Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington, and Joel Kinnaman dazzle in a predictable but plush psychological thriller

What is the best thing about Imperfect Women based on Araminta Hall’s eponymous novel? The cut of Eleanor’s (Kerry Washington) trousers, of course. Actually, all her clothes and accessories (that necklace! those bags!) are marvellous. As are her house and her gorgeous open-plan office.

As a psychological thriller, Imperfect Women does not shock or stun, but the visuals are truly glorious. Everyone lives in wonderful, well-lit houses, dresses beautifully, is perfectly groomed, and eats splendid meals off eye-wateringly lovely crockery.

Oh to live such a life, minus the death and adultery of course. Eleanor, Mary (Elisabeth Moss), and Nancy (Kate Mara) are best friends forever. After the three attend Mary’s birthday dinner, Eleanor is brought in for questioning by Detective Bethany Ganz (Ana Ortiz) as Nancy is found dead under suspicious circumstances.

Nancy is married to Robert (Joel Kinnaman) from the rich and powerful Hennessey family. Robert’s sister Kit (Jill Wagner) and father (Keith Carradine) go into aggressive damage control mode, while Nancy’s 17-year-old daughter, Cora (Audrey Zahn), acts out not knowing how to deal with her grief.

While things look cut and dried in the beginning, everyone’s alibis come apart, and those close to Nancy seem to have a motive to do away with her.

Eleanor was ostensibly sleeping with a colleague, Jordan (Rome Flynn), but where was she between leaving the dinner at 10 pm and coming to bed and Jordan at 1 am?

Nancy was having an affair with a mystery man named David. She told Eleanor about the affair, but also that she was going to end it. Did Robert know about the affair before, or did he only find out when Eleanor told him after Nancy’s death?

Eleanor always had a crush on Robert, so did she get Nancy out of the way to have him all for herself? Though Donovan, (Leslie Odom Jr.) Eleanor’s sister, teases her mercilessly, he cares deeply for her.

Mary, the mother and homemaker, and possibly disapproving of Eleanor’s choices, was at home with her girls and husband, the mild-mannered and slightly pedantic Howard (Corey Stoll). But was she? Mary seems under a lot of stress as Howard, who is a classics professor, is having work worries, and their teenage son, Marcus (Jackson Kelly) is in trouble with the law.

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Hercule Poirot always said knowing the victim helps identify the killer, and so it is with Nancy. Who was she having an affair with? More importantly why would she want to stray from her perfect husband and marriage? There also seemed to be something sketchy about Nancy’s past, complete with a drunk mum, shifty stepdad, Scott Reid (Wilson Bethel), and ballet as an escape.

The show moves back and forth in time to tell the story from different perspectives. The final episode, which arrives after the murderer is unmasked, seems unnecessary, because you keep wondering if the extra episode is going to unveil a totally new killer (Nancy’s rival at ballet school, now a horse whisperer perhaps), and then you are disappointed when no such thing is revealed.

Otherwise, there is nothing wrong at all with the lovely-looking, elegantly shod show about classy people doing full-on rubbish things. All is forgiven, however, as they do criminal acts in unforgiving, glossy hair and make-up.

Imperfect Women is currently streaming on Apple TV+

Published – May 02, 2026 05:13 pm IST