Elin Hilderbrand is a best selling author of romance novels. THE PERFECT COUPLE is Hilderbrand's first mystery novel. It shares the same posh Nantucket setting as all her novels. Nantucket is the enclave playground for the rich and ultra rich. Everything takes place on the estate of the wealthy Winbury's originally from London. It's a red flag warning though that the only member of these self-absorbed people and trust fund sons comes in a clipped accent from Greer (Nicole Kidman). Her husband, Tag (Live Schreiber) tried at first to sound like he had a posh British accent. He soon threw in the towel trying to sound or act convincing. Perhaps Schreiber uncovered he was cast in an insipid role. Schreiber dials in a droll performance and adds his ridiculous singing to the mess as he tries to woo Greer. Greer wants to keep up a stiff upper crust lip despite being savvy to his sexual dalliance with their son's fiancé's maid of honor, Merritt ("like the Parkway") played by Meghann Fahy. Fahy had a role in the far superior WHITE LOTUS. Any similarities between the two series is obviously misguided aside from Fahy being cast and a dead body floating in the ocean on day one. WHITE LOTUS was a sharp class satire. THE PERFECT COUPLE isn't a smart mystery or scintillating romantic drama. It's a beach book turned screenplay that got Kidman to sign on and then made into a Netflix series. Returning to the scene of the crime and the Winbury family, Greer is the matriarch and a successful mystery writer, Tag is a womanizing, boozer/loser and pothead. BTW, PETA should go after him or the film for his hitting golf balls at the seagulls. The three sons are pampered wimps. The oldest bro, Tommy is married and expecting a baby with wife Abby (Dakota Manning) the youngest Will still in high school is puerile and Benji, the middle son is the groom whose wedding plans are met with doom. Benji is engaged to Amelia (Eve Hewson). Eve's from modest means and is a fish out of water in her fiancé's elitist world. Amelia's best friend (spoiler alert) is the one who ends up dead and found floating face down the morning of the wedding. This puts a pall on the party plans but lays the groundwork for a who done that makes everyone suspect. The best part of this beachy read series is the female detective, Nikki (Donna Lynne Champlin). Nikki's wide eyed look at the suspects as they're being questioned expresses the demure disdain and incredulity she retains for this silver spoon squad of suspects whose lives are so removed from the masses of moderate means. As the party planner said "They are the kind of rich that can get away with murder." This is the kind of rental that is a guilty pleasure that turns forgettable. The show's opening with everyone doing a choreographed group dance on the beach in party dress is a big clue of what to expect.
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