The Perfect Couple review: Fun, frothy mystery gets bogged down in twists

Of course, that's not a problem - there's a reason we've seen shows of this nature time and time again, and that's because they work. They may stick to a formula, but it's a popular formula, and one which, done well, can make for truly binge-worthy TV.

For the most part, The Perfect Couple works within the boundaries of the formula exceptionally well, crafting some pitch-perfect cliffhangers and giving us some deliciously awful characters to dissect.

It just makes one too many missteps to make for a fully satisfying experience.

The Perfect Couple stars Eve Hewson as Amelia Sacks, an American woman marrying into one of the wealthiest families on Nantucket.

Her fiancée Benji, played by Billy Howle, is sweet and endearing, but under the thumb of his entitled, domineering and unscrupulous family.

There's his mother Greer (Nicole Kidman), a novelist, his father Tag (Liev Schreiber), heir to his family's fortune, his brothers Thomas (Jack Reynor) and Will (Sam Nivola), and Thomas's wife Abby (Dakota Fanning).

Throw in a number of other esteemed wedding guests, such as maid of honour Merritt (Meghann Fahy) and best man Shooter Dival (Ishaan Khattar) and you've got quite the full house, even if it is a mansion on the coast. Plenty of potential victims/murderers.

Then, as you might expect, a body washes up on the beach.

Centring a murder mystery around an exceedingly wealthy family isn't anything new - as viewers, there's nothing we love more than watching a group of entitled, awful people tearing themselves apart and getting their comeuppance.

Unfortunately, here that's where any sort of social commentary largely stops. Beyond the odd character saying the family are "kill someone and get away with it rich", there really isn't any nuanced discussion around their wealth, or any interest in delving deeper. It's all surface level.

However, it is certainly a fine-looking surface level, bringing us to the other reason these sorts of shows like to focus on the American aristocracy.

Doing this always helps to lend a series or film a sense of glamour it might not otherwise be afforded, and that has certainly been taken advantage of here.

Director Susanne Bier brings a lot to this, giving the show a real visual flair. It's gorgeous to watch, filled with dazzling colour which contrasts nicely with some of the darker subject matter.

All of which brings us to the tone of the piece. Murder mysteries come in all varieties when it comes to tone, and right from the outset it's clear this will be on the frothier end of the scale.

For the most part, this works - given the heightened scenario and the audiences awareness of tropes, playing everything too straight would be misjudged. Instead, a lightness of touch and a humour which is added to proceedings goes a long way.

One aspect which might overstep this mark is an opening dance number, which plays during the titles of each episode. It's a fun idea conceptually, and is sure to catch the attention of social media, likely creating dance trends, but feels slightly cynical, and makes the series feel as though it's bordering on parody.

Thankfully, the performances help to ground things. While Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber bring their A-game as usual, and add a real class to the proceedings, Eve Hewson is particularly impressive as Amelia, a character who really carries the drama.

If you don't root for her, at least on some level, none of this works, and Hewson helps this along by bringing a real humanity and vulnerability to the role.

Meanwhile, Jack Reynor marks himself early on as the comedic MVP, playing a particularly nasty and obnoxious character who not only delivers the funniest lines, but also brings a heightened energy to proceedings, keeping everyone else on their toes.

Unfortunately, far less interesting character work is given over to the two central detectives working on the case.

Beyond the barest amount of character development deemed necessarily, it feels like they are just meant to be the 'normies', helping to shine a light on the eccentricities of the family and their hangers-on.

The same can be said for Amelia's parents, who it seems are primarily introduced to provide some awkward family dinner scenes.

The series is at its best in the earlier episodes, when we're getting to know the characters, the mystery is in its early stages and we're getting drip-fed twists.

Unfortunately, it feels as though the series, or certainly the book upon which it was based, doesn't know where to stop in this department.

By around the midway point, the show is already drowning in twists, which is good for keeping viewers hooked, but doesn't make for particularly satisfying storytelling in the round.

Every character has a secret, and most of them are to do with a sex scandal in one form or another. It starts to get old by the time you cotton on to what the show is doing, and any previously shocking reveals start to lose all meaning when the trick has been pulled for the sixth or seventh time.

As with the opening dance number, it plays into the sense that everything here is rather cynically manufactured, working to the audience's basest desires for an easily digestible, meme-worthy, scandal-filled series to post along to.

It all leads up to a sadly rather disappointing finale. No spoilers here, but the final reveal, the way it is handled and the way the aftermath is portrayed, leave something to be desired, seeing out the series on something of a damp squib.

However, on this front it is worth noting the show's runtime. A lot has been made of late about the slimming down of TV episode counts, particularly when it comes to American shows, and there is certainly good reason for that. Some shows could definitely do with more time to develop their plotlines or their characters.

However, this one's runtime is perfectly judged. With a total of six episodes, most under the hour mark, the series knows how long it can remain entertaining and when it needs to bow out.

All in all, if the end of summer is getting you down, and you're looking for a sunny televisual getaway, The Perfect Couple has you covered. It doesn't rock the boat or shake up the formula when it comes to glossy murder mysteries, but like a beach read it will leave you (largely) satisfied.

Strong performances, a lightness of tone and some dazzling visuals help to bolster things, but in the end this is by-the-numbers fun. There's nothing wrong with that, just don't go in expecting anything more.

The Perfect Couple streams on Netflix from Thursday 5th September. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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