‘Succession’ Star Sarah Snook Returns in All Her Fault — The Gripping 2025 Thriller Dominating Streaming Charts

When Succession ended its four-season reign in May 2023, audiences mourned not only the loss of HBO’s most biting drama but also the end of Sarah Snook’s defining performance as Shiv Roy — the calculating, vulnerable, and sharp-tongued daughter of the Roy dynasty. Two years later, Snook has returned to television in a role that flips her Succession persona on its head.

Her new project, All Her Fault, debuted on November 6, 2025, and quickly became a streaming sensation. Within days of release, it climbed to the top of viewership charts, surpassing even long-standing hits like The Crown and Yellowjackets. The six-episode miniseries, adapted from Andrea Mara’s bestselling novel, proves that Snook’s magnetism extends far beyond the boardrooms of Logan Roy’s empire.

Critic Lena Moritz of IndieWire praised Snook’s transformation:

“In All Her Fault, Sarah Snook channels the emotional chaos of motherhood and loss. She’s no longer wielding power — she’s stripped of it, and it’s riveting.”

The Story Behind All Her Fault: A Parent’s Worst Nightmare

Set in modern-day Chicago, All Her Fault follows Marissa Irvine (Snook), a self-made wealth manager whose well-ordered life unravels in a single afternoon. When she arrives at a suburban house to pick up her five-year-old son, Milo, after a playdate, no one there knows who she is. The woman answering the door has never heard of Marissa, Milo, or the supposed nanny who arranged the meeting.

From that moment, the series descends into a slow-burning mystery that tests every relationship Marissa has ever built. Her husband Peter (Jake Lacy), his sister Lia (Abby Elliott), and her confidant Jenny (Dakota Fanning) each harbor secrets that deepen the web of deceit. Detective Alcaras (Michael Peña) emerges as both ally and adversary, as his investigation takes a morally ambiguous turn.

Key Characters	Actor	Character Description
Marissa Irvine	Sarah Snook	A Chicago wealth manager whose son goes missing under mysterious circumstances.
Peter Irvine	Jake Lacy	Marissa’s husband — supportive on the surface, but hiding deep insecurities.
Jenny Kaminski	Dakota Fanning	A fellow mother and Marissa’s unexpected confidant.
Detective Alcaras	Michael Peña	The lead investigator whose sense of justice begins to erode.
Lia Irvine	Abby Elliott	Peter’s volatile sister with secrets of her own.

As the case unfolds, Marissa’s life — her friendships, her marriage, and her identity as a mother — becomes a hall of mirrors. Every episode peels back another layer, exposing the fragility of trust in an age of appearances.

Snook’s Performance: From Ruthless to Raw

While Shiv Roy wielded words like weapons, Marissa Irvine leads with emotion. Snook’s portrayal captures the panic of a mother whose control slips away with every unanswered call and missing clue.

In Succession, Snook commanded boardrooms; in All Her Fault, she commands empathy. Her vulnerability feels unfiltered — her tears, her silences, even her moments of rage carry the weight of someone dismantled by grief.

Critic Arjun Patel of TV Line noted:

“Snook’s Marissa is a revelation — terrified, determined, and heartbreakingly human. It’s a performance that reminds us why she’s one of television’s most versatile actors.”

Her chemistry with Dakota Fanning is another highlight. Their characters’ bond — two women judged by the world for being both mothers and breadwinners — becomes the emotional spine of the show. Their scenes, tender yet tense, speak to a shared exhaustion many working mothers will recognize.

Themes: Motherhood, Identity, and Society’s Double Standards

At its core, All Her Fault isn’t just a thriller — it’s a meditation on motherhood in modern society. It explores the pressure placed on women to “have it all” while subtly blaming them when things fall apart.

Through Marissa, the series critiques societal expectations that define women by how well they nurture rather than how well they succeed. Jenny’s character complements this theme, serving as a mirror to Marissa’s emotional unraveling — both powerful women, yet both constrained by judgment and guilt.

Core Themes	Exploration in the Series
Motherhood and Guilt	Marissa’s maternal instincts drive the story but also cloud her judgment.
Gender Roles	Both Marissa and Jenny navigate the contradictions of being successful women in a patriarchal environment.
Deception and Identity	Every major character hides something, forcing viewers to question who is truly trustworthy.
Class and Privilege	The show contrasts the wealthy Chicago elite with working-class realities, blurring moral lines.

Cinematic Style and Direction

Directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Dee Rees (Mudbound), All Her Fault balances sleek cinematography with emotional grit. The muted colour palette mirrors Marissa’s descent into paranoia, while close-up shots emphasise the claustrophobic nature of her unravelling life.

Each episode ends on a carefully measured cliffhanger — never gratuitous, always earned. Unlike many thrillers that rely on cheap twists, All Her Fault layers its suspense through human psychology and social commentary.

Cinematographer Kevin Messman described the visual tone:

“We wanted Chicago to feel both beautiful and unsettling — a city where every shadow could hide an answer or a lie.”

Reception: A Streaming Hit and Critical Darling

Since its November 6 premiere, All Her Fault has dominated streaming charts across North America and Europe. Paramount+ reported that the show achieved record-breaking completion rates — 74% of viewers who started the first episode finished the entire series within three days.

Critics have been unanimous in praise. The Guardian called it “the most emotionally intelligent thriller since Big Little Lies,” while Rolling Stone described it as “a masterclass in tension and empathy.”

The Ending: No Spoilers, But Worth the Wait

Without revealing key twists, it’s safe to say the finale delivers on every bit of buildup. Questions are answered, justice is redefined, and the final ten minutes will leave audiences reeling. It’s an ending that feels both shocking and inevitable — the hallmark of great mystery writing.

Why All Her Fault Deserves Your Next Binge?

If Succession explored power’s corruption, All Her Fault examines its absence — what happens when a woman loses control of the very life she built. It’s haunting, relatable, and unflinchingly relevant.

Snook proves again that she is one of her generation’s most nuanced performers, capable of carrying both boardroom battles and breakdowns with equal finesse. Whether you loved her as Shiv Roy or are discovering her anew, All Her Fault is essential viewing — a reminder that true power sometimes lies in vulnerability.

Conclusion

All Her Fault cements Sarah Snook’s status as one of the defining actors of this television era. It’s a taut, elegant, and emotionally devastating thriller that speaks to the anxieties of modern life — the fear of losing not just what we love, but who we are.

In trading corporate power for personal peril, Snook proves that complexity doesn’t need a dynasty to thrive. All Her Fault is proof that the modern thriller can still surprise us — not with spectacle, but with soul.

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