''The Lizzie Borden Chronicles'' is an American television limited series following

Lizzie Borden Lizzie Andrew Borden (July 19, 1860 – June 1, 1927) was an American woman who was Trial, tried and Acquittal, acquitted of the August 4, 1892 axe murders of her Patricide, father and stepmother in Fall River, Massachusetts. No one else was c ...

after she is acquitted of the murders of her father and stepmother in 1892. It premiered on Lifetime on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015, and ended on May 25, 2015. The series is a continuation of the story begun in the network's 2014 film '' Lizzie Borden Took an Ax'' and, like the film, is fictionalized and speculative.

Plot

In 1893, four months after Lizzie Borden's acquittal for the murders of her father and stepmother, she and her sister Emma try to start a new life despite financial troubles and Lizzie's ruined reputation. Meanwhile, Pinkerton detective Charlie Siringo arrives in

Fall River, Massachusetts Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Fall River's population was 94,000 at the 2020 United States census, making it the List of municipalities in Massachusetts, tenth-largest city in the state, and the second- ...

, to investigate the case for himself.

Cast

Main

Christina Ricci Christina Ricci ( ; born February 12, 1980) is an American actress known for playing unusual characters with a dark edge. Ricci works mostly in Independent film, independent productions, but has also appeared in numerous box-office hits. She is ...

Clea DuVall Clea Helen D'Etienne DuVall (born September 25, 1977) is an American actress, director and screenwriter. Her film appearances include ''The Faculty'' (1998); ''But I'm a Cheerleader''; ''Girl, Interrupted (film), Girl, Interrupted'' (both ...

as Emma Borden * Cole Hauser as Charlie Siringo

Recurring

* Olivia Llewellyn as Isabel Danforth * John Ralston as Ezekiel Danforth * Dylan Taylor as Officer Leslie Trotwood * Bradley Stryker as Skipjack * Jeff Wincott as Marshal Hilliard * Jessy Schram as Nance O'Keefe * Rhys Coiro as Chester Phipps * Adrian G. Griffiths as Fredrick Lowell * Chris Bauer as

Tom Horn Thomas Horn Jr., (November 21, 1860 – November 20, 1903) was an American scout, cowboy, soldier, range detective, rodeo performer, and Pinkerton agent in the 19th-century and early 20th-century American Old West. Believed to have committ ...

* Matthew Le Nevez as

Bat Masterson Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the late 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was bo ...

Guest

* John Heard as William Almy * Andrew Howard as William Borden *

Michael Ironside Frederick Reginald Ironside (born February 12, 1950), known professionally as Michael Ironside, is a Canadian actor. A prominent character actor with over 270 film and television credits, he is known for playing villains and antiheroes, but has ...

as Warren Stark * Kimberly-Sue Murray as Adele * Jonathan Banks as Mr. Flowers * Frank Chiesurin as Spencer Cavanaugh *

Ronan Vibert Ronan David Jackson Vibert (23 February 1964 – 22 December 2022) was an English actor who was known for his appearances in films and on British and American television. Early life He was born in Cambridge, on 23 February 1964, the son of Dil ...

as Dr. Vose * Michelle Fairley as Aideen Trotwood

Episodes

Production and release

In October 2014, Lifetime announced plans for an additional limited series based on the network's 2014 film ''Lizzie Borden Took an Ax''. Originally referred to as ''Lizzie Borden: The Fall River Chronicles'', the series would take place after Lizzie's trial, with Ricci and DuVall reprising their roles as the Borden sisters. Hauser was cast as Pinkerton detective Charlie Siringo, who investigates other strange occurrences, including murders, centered around the Bordens. Stephen Kay directed the first two episodes. A teaser trailer calling the series ''The Lizzie Borden Chronicles'' aired on December 8, 2014, during the second part of '' The Red Tent'' miniseries, promoting a 2015 premiere. It featured the

tagline In entertainment, a tagline (alternatively spelled tag line) is a short text which serves to clarify a thought for, or is designed with a form of, dramatic effect. Many tagline slogans are reiterated phrases associated with an individual, so ...

, "Lizzie Borden Has an Axe to Grind". ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'' wrote in October 2014 that the series would consist of six one-hour episodes, but by January 2015 the order was increased to eight. ''The Lizzie Borden Chronicles'' premiered on April 5, 2015. Most - if not all - of the series was shot in Nova Scotia, Canada, using period buildings and interiors in Halifax and other nearby communities. Lifetime executive vice president and general manager Rob Sharenow said in 2014, “This series will take viewers further down Lizzie Borden’s dark path, revealing what many people suspected about her mysterious life." ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...

'' reported that "while the film was inspired by real-life events, the series will take certain creative liberties, which draw from the mysterious events surrounding the deaths of those close to Borden in the years after her acquittal." Ricci said in January 2015, "It’s an imagining of what could've happened... There are no limits of behavior. There are no rules. It's the ultimate playing a fantasy." Director Kay added, "It's what would happen if you let this woman loose on a community." Neil Genzlinger of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' noted that "the show mixes tidbits of actual history—there really was a Charlie Siringo, for instance—with lots of fiction and speculation, so don't take anything here seriously". In June 2015, Lifetime opted to not produce further episodes. The complete series was released on DVD by

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Inc. (abbreviated as SPHE) is the home entertainment distribution division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony. Background SPHE is responsible for the distribution of the Sony Pictures libra ...

on February 2, 2016.

Reception

The series has garnered mixed reviews despite high praise for Ricci's performance as Borden. Jane Borden of '' Vanity Fair'' called the series "playful, wicked brain candy", adding that "Ricci was born to play a 19th-century ax murderer, as it turns out." Keith Uhlich of ''The Hollywood Reporter'' wrote, "Christina Ricci brings us the axe! Would that her effort was worth it" and Deborah Day of ''

TheWrap ''TheWrap'' is an American online news organization that covers the business of entertainment and media. It was founded by journalist Sharon Waxman in 2009 and is based in Los Angeles. The site features original reporting, analysis, and editor ...

'' noted, "Christina Ricci kills it, but even her brand of crazy is not enough." Praising Ricci's Lizzie as "gleeful and ruthless", ''The New York Times'' called the series "period-piece television served with a wink".

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lizzie Borden Chronicles, The 2010s American drama television series 2015 American television series debuts 2015 American television series endings 2010s American documentary television series American English-language television shows Cultural depictions of Lizzie Borden Television series set in the 1890s Lesbian-related television shows Television series based on actual events Television shows set in Massachusetts Television series by Sony Pictures Television Lifetime (TV channel) television dramas 2010s horror television series