Nicole Kidman’s latest glossy series has just landed on Netflix and since its premiere on September 5th, it shot straight to number 1 on Netflix’s top 10 series list.
The new show takes us to picturesque Nantucket for a sun-drenched soap opera drama based on the novel of the same name by Elin Hilderbrand, where we’re confronted with a super-rich family planning the wedding of the year… but the big event is ruined when a body is discovered on a nearby beach just hours before the ceremony.
While The Perfect Couple is a hit with subscribers, it’s unlikely to land on our list of the best Netflix shows anytime soon, if some critics’ comments are to be believed. Here’s what people are saying about the show… and why I actually think The Perfect Couple is a pretty successful miniseries.
What do people say about The Perfect Couple?
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To discuss a take, one must establish exactly what was said. Currently, the series has a critics’ score of 54% and an audience score of 57% on review platform Rotten Tomatoes.
And while The Perfect Couple has garnered some very positive reactions, in this article we’ll focus more on the negative reactions to Netflix’s new hit. The main criticism seems to be that it borrows too heavily from other genre pieces; the Independent’s 2/5 review criticizes the film as “formulaic Netflix trash,” “something as shallow and unfulfilling as the family it portrays.”
Writing for RogerEbert.com, Cristina Escobar said the show was “far from ideal to watch” because it was “derivative, even with the caveat that there’s nothing wrong with genre shows reaching their peak.”
The polarized reactions from audiences show similar criticisms. While some viewers gave rave reviews, others didn’t hold back. If you look at the audience reviews, you’ll find criticism of the “unlikely plot,” a lack of innovation, that The Perfect Couple has “ridiculous plot elements” compared to the book, or that the script was “written with a sledgehammer.”
So what’s my problem? Well, I think the series has intentionally become a more specific, slightly trashier genre project than some of the negative reactions would have us believe. This is a sort of throwaway beach read brought to life and I really think fans of the soap and crime genre will really enjoy it.
“The Perfect Couple” is a short film to binge watch
For me, John Anderson hit the nail on the head when he described The Perfect Couple for the Wall Street Journal as “a lively beach read.” This series was designed from the start to be watched in one sitting in our modern age, when you have to sit through six episodes.
To be clear, “beach reading” should not be viewed as a derogatory term. Like any other collective reading, summer reading has its purpose and is often well-received by its audience; that is, after all, why it is so popular.
Often they do this by offering a thrill ride that is usually a mix of cheesy, lurid drama that you can binge while lounging somewhere on vacation. Honestly, I think the team behind The Perfect Couple did a great job of turning Hilderbrand’s novel into a gripping miniseries that’s perfect for a relaxing weekend. That’s certainly why it shot straight to the number one spot.
The Perfect Couple throws us into the excesses of this super-rich Nantucket family. The film succeeds because it wastes virtually no time in immersing us in the case. The body is discovered minutes after the play button is pressed, there are hints that the Winburys’ lives are not as perfect as they are portrayed, and the tensions are not even hinted at, but rather stated.
Sure, it’s not a subtle film and the writing is a little clumsy. Characteristics and attitudes are constantly being forced upon you as the various characters are interrogated, but it all feels purposeful.
I don’t necessarily think that the series attempt a biting satire on the upper class (if it were… it doesn’t have anything particularly clever to say). Rather, the initial situations are all just loose threads designed to draw us in as far as possible. And since it’s all put together with at least enough flair, I’m confident that many viewers will be quickly hooked if they give it a try.
I would summarize The Perfect Couple as a sort of second-rate, trashier White Lotus. You have your cast of unlikeable characters all caught up in a drama (in this case, a crime thriller set in a beautiful corner of the world). And in the age of binge-watching, I think that’s a perfectly acceptable approach for a new summer series worth streaming at the change of season.
Curious? You can stream The Perfect Couple now on Netflix if you haven’t seen it yet.
