The Perfect Couple

After The Undoing and Nine Perfect Strangers, comes another distracting wig atop Nicole Kidman’s head… but don’t let that scare you off! The Perfect Couple sets up a promising mystery against the stunning backdrop of Nantucket Island, but unfortunately, it never quite lives up to its potential. The show revolves around a wealthy family preparing for a high-society wedding, only for the bride-to-be to discover her best friend’s dead body washed ashore on the morning of the big day. Cue the intrigue! With big names like Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, and Dakota Fanning, expectations were high, and while these seasoned actors do their best, they’re held back by a clunky script and sometimes awkward directing.

Kidman’s icy matriarch, Schreiber’s stoic father figure, and Fanning’s sharp-tongued daughter-in-law shine in moments, but the material just doesn’t give them enough to work with. Unfortunately, none of the other characters are especially likeable, particularly the European family friend, Isabel, whose relentless habit of repeating lines in French feels like a forced attempt to inject humour and quirk into the show. Our bride-to-be, played by Eve Hewson, also lacked any endearing traits, making it hard for viewers to care about her struggles. Instead of meaningful dialogue or rich character development, we’re left with an overabundance of brooding stares out at the sea and scenes that border more on daytime soap opera than high-stakes thriller. The interrogation montage, in particular, becomes exhausting with characters delivering line after line of metaphor-laden nonsense, leaving you wondering if they’re auditioning for a Shakespeare play rather than solving a murder. 

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Visually, the show is a feast. The scenery is breathtaking, and Nantucket has never looked more picturesque. But that beauty gets lost in the overabundance of extreme close-ups—so many, in fact, that you may start feeling like you’re part of an eye exam. There’s only so much tension you can build by staring into someone’s pupils. 

The series is also guilty of a lot of misdirection. There are subplots that go nowhere, twists that don’t pack a punch, and by the time the big reveal comes, you’ve possibly already guessed it. It’s as if the show tries to keep you guessing but instead leaves you feeling like you’ve been chasing your own tail. The show seems unsure of its own identity—is it a thriller? A whodunnit? A dramedy? The suspense, when it appears, feels half-baked, and the humour seems out of place. Some scenes feel so disconnected from the main plot that you’re left wondering why they’re there at all. Speaking of out of place, the flash mob-style opening theme feels like a strange choice, but I have to admit, it’s a bit of fun in an otherwise confused show.

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Overall, The Perfect Couple is worth a watch if you set your expectations low. It won’t blow you away, but if you’re just looking for something to fill a quiet afternoon, it’ll do the job.