There is something quite interesting about murder mystery series like The White Lotus, Only Murders in the Building, and The Afterparty.
Placing a group of people in a somewhat isolated location and retracing the events to solve a murder always brings excitement.
It becomes even more enjoyable when humor is mixed in, highlighting each character’s flaws. The latest show to follow this pattern is Netflix’s The Perfect Couple, based on a book by Elin Hilderbrand.
The Perfect Couple revolves around a wedding on Nantucket, where a member of a wealthy, famous family is marrying someone who works at a zoo.
However, things go terribly wrong when the Maid of Honor is found murdered on the morning of the wedding.
Over six episodes, the show tells the story of the murder and investigation, offering clues before finally revealing the killer. The ending was unexpected and shocking. This show has already made its mark as a funny and engaging murder mystery.
There’s already talk of a possible second season, with Nicole Kidman telling USA Today that the series is “ripe for more” stories about the family. While we wait for news of another season, let’s rank every episode from the first season of The Perfect Couple.
“She Would Never Do That” (Season 1, Episode 2)
After a fast-paced first episode, the second episode, “She Would Never Do That,” slowed down a bit and became one of the weaker parts of the series. At this point, Shooter was trying to leave the island and was the main suspect in Meredith’s murder.
However, Shooter didn’t seem like a likely killer, so this part of the plot felt less gripping. Later in the series, other characters made more convincing suspects, which made this episode less memorable compared to the rest.
This episode mainly served as a bridge, providing more context for viewers to think about who killed Merritt. Flashbacks revealed that both Amelia and Greer knew about Merritt’s affair with Tag before she was killed.
While the affair was hinted at from the first episode, the bigger reveal here was that Merritt had been pregnant with Tag’s baby when she was murdered.
Although not entirely surprising based on earlier information, it set the stage for much more compelling episodes.
“Never Gonna Give You Up” (Season 1, Episode 5)
The second-to-last episode of Season 1, “Never Gonna Give You Up,” begins with Tag being questioned at the police station after Greer turns in a receipt for a bracelet he bought for Merritt.
While Tag was busy with the police, the rest of the family took a break from the murder investigation to focus on Greer’s book launch.
While fun, this drama was not as attractive as the murder mystery itself and mostly added to the love triangle between Amelia, Benji, and Shooter.
It turned out that Tag was innocent, and he ended up crashing the book launch while drunk, delivering a speech that ended in a bizarre Rick Roll. This episode leaned more toward the petty dramas of the Winbury family than the actual murder case.
When Tag publicly exposed problems in his marriage to Greer, she panicked and tried to cover it up by singing along with him. Although one of the weaker episodes, it was still entertaining, filled with drama, and ended with a major public embarrassment.
“Someone Could Get Hurt” (Season 1, Episode 4)
Each episode of The Perfect Couple focused on making one suspect look guilty, and Episode 4, “Someone Could Get Hurt,” was no different. It started with Amelia finding the bracelet Tag gave Merritt among Will’s belongings.
Will was questioned by the police but was soon revealed to be innocent after explaining that he was simply trying to help Merritt with her pregnancy. This part of the episode was fairly interesting, but the flashbacks were even more engaging.
This episode took a short break from the murder investigation to focus on the romantic history between Shooter and Amelia, showing how they first met. It was a surprisingly sweet storyline, offering a nice contrast to the shallow nature of the Winbury family.
A memorable scene from the episode showed Thomas and Abby fighting over a piece of wedding cake, adding a lighthearted moment. The episode ends with Amelia and Shooter kissing in the present, only to be caught by Benji.
“Happy Wedding Eve” (Season 1, Episode 1)
Some murder mysteries take time to get exciting, but The Perfect Couple grabbed attention right from the first scene.
The premiere episode, “Happy Wedding Eve,” began with a rehearsal dinner and led up to the big reveal that a murder had taken place that same night. The episode followed the events of the day and ended with the twist that Merritt was the victim.
“Happy Wedding Eve” did a fantastic job setting up the events leading to the murder and establishing the tone of the series.
It introduced the characters with just enough intrigue about who the victim and the murderer could be. The episode also balanced humor and suspense, creating a unique vibe for the show.
Additionally, it hinted at Amelia’s doubts about her relationship with Benji, raising the possibility that the wedding might not happen.
“The Perfect Family” (Season 1, Episode 3)
The Perfect Couple shines when it brings the Winbury family and their close associates together to reveal shocking secrets.
This was the case in Episode 3, “The Perfect Family,” which gathered everyone for a tense and uncomfortable dinner. While Amelia tried to investigate Merritt’s death on her own, Greer focused on keeping the family’s public image intact despite the ongoing drama.
This episode exposed some of the Winbury family’s secrets. Will, Benji, Shooter, and Greer were all hiding something, making it harder to figure out who might be the murderer. The highlight of the episode was the reveal of Mae Pratt, a former tutor and friend of Benji’s.
The dinner scene exploded with revelations, including that Tag and Mae had an affair. The dinner ended with Will storming out after learning more about Mae’s troubled past and the family’s efforts to cover up her struggles.
“That Feels Better” (Season 1, Episode 6)
The season finale, “That Feels Better,” started with Greer trying to recover from the embarrassment of the book launch while becoming the main suspect in Merritt’s murder.
The leading theory was that Greer had hired Broderick to kill Merritt, and Shooter had paid him on her behalf. This episode, of course, revealed the true murderer.
Before the big reveal, Greer shared details about her past and how she met Tag. As the episode progressed, Thomas tried to frame Isabel for Merritt’s death, explaining that if Merritt had lived and had her baby, the family’s access to the trust fund would be delayed by 18 years.
However, Isabel proved her innocence by revealing that Thomas was with her when Merritt died. This exposed Abby’s lies, along with the fact that she had cleaned her glass the day after the murder.
The truth came out—Abby killed Merritt for money. The killer’s reveal was both logical and surprising, as Abby had blended into the background for most of the season.
The Perfect Couple is available to stream on Netflix.
