Why I May Skip 'The Perfect Couple' on Netflix

Netflix

“The Perfect Couple” is the latest star-studded miniseries to premiere on Netflix. What separates it from many of the streaming giant’s offerings is that I will probably skip it. Why? The reason is simple: We all know how it will play out.

The trailer implies the rich couple, played by personal faves Nicole Kidman (Greer Garrison Winbury) and Liev Schreiber (Tag Winbury), are terrible and morally corrupt. The “wealthy people are evil” trope in entertainment truly has no bounds. For the most part, it is a crowd-pleaser, failing to ruffle any feathers. I am not wealthy – by any stretch, so why does the “rich people suck” trope annoy me? 

It is not personal.

Simply put, this entertainment viewer does not like stereotypes—period. That goes across the board. It is 2024. We get it. “Rich people are awful.” We covered all of this during four uneven seasons of the ABC series “Revenge.”

Interestingly, “The Perfect Couple” paid (knowing?) homage to the slightly traumatic TV show via a Netflix promo. The ad shows the cast moodily walking along the beach. Are we in for yet another version? 

In all likelihood, yes. 

A murder mystery with the mega-wealthy at the center is nothing new. “Knives Out” used this to carve something relatively fresh, mainly by making Ana de Armas’ character the center of the piece. Based on the trailer for “The Perfect Couple,” -- there will be the typical cast of “insiders” and “outsiders,” probably with the same old tired lines regarding their respective positions.

We have seen these dynamics over and over. The lack of creativity is why it annoys me. These are easy straw dogs to write and execute. In truth, there is no way to invent the wheel story-wise. That said, there can be a way to craft a creatively innovative plot. Think of any good remix.

Plot twist?

Since I reserve the right to change my mind, the weekend has provided time for reviews to emerge. They have not completely sold me. However, I am always down for a guilty pleasure. (You are reading someone who watched “A Family Affair.”) And who knows? The Netflix miniseries and I may be “The Perfect Couple.” 

“Perfect Couple” Viewers May Also Like:

- Stream “The Chalet” 🏔🚠 on Netflix for a cast of average Joes thrust into a murder mystery during a getaway weekend.

- “Two Summers” 🏖 is another riveting whodunit (no death) involving a group of friends and a summer they shared in their teens. Trigger warning for SA survivors.