We’re into September and the demands of life are increasing in addition to the options when it comes to leisure time. So, when new shows come out it can be fair to ask if it’s worth your time investment. That’s why this series exists—to help give you the information needed to decide if a new show is right for you. Today, it’s the adaptation of a novel for Netflix.
Series: The Perfect Couple
Where to Find It: All six episodes are now streaming on Netflix.
What’s It About: This new series comes from the novel of the same name by Erin Hilderbrand. It’s set in Nantucket, where a wealthy family has gathered on Fourth of July Weekend for a lavish wedding ceremony. Son Benji (Billy Howle) is getting married to Amelia (Eve Hewson). But things aren’t all roses for the couple and the family.
Benji’s mother, Greer (Nicole Kidman), is a famous novelist. She’s powerful and often cold—and she’s not a fan of Amelia. Despite Benji’s pleas for peace, things remain somewhat cold. But Amelia has her parents, and her best friend Merritt (Meghan Fahy), who is acting as her Maid of Honor. When Merritt washes up on shore dead on the morning of the wedding, things take a dark twist.
Investigators begin to sift through the evidence of what looks like a murder. The Chief of Police (Michael Beach) is cautious with the wealthy family, but the lead detective (Donna Lynn Champlin), wants answers. Through a series of interviews we go back to the day leading up to the murder where everyone has some secrets to hide.
You Should Try It If: You’re a fan of murder mysteries, a fan of soapy series, or just a fan of a quick binge.
One Man’s Opinion of The Perfect Couple
There’s a lot of potential when adapting a big novel to the screen. It can bring all kinds of opportunities to tell a compelling story with a loaded cast in a contained package. You get all that with the latest bingeable series from Netflix.
This is an impressive cast. In addition to Kidman, Howle, and Hewson, the series features Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor, and Dakota Fanning, among others. All of them play their parts well, and there are plenty of characters and plots to explore as we dive into this story. I like the setting as well, a cloistered community where this wealthy family is used to having carte blanche.
I like the series set up and length, too. It’s only six episodes, each running between 42 minutes and an hour. That makes for a quick binge where you can get in, get out, and enjoy the ride along the way. The first two episodes do a nice job of laying out the world, building up the storylines, and adding a cliffhanger that makes you want to keep moving forward with the story. This is a nice addition to the streaming landscape.