Olive Kitteridge is an American television miniseries based on Elizabeth Strout's 2008 novel. Set in Maine, the HBO miniseries stars Frances McDormand as Olive, Richard Jenkins as her loving husband Henry, Zoe Kazan as Denise Thibodeau, and Bill Murray as Jack Kennison. The show is divided into 4 parts, each depicting a certain point of time in the novel.

The miniseries debuted in the United States on November 2, 2014, on the American premium TV network HBO, which aired the show's first two episodes back-to-back that evening; the third and fourth episodes aired back-to-back the following evening. It was shown in a similar format in the United Kingdom on Sky Atlantic, on December 14 and December 15, 2014. It premiered in Australia on Showcase from 13 January 2015. At the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards, the miniseries won eight awards, including Outstanding Limited Series, Outstanding Lead Actress for McDormand, Outstanding Lead Actor for Jenkins and Outstanding Supporting Actor for Murray.

Premise Olive Kitteridge is a misanthropic and strict, but well-meaning, retired schoolteacher who lives in the fictional seaside town of Crosby, Maine. She is married to Henry Kitteridge, a kind, considerate man who runs a pharmacy downtown, and has a troubled son named Christopher, who grows up to be a podiatrist. For 25 years, Olive has experienced problems of depression, bereavement, jealousy, and friction with family members and friends.

Cast Frances McDormand as Olive Kitteridge Richard Jenkins as Henry Kitteridge Zoe Kazan as Denise Thibodeau Rosemarie DeWitt as Rachel Coulson Martha Wainwright as Angela O'Meara Ann Dowd as Bonnie Newton Jesse Plemons as Jerry McCarthy Bill Murray as Jack Kennison John Gallagher Jr. as Christopher Kitteridge (adult) Devin Druid as Christopher Kitteridge (age 13) John Mullen as Kevin Coulson (age 13) Cory Michael Smith as Kevin Coulson (adult) Peter Mullan as Jim O'Casey Rachel Brosnahan as Patty Howe Brady Corbet as Henry Thibodeau Maryann Urbano as Linda Kennison Libby Winters as Suzanne Patricia Kalember as Joyce Audrey Marie Anderson as Ann Donna Mitchell as Louise Larkin Frank L. Ridley as Mr. Thibodeau Amanda Collins as Nurse Patricia

Episodes

Reception and accolades Critical response Olive Kitteridge received widespread critical acclaim for its writing, directing, cinematography, and Frances McDormand's central performance as well as those of Jenkins, Murray and Gallagher. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the show has an approval rating of 95% based on 63 reviews, with an average rating of 8.68/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Olive Kitteridges narrative slow burn enhances fascinating performances – and a story worthy of its source material." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 89 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref. Venice Film Festival Silver Mouse Lisa Cholodenko American Cinema Editors Awards Best Edited Miniseries or Motion Picture for Television Jeffrey M. Werner Costume Designers Guild Awards Outstanding Made for Television Movie or Miniseries Jenny Eagan Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Limited Series Best Actor in a Movie or Limited Series Richard Jenkins Best Actress in a Movie or Limited Series Frances McDormand Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or Limited Series Bill Murray Cory Michael Smith Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Miniseries Lisa Cholodenko Dorian Awards TV Performance of the Year – Actress Frances McDormand TV Director of the Year Lisa Cholodenko Golden Globe Awards Best Miniseries or TV Film Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Film Frances McDormand Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or TV Film Bill Murray Gracie Awards Outstanding Producer – Entertainment Jane Anderson Hollywood Post Alliance Awards Outstanding Color Grading – Television Pankaj Bajpai Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling – Television Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Cydney Cornell Best Period and/or Character Makeup – Television Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Christien Tinsley, Gerald Quist, and Liz Bernstrom Best Special Makeup Effects – Television Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Christien Tinsley, Gerald Quist, and Hiro Yada Online Film & Television Association Awards Best Miniseries Best Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Richard Jenkins Best Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Frances McDormand Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries John Gallagher Jr. Bill Murray Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Rosemarie DeWitt Best Direction of a Motion Picture or Miniseries Lisa Cholodenko Best Writing of a Motion Picture or Miniseries Jane Anderson Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Best Cinematography in a Non-Series Best Costume Design in a Non-Series Best Editing in a Non-Series Best Makeup/Hairstyling in a Non-Series Best Music in a Non-Series Best New Theme Song in a Series Best Production Design in a Non-Series Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Limited Series Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks, Jane Anderson, Frances McDormand, Steven Shareshian, and David Coatsworth Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie Richard Jenkins Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie Frances McDormand Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie Bill Murray Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie Zoe Kazan Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special Lisa Cholodenko Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special Jane Anderson Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Casting for a Limited Series, Movie or a Special Laura Rosenthal and Carolyn Pickman Outstanding Hairstyling for a Limited Series or a Movie Cydney Cornell Outstanding Main Title Design Garson Yu, Synderela Peng, Michael Lane Parks, Alex Pollini, and John Robson Outstanding Costumes for a Contemporary Series, Limited Series or Movie Jenny Eagan and Debbie Holbrook Outstanding Makeup for a Limited Series or a Movie (Non-Prosthetic) Christien Tinsley, Gerald Quist, and Liz Bernstrom Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Limited Series or a Movie Jeffrey M. Werner Satellite Awards Best Miniseries Made for Television Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television Richard Jenkins Best Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television Frances McDormand Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Zoe Kazan Actor Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries Richard Jenkins Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries Frances McDormand Television Critics Association Awards Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials Writers Guild of America Awards Long Form – Adapted Jane Anderson; Based on the novel by Elizabeth Strout Artios Awards Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Television Movie or Mini Series Laura Rosenthal, Carolyn Pickman, Maribeth Fox, and Jodi Angstreich

Home media Olive Kitteridge was released by HBO on DVD and Blu-ray on February 10, 2015.

See also List of Primetime Emmy Awards received by HBO References

External links