AfterThe Perfect Couple’s release on Netflix, the talks of a second season could be a concerning sign of a continued Nicole Kidman trend. The series stars Kidman as Greer Winbury, a wealthy author whose family gets wrapped up in a murder case when the maid of honor for her son’s wedding is found dead on the Nantucket beach.The Perfect Coupleis a six-episode limited seriesbased on the book by Elin Hilderbrand. The book itself does not have a sequel, but rather resolves its mystery in a standalone novel.
ThoughThe Perfect Couple’s reviewsare mixed,the series has had good viewership on Netflix, which understandably could push the streamer to want to make another season. Showrunner Jenna Lamia noted thatThe Perfect Coupleseason 2 would be possible should “all the elements [come] together and everybody was enthusiastic.” While those who enjoyed the intrigue of the Winbury family inThe Perfect Couplemight be excited by this possibility, makingThe Perfect Coupleseason 2 could follow a highly risky Kidman show trend.
The Perfect Couple Season 2 Would Be The 3rd Time A Nicole Kidman Thriller Went Past The Books
Big Little Lies And Nine Perfect Strangers Also Extend Beyond The Books
IfThe Perfect Coupleseason 2were made,it would be the third time that a mystery thriller novel adaptation starring Kidman went past its source material.This happened first withBig Little Lies, which is based on the 2014 Liane Moriarty novel of the same name.Big Little Liesseason 1 was critically acclaimed, earning multiple Emmy nominations. This cued HBO to make a second season ofBig Little Lies, even though there was no longer book material to work off of. Now,Big Little Liesseason 3 is even in the works, and is slated for release next year.
Big Little Lies Season 3: Cast, Story & Everything We Know
After Nicole Kidman confirmed that Big Little Lies season 3 was officially on the way, several exciting updates have already been revealed.
Another Kidman show is also about to continue this trend:Nine Perfect Strangers. LikeBig Little Lies, the 2021 series is also based on a Moriarty novel.Nine Perfect Strangersseason 1 endswhere the book does, tying up the story. Despite this closure, however,Nine Perfect Strangerswas renewed for season 2, so it will have to work with material beyond the books.
Continuing The Perfect Couple’s Story Without The Source Material Is A Big Risk
The Perfect Couple Ended Its Main Story
Because of the history with Kidman’sBig Little LiesandNine Perfect Strangers,The Perfect Coupleseason 2 would follow this trend by being her third mystery thriller to do so. If they do follow through with it, this would be a huge risk. On the one hand, showrunner Lamia is right in saying that “there are definitely questions left at the end.” Thisopen-endedness would allow a second effort to explore more about Greer’s past, or other dynamics within the Winbury family that season 1 did not have time for.
That said, it would be a huge risk to continueThe Perfect Couplewithout the source material. Even though the Netflix series differed fromThe Perfect Couplebookin some major ways, it still worked off of the characters that Hilderbrand created, and followed suit with the overall story arc. The fact that said arc is a self-contained, resolved mystery, would also make things difficult in thatThe Perfect Coupleseason 2 would likely have to manufacture another mystery.
Nicole Kidman’s Thrillers Don’t Need More Seasons (But It Makes Sense Why They Happen)
Big Little Lies Was Critically Acclaimed
Reflecting on the viability ofThe Perfect Couple, one reality becomes even more clear:Big Little LiesandNine Perfect Strangersdid not need second seasons. While the first seasons were successful, both ofthese also covered self-contained plots that do not require a next season.Exploiting the content can risk going off in directions that the original author did not intend, which could diminish the perception of the adaptation.
That said, it makes sense why these producers are apt to expand theseKidman series. For one, they are getting high viewership numbers, andThe Perfect Couple. Secondly,Big Little Liesseason 2 shows that under the right leadership, departing from the books can still go well. Though not as highly rated as the universally beloved first season,Big Little Liesseason 2 was well-reviewed, holding a Certified Fresh 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. Thus,Big Little Lieswas successful in going of of Moriarty’s writing, likely encouraging for the creators ofNine Perfect Strangers.
There is alsoa growing tendency to want to expand projects that were originally intended to be miniseries. Such is the case withMare of Easttown, an award-winning HBO crime series starring Kate Winslet. As in the case withBig Little Lies, this show was originally intended to be a miniseries. Now, there are talks ofexpandingMare of Easttownto season 2. While no development has been officially confirmed, the fact thatMare of Easttownseason 2 is even in talks is indicative of this growing trend.
The Perfect Couple Season 2 Should Only Happen Under 1 Condition
The Author Should Be Involved
In many ways,The Perfect Coupleseason 2 would be even more riskythan some of these other shows. UnlikeMare of EasttownorBig Little Lies,The Perfect Coupleseason 1 has mixed reviews from both critics and audiences. This means that the vision of those who adapted the book is not entirely celebrated. This makes it harder to trust thatThe Perfect Coupleseason 2 could be effective in jumping off from the books.
All six episodes ofThe Perfect Coupleare available to watch on Netflix.
One way to mitigate this issue is by involving the author directly in the development ofThe Perfect Coupleseason 2. WhileThe Perfect Coupleitself is a standalone novel, Hilderbrand has experience writing sequels to her other books. Perhaps this would mean the author would find a faithful way to continue the story past its miniseries format. Without Hilderbrand,The Perfect Couplecould risk making its already mixed reviews even worse. But with the author’s help,The Perfect Coupleseason 2 could help resolve key elements of the first season while also providing an interesting expansion to its world.
The Perfect Couple
Cast
In the idyllic setting of Nantucket, a lavish wedding turns sinister when a body is discovered in the harbor just before the ceremony. As the investigation unfolds, every member of the wedding party becomes a suspect, unraveling secrets and lies. Starring Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, and Dakota Fanning, the series promises intense drama and mystery.
