The Perfect Couple, Nicole Kidman’s most recent miniseries, is now available on Netflix. It transports viewers to the wealthy shores of Nantucket for a murder mystery involving high society. The show takes place on the eve of the Winbury family’s son Benji’s marriage to Amelia, and it is set on their expansive estate. The festivities, however, take a sinister turn when a body is found floating in the lake, stopping the fun and casting suspicion on everyone.
Under the direction of Susanne Bier, the show boasts a cast full of drama, with Kidman playing the cold matriarch Greer and Liev Schreiber playing her reluctant husband Tag. Merritt Monaco, Amelia’s maid of honor and a modest Instagram influencer, is identified as the body. There are many unanswered questions surrounding Merritt’s untimely death from a barbiturate overdose: she was having an affair with Tag and carrying his child.
As the inquiry progresses, a number of relatives become suspects. Both Greer, who oversees her husband’s transgressions, and Tag, whose affair has now been revealed, are being investigated. Already tense, Benji and Amelia find themselves in the spotlight as well. Layers of suspense are added by the Winbury siblings’ complex relationships and best man Shooter’s dubious behavior.
The real culprit is revealed to be Abby, Tom’s wife, in the series finale. In an attempt to stop Merritt from making any claims on the Winbury family’s trust money, Abby poisoned and drowned her out of a desire to protect the family’s wealth and her own future. Even though it was expected, this revelation highlights the series’ criticism of the extent wealthy people will go to in order to preserve their wealth and prestige.
The Perfect Couple ultimately presents its murder mystery with a cliched twist, but it does a fantastic job of highlighting Kidman’s skills and the opulent yet morally reprehensible society of the super-rich.
