Mare of Easttown fans go wild over Guy Pearce's 'insignificant' character

It was the biggest twist in the season finale of Mare of Easttown: Guy Pearce’s character Richard Ryan wasn’t the bad guy.

And fans of the critically acclaimed HBO series have reacted the revelation that Richard wasn’t involved in the murder of teenager Erin McMenamin (Cailee Spaeny) and his only purpose in the show was to be a love interest for troubled Detective Sergeant Marianne ‘Mare’ Sheehan, played by Kate Winslet.

Many delighted in the fact the Australian actor – whose most memorable roles have been villains – was simply a decent man who served as ‘eye candy’ for viewers.

‘Just a dude’: Mare of Easttown fans have reacted to Guy Pearce’s totally ‘insignificant’ love interest character, and say the revelation he’s a ‘good guy’ was the biggest twist of the finale

Several fans joked on Twitter that his only purpose in the show, which was otherwise very tightly plotted, was to ‘look thin’ and be ‘insignificant’.

One person tweeted: ‘Agent: There’s a great role for you… Guy Pearce: Do I have to do anything? Agent: No. Guy: Do I advance the plot? Agent: No. Guy: Do I serve ANY purpose? Agent: Not really. You just look thin. Guy: I can do that. Sign me up.’

‘Biggest twist in #MareOfEasttown was Guy Pearce’s insignificance,’ another added. 

Eye candy: Fans of the HBO series couldn’t believe Pearce’s character Richard Ryan wasn’t involved in the murder of teenager Erin McMenamin (Cailee Spaeny) and his only purpose in the show was to be a love interest for troubled detective Mare Sheehan, played by Kate Winslet

Others suggested his character was simply introduced as a red herring – as he arrived in Easttown around the same time Erin was murdered in the first episode.

As a result, the ‘revelation’ that he was just Mare’s love interest was jokingly dubbed the show’s ‘biggest twist’.

‘The biggest mystery in #MareOfEasttown is why Guy Pearce is in it,’ tweeted NBC reporter Adam Harding.

Didn’t see it coming! Many delighted in the fact the Australian actor – whose most memorable roles have been villains – was simply a decent man who served as ‘eye candy’ for viewers

Another viewer added: ‘Guy Pearce being an innocent fella is still the biggest plot twist of the show.’

A third chimed in: ‘Real twist is having Guy Pearce playing a simple good guy.’

‘I f**king called it. Guy Pearce was just a dude,’ a fourth tweeted sarcastically.

Noting the fact Pearce, 53, is known for playing Hollywood villains, some viewers simply couldn’t accept his character wasn’t a murderer.

‘Surprised Guy Pearce really was just a good guy in the end,’ one tweeted.

‘And for all you #MareOfEasttown watchers who suspected Guy Pearce for no reason other than he was Guy Pearce,’ another wrote.

Watch all episodes of Mare of Easttown on Binge in Australia