‘The Perfect Couple’ Premiere Recap: Happy Wedding Eve
Recap Of The Perfect Couple Series Premiere: Welcome To Summerland
Written by Maggie Fremont, a self-employed writer who writes about television and movies
Let's talk about the first episode of season 1.
The editor has given this blog a rating of 3 stars.
Oh, Nantucket during the summer is truly a sight to behold. People are soaking up the sun on the beach, whales are performing impressive acrobatics in the Atlantic, and unfortunately, bodies are being discovered on the shores near multi-million dollar "cottages" just in time for lavish weddings. It's a unique experience, isn't it? And that's exactly how we start our journey with The Perfect Couple — saying goodbye to summer in a memorable way, possibly involving a murder. How exciting!
Do you want to know when I realized The Perfect Couple was the right choice for me? When I knew we were in for a fun beach read in a TV show? It was when I saw the opening credits. A synchronized dance to Meghan Trainor's "Criminals"? When Nicole Kidman and Liev Schrieber happily line danced for a show about secrets and murder, that's when I knew we hit the jackpot. Yes, Nicole Kidman may be known for saying "we come here for magic," but she is also an Academy Award winner; She gives it her all and it's obvious she's fully embracing this vibe. A vibe that screams we are here to entertain. A vibe that says, "Yes, someone is dead and everyone is a suspect, but let's have some fun." And if that's not your thing, I hate to say it, but maybe this isn't the right show for you.
This is all praise, just to let you know. The debut episode of The Perfect Couple, inspired by Elin Hilderbrand's popular novel, has me feeling optimistic about the upcoming six-episode series. Not only does it promise to be a fun end-of-summer treat, but it also seems like it will deliver a satisfying story overall. In just under an hour, the first episode establishes the main mystery and introduces a variety of characters with lots of personality.
Today we have come together to celebrate the wedding of Amelia Sacks, a regular zoologist, and Benjamin "Benji" Winbury, the son of the famous author Greer Garrison Winbury and wealthy dad Tag Winbury (according to his daughter-in-law). The Winbury family is very wealthy and full of snobbish traditions. We catch a glimpse of Amelia and Benji’s fancy beachside rehearsal dinner at the Winbury estate, Summerland, which is more luxurious than many actual weddings. Everything seems to be going well, with lots of champagne and the happy couple looking excited and in love. However, the mood quickly changes as we hear blood-curdling screams and some kind of struggle happening near the water.
"We have a situation," said Carl, a deputy from Nantucket, to his chief, Dan Carter, in the early hours of the next morning. The wedding is off - the investigation has started. In this episode, characters are questioned and a lot of important information is revealed in a short period of time. There's Gosia, the housekeeper at Winbury, who clearly likes Tag; Roger, the wedding planner, who thinks the Winburys are very wealthy and could get away with murder; Isabel, a family friend from France who thinks Greer is very uptight; and Abby, the pregnant wife of Thomas, the oldest Winbury son, who doesn't hold back from saying things like "Gosia is so desperate to be with Tag. I bet she fantasizes about him while looking at his baby picture next to her bed" during a police interview.
I never realized how much I needed Dakota Fanning to play a cruel and wealthy character until now. Fanning portrays the character's entitlement and passive aggressiveness perfectly. Abby is the type of mean girl who can be terrifying while still keeping a smile on her face. As we later find out, Amelia's mother Karen is sick with cancer and the wedding was moved up to accommodate her. When Karen and Bruce arrive at the estate, Abby greets them with a fake smile and a comment about rearranging plans for their visit. She is simultaneously awful and amazing.
In the current episode, Amelia is brought in for questioning wearing her wedding dress and looking completely shocked after discovering a body in the water. The show "The Perfect Couple" reveals the victim at the end of the episode, with Amelia being the most affected by the death. It was not surprising to learn that Amelia found her best friend and maid of honor, Merritt Monaco, dead on the morning of her wedding. Even if you predicted this reveal, there are still many mysteries to ponder. The exact cause of Merritt's death is still unknown, it could have been an accident or murder. If it was murder, there are multiple potential motives and a long list of suspects to consider.
Right now, the top two people on the list are definitely Greer and Tag, the Perfect Couple. When we go back to the morning of the rehearsal dinner to hear the whole story of that day, we see Greer finding out in real time that Tag is cheating on her. As the jeweler brings rings for Benji and Amelia (it speaks volumes that Greer is the one choosing them, doesn't it?), she asks about the beautiful gold bracelet with pave diamonds that Tag supposedly bought for Greer. You can see from Greer's expression that she never got that bracelet and knows exactly what it means: Tag bought it for someone else. When Greer finds the receipt for a hefty $18,476, we also get a close look at the bracelet. Viewers with sharp eyes may have noticed that same bracelet on Merritt's wrist during her toast at the rehearsal. Maybe Greer noticed it too.
