The Lizzie Borden Chronicles debuted on April 5th, 2015, on Lifetime, as a continuation of the Lifetime movie, Lizzie Borden Took An Ax. It tells the fictionalized story of what life was like for the Borden sisters, Lizzie and Emma (Christina Ricci and Clea DuVall), after the sensational trial of the murder of their parents, of which Lizzie was acquitted. As can be expected, life in Fall River was not ponies and rainbows, but chock full of more death and tons of blood.

Geeks of Doom got the chance to speak with 3 of the writers (Part 2 with David Simkins posts Monday) of this campy series (think 1890s Evil Dead-y), and while they didn’t give us spoilers, they did give us some insight into the story process, Christina Ricci’s dynamite input, and how lucky they were with the fantastic casting.

The Lizzie Borden Chronicles
Episode 1.6 “Fugitive Kind”
Directed by Howard Deutch
Written by David Simkins
Starring Christina Ricci, Clea DuVall, Cole Hauser, Bradley Stryker, Jeff Wincott, Dylan Taylor, John Ralston
Lifetime
Air Date: Sunday, May 10, 2015, 10pm ET

Last week on The Lizzie Borden Chronicles, the tableau I mentioned really was art. Isabel (Olivia Llewellyn), sprawled, newly killed on the bed, with Spencer’s head tucked neatly between her legs. That’s not the kind of thing you can unsee. The lesson here is… check behind doors when you hear a suspicious noise. When Lizzie (Christina Ricci) was revealed behind that door, I screamed “Run!” at the TV. And even though Hilliard (Jeff Wincott) had been with Siringo (Cole Hauser) pretty much the whole time, it seems Siringo is damned. I KNEW she was dead meat as soon as she and Siringo hit the hay, and talked of the future. They will not get a happy ending. That is not this show.

One thing that is surprising is how long Skipjack (Bradley Stryker) has lasted. I pegged him to be offed in Episode 2.

Check out the “Body Count” video and the clip from last week’s episode below.

The Lizzie Borden Chronicles
Episode 1.5 “Cold Storage”
Directed by Howard Deutch
Written by Jason Grote, Barbara Nance
Starring Christina Ricci, Clea Duvall, Cole Hauser, Bradley Stryker, Jeff Wincott, Olivia Llewellyn, Dylan Taylor, John Ralston
Lifetime
Air Date: Sunday, May 3rd, 2015, 10pm ET

Last week’s episode upped the killer creativity ante. If you check out the episode 4 body count video below, you’ll know that Nance (Jessy Schram) is dead and that Lizzie “shocked” Mrs. Kenney. I totally called that before I saw it. Nance maybe would be alive if she didn’t go looking for trouble, but who are we kidding? Lizzie (Christina Ricci) would have gotten to her eventually. Emma (Clea DuVall) turned down Leslie’s (Dylan Taylor) offer to move forward in their relationship after some masterful Lizzie manipulation.

The Lizzie Borden Chronicles
Episode 1.4 “Welcome To Maplecroft”
Directed by Russell Mulcahy
Written by Jason Grote
Starring Christina Ricci, Clea Duvall, Cole Hauser, Bradley Stryker, Jeff Wincott, Olivia Llewellyn, Dylan Taylor, Jessy Schram, John Ralston
Lifetime
Air Date: Sunday, April 26th, 2015, 10pm ET

The Lizzie Borden Chronicles 1.4 “Welcome To Maplecroft” brings up to the halfway point in our bloody Lifetime series. Before that review, let’s recap last week’s episode.

“Flowers” centered on Lizzie’s (Christina Ricci) new business partner, Mr. Flowers (Jonathan Banks). He took care of that nasty little Spencer business for her. An unforeseen loose end is Skipjack (Bradley Stryker) taking the playwright’s ring. Mr. Flowers seems like a useful person for a rich serial killer to have around. Why… someone like that can get goons to beat up annoying Pinkerton detectives, and leave them/him on some train tracks like a damsel left by a twirly-mustached villain. I really enjoy Siringo (Cole Hauser) onscreen. I was hoping he would last til the end. He will, won’t he? Won’t he?

The Lizzie Borden Chronicles
Episode 1.3 “Flowers”
Directed by Russell Mulcahy
Written by Barbara Nance
Starring Christina Ricci, Clea Duvall, Cole Hauser, Bradley Stryker, Jeff Wincott, Olivia Llewellyn, Dylan Taylor, Kimberly-Sue Murray
Lifetime
Air Date: Sunday, April 19th, 2015, 10pm ET

We are three episodes in for Lifetime’s “The Lizzie Borden Chronicles” limited series event and I am thoroughly enjoying this undiscovered little jewel. But before we get to reviewing 1.3 “Flowers,” let’s recap last week’s “Patron of the Arts.”

There are some spoilers if you haven’t watched “Flowers” yet.

What we probably knew before and definitely know now, is that Lizzie (Christina Ricci) enjoys her notoriety. She and Emma (Clea Duvall) attend a risque performance, and get invited to an afterparty because of Lizzie’s fame. There they meet the playwright, Spencer, who tries to get Lizzie to be his “patron” for his next play. He also tries and fails at seducing her. Lizzie rescues a prostitute, Adele, from her terrible lot. She goes to see Mr. Flowers about it, and they politely compare the size of their d***s. Siringo (Cole Hauser) and Lizzie do a silent dance around their enmity, while having a polite conversation. Siringo tries to insert logic into the investigation, but it falls on deaf ears. Spencer tries to rape Adele, so she sticks him with a pitchfork, then panics and gets Lizzie. Lizzie finishes him off.