Why The Perfect Couple Is So Divisive With Both Critics and Audiences Netflix’s new whodunnit limited series The Perfect Couple has divided both critics and audiences. Released on Netflix on September 5, 2024, The Perfect Couple has a great cast led by stars Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Eve Hewson, Jack Reynor, and Dakota Fanning. Created by Jenna Lamia (Good Girls, Resident Alien, My Best Friend’s Exorcism), the 6-part series was directed entirely by Susanne Bier, best known for directing Bird Box, The Undoing, and The First Lady. The series has been compared to HBO’s Big Little Lies due to Kidman’s leading role in a murder mystery series based on a popular novel.

The Perfect Couple takes place in an idyllic coastal town on the Massachusetts island of Nantucket. The trailer suggests that Kidman’s character Greer Garrison Winbury and her husband Tag Winbury, played by Schreiber, are the type of people who are “kill-someone-and-get-away-with-it rich.” This intriguing premise and ensemble cast was enough to launch The Perfect Couple to the number one spot on Netflix’s Top 10 TV Shows in the U.S. list despite its mixed critical reception. The Perfect Couple debuted with a Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 54% which has slightly increased to 59% along with an audience score of 56%.

What Critics & Audiences Like About The Perfect Couple

The setting, cast, and self-awareness of the series are its greatest strengths

The Winbury sit and stand for a family photo in The Perfect Couple episode 3 Tag Kisses Greer's hand while they sit at an outside table in The Perfect Couple episode 3 Thomas holds the wedding cake and Abby eats a spoon of it in The Perfect Couple episode 4 Amelia hugs Merritt in The Perfect Couple episode 1 Amelia stands outside the house crossing her arms in The Perfect Couple episode 6 The Winbury sit and stand for a family photo in The Perfect Couple episode 3 Tag Kisses Greer's hand while they sit at an outside table in The Perfect Couple episode 3 Thomas holds the wedding cake and Abby eats a spoon of it in The Perfect Couple episode 4 Amelia hugs Merritt in The Perfect Couple episode 1 Amelia stands outside the house crossing her arms in The Perfect Couple episode 6

The division between critics for The Perfect Couple is quite sharp and uncommon, with several top critics calling it one of the best miniseries of the year while others were far less impressed. One of the clearest strengths of The Perfect Couple is its engaging and charming setting, which greatly enhances the storytelling as seen in similar series like Big Little Lies and Netflix’s Bloodline. Another glaring strength is the quality of the performances by the thoughtfully selected cast. Sophie Butcher of Empire Magazine writes in her 3/5 star review, “Yes, it’s schmaltzy, silly and very soapy — but the compelling plotting, well-established characters and sheer star power of The Perfect Couple will h ave you hooked.

While The Perfect Couple is often categorized as “soapy” and “trashy“, critics who enjoyed the series found it to be the best version of this type of content. Benji Wilson of The Daily Telegraph writes in his 3-star review, “The Perfect Couple is trash but it is top-notch trash, a show aiming only for sugar-hit moreishness and hitting the mark in almost every scene.” John Anderson of The Wall Street Journal writes, “Best described as a beach-read come to life.” The series is commonly seen as cliché, which is where critics typically draw their biggest line.

What Critics & Audiences Dislike About The Perfect Couple

Some critics found The Perfect Couple hollow and unoriginal

Tag pinches the bridge of his nose while propping his feet up on his desk in The Perfect Couple episode 6

Critics who were disappointed or not entertained by The Perfect Couple typically noted that the series felt hollow, misleading, and derivative of other whodunnit mysteries. Ben Travers of IndieWire writes, “The Perfect Couple is made to look like a good time — and maybe it can be, if you bring your own party — but there’s even less here than meets the eye.” In the same vein, Cristina Escobar of RogerEbert.com writes, “The Perfect Couple doesn’t add much of anything to the social-class debate, even in terms of showcasing all the things money can buy.” Wenlei Ma of The Nightly writes, “This should have been a movie.”

Some critics were turned off by The Perfect Couple’s ending. Angie Han of The Hollywood Reporter writes, “At just under six hours, the road leading up to that ending feels so interminable that I cannot, in clear conscience, recommend anyone take this journey just for the destination.” Another big criticism was the apparent lack of originality in The Perfect Couple, especially when compared to the likes of Kidman’s other notable projects. Nick Hilton of The Independent called the series “by-the-numbers Netflix pulp.” He adds, “In its lack of originality, it invites comparison with Big Little Lies, but absent the tension and intrigue of that drama, we’re left with something as superficial and unfulfilled as the family it depicts.”

Is The Perfect Couple Worth Watching?

The Perfect Couple isn’t groundbreaking but is an addictive & quick watch

Greer puts her hand on Will's shoulder in The Perfect Couple episode 2-1

Like a poolside cocktail, The Perfect Couple is best enjoyed by knowing exactly what you’re getting into before indulging. Kayleigh Donaldson of TheWrap writes, “The season might be at an end, but “The Perfect Couple” still feels like the ideal Summer binge-watch, the platonic ideal of the subgenre that has become the Kidman prestige TV standard.”

The series is highly bingeable and “pulpy”, making it a breeze to fly through in a few or even one sitting. Lucy Mangan of The Guardian writes, “If there is anyone who can resist bingeing all six episodes once they have started, I will eat a fruit basket.” Ultimately, The Perfect Couple is immersive, addictive, and worth checking out before summer ends.