Dakota Fanning’s new whodunnit limited seriesThe Perfect Coupleis a great reminder to watch her other great Netflix series from earlier this year. Released on Netflix on Aug 01, 2025,The Perfect Couplehas a great castled by starsNicole 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 directingBird Box,The Undoing, andThe First Lady.
The Perfect Coupletakes place in an idyllic coastal town on the Massachusetts island of Nantucket. The series hasbeen compared to HBO’sBig Little Liesdue to Kidman’s leading role in a murder mystery series based on a popular novel.DespiteThe Perfect Couple’smixed critical reception, its intriguing premise and ensemble cast was enough to launch the new Netflix series tothe number one spot on Netflix’s Top 10 TV Shows in the U.S. list, a position it has held for nearly two weeks straight.Based on the 2018 book by Elin Hilderbrand,The Perfect Couplehas a Rotten Tomatoes score of 61%after it debuted at 54%, although its audience score is more impressive at 68%.
Dakota Fanning also recently starred in the fantasy horror filmThe Watchers, which is streaming now on Max.
After The Perfect Couple, Watch Dakota Fanning’s 2024 Netflix Crime Thriller Ripley
The Perfect Couple and Ripley are two very different murder series on Netflix
WhileThe Perfect Coupleis a more lighthearted and accessible murder mystery series, Dakota Fanning also starred in the much bleaker and darker murder seriesRipley. The psychological thriller series is based on the renowned 1955 novelThe Talented Mr. Ripleyby celebrated novelist Patricia Highsmith, which was also adapted into the1999 Matt Damon movieThe Talented Mr. Ripley.Fanning plays Marge Sherwood inRipley, who suspects that Andrew Scott’s Tom Ripley has murdered her boyfriend Dickieafter pretending to know him on the Amalfi Coast of Italy.
12 Biggest Details Netflix’s Ripley Leaves Out From The 1955 Book
Many significant details from the original The Talented Mr. Ripley book were not translated to the screen in Netflix’s thrilling new series Ripley.
Ripleywas nominated for Best Limited Series at the2024 Emmys Awardsbut ultimately lost to another popular Netflix series,Baby Reindeer. Fanning was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series at the 2024 Emmys for her role in Netflix’sRipley, losing toBaby Reindeer’sJessica Gunning. AlthoughRipleyis entirely black and white, it wasshot entirely in Europe, primarily in Italy, and features stunning cinematographyof one of the most beautiful places on Earth. This, along with the murder-centric narrative and Fanning’s great performances, connectsRipleyandThe Perfect Coupledespite apparent differences.
Writer/director Steven Zallian won the 2024 Emmy for Best Directing in a Limited Series forRipley.
How Ripley’s Reviews & Netflix Popularity Compare To The Perfect Couple
Ripley is one of the most critically acclaimed Netflix series of 2024
Ripleyhas better reviews thanThe Perfect Couple, but both series are among the most popular original limited series released in 2024 on Netflix.Ripleyearned a Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 86% along with an audience score of 83%. Critics praised the series for its outstanding compositions and camerawork, with Sophie Gilbert ofThe Atlanticcalling it “the most beautiful series I’ve ever seen” on Netflix. While there’s nothing truly unique or outstanding aboutThe Perfect Couple, it’s still a highly entertaining project and a reminder that not every new series needs to be an Emmy contender to be considered watchable.
14 Biggest Changes Netflix’s Ripley Show Makes To The Talented Mr. Ripley Book
Although Ripley is based on Patricia Highsmith’s celebrated The Talented Mr. Ripley novel, there are many different key details & plot points.
Ripley
Cast
Based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith, Ripley is a drama-thriller written and created by Steven Zaillian. Set in the 1960s, the series follows Tom Ripley, who is hired to attempt to coax a wealthy man’s son to come home - but this job is just the first part of a lengthy and dangerous complex web of lies.