Just the thought of Tag having an affair serious enough to require such a purchase, even though she hasn't figured out who he is cheating with, is enough to unsettle Greer a bit. Benji comes in right after Greer discovers the receipt. He's there to talk to his mother about being more kind to Amelia. If you ever wondered if Greer could harm someone, just observe that moment in the kitchen when Amelia takes a bite of a croissant and Greer says, "Wedding dress be damned, huh?" That almost pushed me over the edge. Benji is correct in saying that Greer isn't fond of Amelia, probably because Amelia doesn't care about appearances or acting like a Winbury. Greer doesn't take the accusations well, trying to justify that she's just looking out for her son - she doesn't believe Amelia has the same feelings for him as he does for her, and she wishes Amelia would show more interest in being a part of the family. Greer is clearly someone who values appearances, but her anger is heightened due to Tag's questionable actions. She tells Benji that marriage doesn't always mean devotion - something she is struggling with at that very moment. And if you don't think Greer is capable of being deceitful enough to hide a murder, it's important to note that Benji enters the room demanding his mother make more of an effort to be kinder to his fiancée and leaves telling Greer that he will make sure Amelia tries harder to be part of the family.
Greer also shows her feelings a little when she talks to her editor, Enid, on the phone. Greer has a new book coming out, following the success of her Dash & Dolly book series. People magazine is set to interview her and Tag this week, with the headline focusing on their long, happy marriage. Greer isn't comfortable with this angle, but she feels trapped in the image she created for her readers. All of her anger and frustration could come out at the worst possible moment for Merritt.
Now let's talk about Merritt, who is quite different from Greer in many ways. She is friendly, open, and carefree. While both Abby and Isabel hint that she enjoys having fun, which they interpret as being promiscuous, Abby shares a heartfelt story about Merritt being interested in wealthy men in the past. Despite this, Merritt appears to be a good friend overall. During a conversation by the pool between Amelia and Merritt on the day of the rehearsal, Amelia expresses concerns about not being completely in love with Benji (without realizing that Greer already knows). Merritt reassures her that it's just cold feet and encourages her to follow her heart, even if that means calling off the wedding. She promises to support her friend no matter what decision she makes. Additionally, Merritt quickly forms a negative opinion of Abby (which turns out to be true). The group also shares a candid discussion about Greer's grooming habits, showcasing their close friendship.
Merritt is kind to Will, who recently went through a break-up and clearly has feelings for Merritt. Will his feelings lead to intense jealousy? Merritt also appears to have a close bond with Amelia. Could their relationship bother Benji? And there's also the enigmatic best man, Shooter Dival. Amelia is definitely attracted to him, but could he be connected to Merritt's predicament? The list of possible suspects is lengthy right now - it's time for The Perfect Couple to begin narrowing it down.
Additional information from the crime scene includes a path of blood that goes from two Adirondack chairs to the water. A shattered glass is found in the sand, while another glass with lipstick marks is left untouched on one of the chairs.
Hello! I am absolutely captivated by our dynamic police duo. Chief Carter, a local from Nantucket, has a knack for dealing with the wealthy elite, despite not being one of them himself. He isn't exactly thrilled about the new detective sent by the DA to keep an eye on things - Detective Nikki Henry. She's tough and no-nonsense, focused on getting results. Despite her rough exterior, she can appreciate a good donut. Their relationship may have a rocky beginning, but I'm eagerly anticipating the moment they truly join forces.
When Chief Carter tells his teenage daughter Chloe that her catering job for a wedding is cancelled due to a death, she becomes extremely upset. This could be related to the fact that she is hiding a bloody shirt in her room.
Um, couldn't Amelia have found a way to open a window and release the ladybug? It would have saved us from the inconvenience.
People receiving odd phone calls and choosing not to answer them: Greer ignores a call from someone named Broderick Graham and appears annoyed by it; Merritt receives a call from someone referred to as DL and reveals that it's a nickname for a former romantic partner.
One interesting moment from the interrogations that stood out to me was when Gosia confessed to the police that Greer claims to have a gift-wrapping room in her house, but in reality, Gosia is the one who does all the gift wrapping from her bedroom. It's strange that Greer makes someone else do the work but still wants others to believe she does it herself.
It seems unlikely that it's just a random occurrence that we find out about Tom's hobby of pill roulette, where he mixes different prescription pills together and takes one at random. And then we see Karen carefully keeping three pills from a baggie with a warning sign on it. It's probably safe to assume that this will be important later on in the story, don't you think?
