“I’m a common damn murderer, she wrote ,” Private Investigator Theodora Birch (Noma Dumezweni Claims)) Overworked NJ Patriarch Dean Blaine in Ryan Murphy’s The Watcher Nock (Bobby Cannavale). But PI may be referring to her enigmatic ego as she tries to figure out who is intimidating new suburban homeowners with threatening letters from the Netflix mystery.
“She’s Agatha Christie. You don’t know who she really is, or where she’s from. You like her so much, you believe She’s telling the truth. But is she? asks Lou Eyrich, Murphy’s longtime costume guru and showrunner.
In a dimly lit restaurant , Theodora (Theodora) first impression is a retro ‘ Lanvin trench coat with a black turtleneck and trousers, with a graphic-print hood. “She was covered up, undercover,” Eyrich added. Theodora shared her colorful origin story — or made up one — involving a jazz career, drug rehab Soho’s addiction to true crime documentaries.
She emphasizes gesture throughout, as her spectacular Sermoneta orange gloves punctuate her stories. Murphy instructed her to cover her hands with leather gloves. “Because she never wanted to get fingerprints,” explains Rudy Mance, who co-designed the costumes with Eyrich. (Catherine Crabtree also co-designed episodes six and seven. )
Later, Theodora’s brown glove with exposed stitching and white piping helps to point the finger (sorry) at Dean’s watcher dramatizing his suspicious wife Naomi Watts reveals handwriting analysis evidence. But elaborate accessories are more of a style choice than an Easter egg—or, a red herring. “It just depends on the outfit, if it needs to be fancier, , something more matching or more elegant,” said Eyrich, who encouraged Dumezweni to “play around” and sometimes choose her own accessories.
Noma Dumezweni (left) and Naomi Watts on Netflix’s Mystery Anthology Watcher in the series. Courtesy of Eric Liebowitz / Netflix
The odora’s signature turban, also a mandate from murphy, elevates her timeless aesthetic without identifying a particular trend or era. “So that confuses you too,” Eyrich said. The team sourced luxurious textiles such as black moiré from Mood Fabrics, and brightly printed scarves from local East Village stores. Lead hairstylist Tim Harvey styled intricate braids and ornate hair accessories, while Dumezweni tied her scarves to the accessories.
“She’s a little theatrical and grandiose without being totally bombastic,” Mance said. He and Eyrich — named “Lou-dy” by the crew — balanced Theodora’s jewel tones with vibrant square and circular graphics against the “Struggler Brannocks” New Preppy” in lush neutral tones. “She can’t be so far away that Dean doesn’t trust her,” says Mance.
Theodora dons another white and black plaid pant suit to match Nora’s first The first one-on-one meetings were linked in clothing, with Nora often wearing all ivory while drinking red wine. “They mirror each other,” Mance said.
To keep Dean abreast of newfound horrors in the family history, Theodora swapped the shape of her suit for a ruffled dove gray cloak with a spiky python print The collar is exposed. The slowly-building suspense of Theodora’s narration, combined with an intense close-up of Dumezweni, proves the perfect moment to showcase the work of vintage rental Early Halloween, Lou-dy’s favourite. But it also enhances the overall sense of mystery.
“If she was a little more daring in there, maybe it would have distracted people from the fact that she was wearing head-to-toe black,” Mance said. “ Is she a Watcher?”
This story first appeared in the November issue of The Independent The Hollywood Reporter Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe .
