly Westerns; Chris was more grounded. In one scene she gazes at a simple line between a sofa and a wall and sees a fantasy horizon and a plain on which they are riding horses. “I can’t ride a horse,” Chris says.
The crime is no fantasy; is it murder or a provoked manslaughter? This haunting production unfolds as a love story, a tragic one but not without its comic moments. It moves seamlessly from reality to scenes from Susan’s movies and back. Susan is played brilliantly by Olivia Colman (“The Crown,” “The Favourite”). David Thewlis plays Chris and is more than her equal.
The final episode is part courtroom drama and part Hollywood fantasy. In the dock, Chris calls Susan fragile; she says, “I’m not fragile, I’m broken.” In the end they are both dreamers, the last ones standing in a fantasy Western gunfight. And Chris is on a horse. Stream on HBO Max.
“The Investigation”
On Aug. 10, 2017, Kim Wall, an attractive Swedish journalist, boarded a small submarine to interview its owner, Peter Madsen. The submarine sank and was found the next day. Madsen was rescued from the water. There was no trace of Wall until weeks later when her torso, filled with stab wounds, washed ashore.
This Danish miniseries tells the story of the painstaking effort to find justice for Kim’s family. Copenhagen head of homicide Jens Moller (Soren Malling) leads the team of investigators; they are sure that Madsen is guilty of murder, but he cannot be convicted without firm evidence. That includes finding the rest of Kim’s body. In episode four, a crew of frogmen, led by cadaver dogs and an oceanographer, scour the bottom of the sea searching for Kim’s head and limbs.
Directed by Tobias Lindholm, who wrote the popular political series “Borgen,” the tone here is pure Scandinavian noir. The landscape is bleak, skies are gray, dialogue is stripped to the bone, and there is little attempt at characterization. The pace is as measured as the investigation, at times frustratingly slow. But it is worth watching. The scenes at sea are breathtaking. Despite the lurid details, it is a restrained and absorbing example of careful Danish justice, which leads to a conviction and life sentence for the killer. Stream on HBO Max, rent on Amazon.
“When They See Us”
Criminal justice can be more like the Wild West in the U.S., as dramatized in this powerful miniseries about the 1989 Central Park Jogger case. A woman is sexually assaulted in the park; the NYPD quickly arrests five Black and Latino teenagers, and harsh and lengthy interrogation pressures them into confessions.
Despite the lack of any substantive evidence or DNA matches, they are convicted. Donald Trump buys full-page ads saying, “Bring back the death penalty. I hate these murderers.” Many say the ads poisoned the minds of New Yorkers and played a role in the convictions. All five serve years in prison before this miscarriage of justice is corrected, and the case is recognized as an example of reckless police work and racial profiling.
Creator Ava DuVernay packs this complex story into four fast-paced, eye-opening episodes. Her show and its young ensemble actors won critical acclaim and many Emmy nominations. Stream on Netflix.
The HVRHS boys rejoice around Jackson McAvoy after he scored the game-winning goal against Shepaug with just two minutes left to play.
WASHINGTON — Housatonic Valley Regional High School’s boys varsity soccer team advanced to the Berkshire League tournament final after a 1-0 win over Shepaug Valley High School in the semifinal game on Friday, Oct. 24.
Jackson McAvoy scored the game-winning goal with just two minutes remaining.
The victory marked HVRHS boys soccer’s first victory over Shepaug since 2020.
“Finally,” said HVRHS Coach Adolfo Portillo after the game.
HVRHS will play top-ranked Nonnewaug High School in the BL final. Nonnewaug advanced to the title game by beating Northwestern Regional High School in penalty kicks (4-3) after a 2-2 draw in regulation time.
The championship game will be played at Nonnewaug beginning at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28.

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Students dressed in neon lined the soccer field for senior night under the lights on Thursday, Oct. 16. The game against Lakeview was the last in a series of competitions Thursday night in celebration of Homecoming 2025.
As homecoming week reaches its end and fall sports finish out the season, an air of school spirit and student participation seems to be on the rise across Housatonic Valley Regional High School.
But what can be attributed to this sudden peak of student interest? That’s largely due to SGA. Also known as the Student Government Association, SGA has dedicated itself to creating events to bring the entire student body together. This year, they decided to change some traditions.
Spirit week from Oct. 14-17 was unlike those of the previous years. From wearing Housatonic merch to Boomer vs Baby day, this year’s spirit week held a little friendly competition to see which grade could participate the most.
“I think that students are bored of the same old activities and events, so it’s good to switch things up even slightly to incentivize interest within students,” said SGA president and senior Mollie Ford. “Plus the point system is super beneficial because it gives students a reason to participate.”
The school spirit sentiment can be seen outside of just the school. Senior Simon Markow is known for his photography throughout the community, and has dedicated time to help Housy sports teams’ social media posts.
“Since I’ve started photography, I think school attendance [at sports games] has gone up,” Markow said. “I feel this year, students will be more aware of games and are more likely to be at the games.”
Whether it’s a pink-out volleyball game or an under the lights soccer match, it’s likely you’ll see some familiar faces.
Social media has played a large role in this over the years. Almost every student organization at Housatonic has an Instagram account, and it’s helped reach students more efficiently than a poster or email would.
“The increase of social media use, with the help from me but as well as the teams themselves has definitely increased student interest,” Markow said. “With Housy teams posting more about their upcoming games, and my help showing the cool goals, spikes, or touchdowns, it’s enlightened students to watch the games themselves.”
In a small school, promoting pride has proven to be a challenge. But this year’s senior class has made some adjustments in the hopes to change that.
“The SGA community has spent the last few years really focusing on student participation, because we think it’s the students who contribute to a better climate,” Ford said. While Housatonic’s student body may be small in size, it seems they certainly aren’t small in spirit.