If you're not paying attention to the background of The Woman in the House, then you're not watching this bonkers show right. Netflix's Kristen Bell collab is first and foremost riffing on the domestic thriller genre as a whole, as illustrated by the many nods to the likes of The Woman in the Window and The Girl on the Train. But the set designers love a good visual gag, too, as evidenced by literally everything Buell does, as well as the books with silly titles that are scattered throughout the series like absurdist Easter eggs.
Throughout Season 1, the wine-loving Anna is seen reading a thriller that closely mirrors her current situation. Just like the woman in her book, she has witnessed a murder, but no one seems to believe her. However, Anna's thriller-reading habit is the just the beginning of the faux book title fun on display in The Woman in the House.
Whether she's contemplating dusting off her paints in the attic or suddenly deciding to try her hand at upholstery, Anna is surrounded by books designed to make the audience giggle. In fact, there are so many literary sight gags, you may have missed a few. That's why I've taken the liberty of rounding up all of the ones I spotted below.
The Woman Across The Lake
According to Detective Lane, The Woman Across the Lake is about a high-powered attorney named Grace whose dream vacation at a lake house turns into a nightmare when she witnesses a murder. While the book isn't real, the premise is so similar to the plot of thriller favorite Riley Sager's upcoming book The House Across the Lake, you may experience déjà vu when it hits bookstores later this year. Just remember, The Woman in the House did it first.
Anna's Shelf Of Domestic Thriller Goodness
Sadly, the camera doesn't linger on Anna's thriller collection long enough for viewers to get a good look at all of them, but the ones I can make out are pitch-perfect parodies of the genre's love for putting "woman" and "girl" in every single book title. Among the ones that are visible behind Detective Lane are The Woman in the Brig, The Girl in the Resort, and, my personal favorite, The Woman on the Sofa.
Anyone Can Be An Artist
Anna is supposedly a great artist, but while I admire her dog portraits, her flower paintings can best be described as bland. A trio of well-placed books in her attic may reveal what the problem is. It seems Anna took inspiration from someone named Todd S. Palmer who wrote such gems as You Too Can Be An Artist, You Can Also Be An Artist, and Anyone Can Be An Artist.
You Too Can Be A Reupholsterer
Near the end of the season, Anna decides to trade wine for apples and reupholster her stained chair. It seems since her art books worked out so well for her, she turns to You Too Can Be A Reupholsterer for advice.
The Girl On The Cruise
The Woman in the House uses the final moments of Season 1 to set up a potential Season 2 with a new fictional book to inspire the plot. That book is The Girl on the Cruise, which can only mean one thing: Bell is coming for you next, Ruth Ware.
Images: Colleen E. Hayes/Netflix; Netflix