Summary
Nicole Kidman is a talented star who has had an impressive career, but her Hulu series isn’t one of her best projects, and it’s strange that it was given a second season. While she’s known for hit movies likePractical Magic, Kidman’s most compelling roles have been on TV shows ranging fromthe twist-filled mysteryBig Little Liesto Nantucket-set Netflix miniseriesThe Perfect Couple.
However, while Kidman gives every character her all, she appeared ina mystery TV seriesthat is certified Rotten and not very impressive. Although fans and critics didn’t enjoy season 1, it somehow got a season 2, which is confusing.
Nicole Kidman’s Hulu Series Nine Perfect Strangers Didn’t Deserve A Season 2
Nine Perfect Strangerswas panned by critics and has a low Rotten Tomatoes rating of 53%, and it’s surprising that it was given a second season. The show had a lot going for it:a promising premise, a star-studded cast, and a mysterious tone. However, the execution was poor, and none of this translated into a gripping series.
Based on the novel of the same name by Liane Moriarty,Nine Perfect Strangersseason 1 tells the story ofMasha Dmitrichenko (Kidman), who runs a health and wellness retreat center called Tranquillum House. The strangers in question include the rich Ben Chandler (Melvin Gregg) and his influencer wife Jessica (Samara Weaving) and a young woman named Zoe Marconi going through a hard time (Grave Van Patten). Melissa McCarthy also plays a writer named Frances Welty.
Since the show wasmeant to be a miniseries, season 1 at least told a complete story. It was also entertaining watchingthe usually hilarious McCarthyin a more serious role. However,season 2 repeats season 1’s biggest problem: boring characters. Also, since the truth about Masha is revealed in season 1, that means there’s no big, notable twist in season 2. Although the first season wasn’t great, it would have made sense ifNine Perfect Strangershad onlyone season, like several Hulu shows. It was barely any fun watching Masha the first time around, and she’s not a strong enough protagonist to warrant more episodes.
Fan response toNine Perfect Strangershasn’t been positive, either.Redditor @InfamousOli6871asked if others had watched all of season 2 and wrote:
“Stellar cast, but I’m toggling between being bored, mildly intrigued, and generally confused.”
Another Redditor replied:
“First season was terrible, so I have no idea why they made another.”
There are plenty of other streaming series that have a mysterious, compelling premise and feature wealthy characters in a beautiful location, such asSirensandApple Cider Vinegaron Netflix. Instead of watching the lacklusterseries starring Kidman, it’s a smarter idea to watch those other two shows as they’re more entertaining and thought-provoking series. While there aremany great anthology seriesthat feature compelling new characters every season,Nine Perfect Strangersisn’t one of them.
Nicole Kidman’s 2020 HBO Thriller The Undoing Is A Much Better Show Than Nine Perfect Strangers
Nicole Kidman fans looking for a good thriller to binge-watch should check outThe Undoing, which had 10 episodes and premiered on HBO in October 2020. It hasa higher Rotten Tomatoes score of 75%and was adapted from the novelYou Should Have Knownby Jean Hanff Korelitz.
The story followsGrace Fraser (Kidman), whose husband Jonathan (Hugh Grant) disappears when a young woman is killed. Grant is just as impressive as he is inthe 2025 horror movieHeretic. In both projects,Grantplays a character who is charming and likable but also sinister and creepy.
UnlikeNine Perfect Strangers,The Undoinghas two fascinating main characters, plenty of twists, and a perfect execution of its smart premise. While the series made a splash at the time, it’s not talked about much anymore, which is too bad. It deserves as muchattention as other HBO shows likeThe Last of Us,and if anyone was disappointed byNine Perfect Strangers, they would definitely likeThe Undoing.
