Netflix’s most underrated thriller still has one of the best casts

A big family gets together at an inn by the water, hoping to have a good time and not fight or fall back into old patterns. While that sounds like the start of many summer vacations, it's also the premise of a Netflix thriller that is still underrated. But, instead of worrying about flight delays or lost luggage or hoping that it doesn't rain, this family is focused on one particular person.

Bloodline premiered on the streaming service in 2015, and the TV series begins with the Rayburn family together again at their inn. Depending on which family member's perspective is being explored, they're either excited or upset that their son or brother, Danny, is back. Or perhaps it's a bit of both. When I watched the first episode, I thought the Florida Keys setting and John's voiceover were both compelling, and I couldn't wait to watch more. However, the best part about it is the cast.

'Bloodline' Tells an Intriguing Story and Has a Fantastic Cast

When you look at the cast of Bloodline, there are almost too many famous names. Sissy Spacek and Sam Shepard play Sally and Robert Rayburn, a married couple with four complex children who run an inn called the Rayburn House. Linda Cardellini plays their daughter Meg, and Ben Mendelsohn and Kyle Chandler play the two sons, Danny and John. Other impressive actors include Chloë Sevigny in the role of a nurse and Jacinda Barrett, who plays John's wife.

Bloodline is as fast-paced as some Netflix thrillers but still has a lot of great character moments. When I look back on the series, I think more about the amazing performances than the twists (even though those are fun). Mendelsohn, who plays a detective on HBO's adaptation of Stephen King's The Outsider, is perfect as a character whose real story is unclear. Is Danny just misunderstood, like so many siblings who aren't as successful as the rest of his family? Or is something dark really going on?

When I first tuned into Bloodline, I was most excited to see Kyle Chandler back on TV. I can never forget watching him as the lovable, charming, and complicated football coach on Friday Night Lights, or the bomb squad member in that intense Grey's Anatomy Season 2 two-part episode. Chandler often plays tough characters hiding a lot of vulnerability, and his detective character on Bloodline is no different. The series explores the burden of a family that is important to their community and whose siblings are always compared to each other. As the story goes on, you find out about the Rayburns' traumatic experience, which is sad but also makes the thriller feel grounded despite some more melodramatic moments.

As I kept watching, I appreciated other cast members as well, particularly Linda Cardellini. Meg Rayburn plays a crucial part in this fascinating story as a wise lawyer. I've followed Cardellini's career for a while now, and I think this is one of her most interesting roles. She has a versatile background and has played roles such as Don Draper's (Jon Hamm) ambitious lover, Sylvia Rosen, on Mad Men and troubled yet confident Judy Hale on Dead to Me. She recently portrayed Carol Love-Smernitch on the HBO thriller series DTF St. Louis, a wife and mother who is likable in one scene and perplexing, strange, and unsettling in another one. Like those other characters, Meg isn't always worthy of praise, and that's her best attribute.

It takes a strong cast to sell a story about a complex family, and that's why the actors on Bloodline do such a solid job. Although Netflix has some great thriller miniseries, I'm glad that we got to watch this incredible cast over three seasons, even though it makes sense that some weren't pleased with the final season. Still, Bloodline has a flawless cast that rivals the ensembles of the best family dramas.