'Imperfect Women' Apple TV+ Review
A psychological thriller that explores how lifelong friendships unravel when secrets and betrayal infiltrate the perfect friendship
Imperfect Women premieres Wednesday, March 18, on Apple TV+, and stars Kerry Washington, Elisabeth Moss, and Kate Mara in an unconventional psychological thriller about friendship, secrets, and the cost of maintaining a perfect image.
Based on the 2020 novel of the same name by Araminta Hall, the series was developed for television by showrunner Annie Weisman—taking a slightly different turn in the adaptation while maintaining the essence of the story audiences fell in love with, which includes themes of betrayal and the complexities of female relationships.
According to Apple TV+,
Imperfect Women examines a crime that shatters the lives of three women in a decades-long friendship. The unconventional thriller explores guilt and retribution, love and betrayal, and the compromises we make that irrevocably alter our lives.
The series also stars Leslie Odom Jr., Joel Kinnaman, Corey Stoll, Rome Flynn, Ana Ortiz, Jill Wagner, Sherri Saum, Wilson Bethel, Keith Carradine, Sandrine Holt, and Sheryl Lee Ralph.
A Friendship Shattered by Secrets
The lives of lifelong friends Eleanor, Mary, and Nancy come to a halt when Nancy's body is found dead under suspicious circumstances. This quickly launches the series into a discovery of secrets and hidden desires and an exploration of the lies we tell ourselves to uphold the image of perfection.
While the concept of a mysterious “whodunnit” isn’t new, the way that Imperfect Women approaches Nancy’s death pulls the audience deep into the story with an absence of suspicion.
This series is a wild, juicy psychological thriller that carefully threads lies within every truth to the point of being nearly undetectable—everyone’s display of grief so genuine that you are more arrested by the story than immediately going down a rabbit hole of suspects…
Almost.
“It’s not about the truth; it’s about who can spin the story to maintain the perfect image.”
One theme that seems to scream at you from the moment you press play can be described with song lyrics from Solange’s “Cranes in the Sky”:
“I tried to keep myself busy
I ran around in circles think I made myself dizzy
I slept it away, I sexed it away, I read it away”
Dissociation within relationships, especially romantic ones, is disguised as hobbies through things women sometimes immerse themselves in to cope with a life they no longer want.
The delicate dance of power and influence between families is a slightly more prominent theme at play. It’s not about the truth; it’s about who can spin the story to maintain the perfect image.
The largest of the themes is rooted in secrecy, envy, and guilt. And as we crawl closer and closer to the truth—ripping the beautiful wrappings from every careful lie—these themes become louder and more insidious.
Powerhouse Performances by Three Perfect Leads
One of the most refreshing aspects of Imperfect Women is that the filler episodes don’t just fill the space or meet a time criteria set by the streaming platform.
They are complete and fully realized moments within the story that take you to the periphery of the main storyline in a way that makes you stay tuned in rather than rushing for those episodes to end.
The leading women, Kerry, Elisabeth, and Kate, are captivating on screen, evoking a range of emotions from empathy to rage to disgust and pity.
There isn’t a single episode where you will be absent of strong feelings—from the beginning to the very end.
Related Coverage
Final Thoughts
Imperfect Women is a masterclass in perception and deception, not only in the ways that we perceive and deceive others but also in the ways we perceive and deceive ourselves.
The intricacy of the storytelling is eloquent, complex, layered, and nuanced. The plot settles within your ear, like a subtle ringing noise—the sound you can’t pinpoint, sitting inside you, creating a feeling of dread that you can’t shake.
In other words, Imperfect Women is perfect.
The first two episodes of Imperfect Women premiere March 18 on Apple TV+ and weekly thereafter. Check out the trailer below.
© Kivonshe | So There’s That
Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted