Apple TV's #3 Show Is a 29%-Rated Thriller That Tried to Be 'Big Little Lies' but Failed

Apple TV placed its bets on a new project intended to replicate the success of Big Little Lies – it features a star-studded cast, a rich Californian aesthetic, a murder as the starting point, and a focus on a group of women with secrets.

Imperfect Women even has a suitable showrunner, Annie Weisman, who worked on Desperate Housewives. However, the result is disastrous: a weak detective plot and characters who never gained the necessary depth.

What Is 'Imperfect Women' About?

Three friends – Eleanor, Nancy, and Mary – meet at a restaurant to celebrate Mary's birthday. The celebration takes a dark turn when Nancy reveals that she is still receiving calls and messages from David, her former lover.

She wants to end the relationship because she has a loving husband and daughter. After her birthday, Nancy goes to meet David to put things right. The police find her body the next morning.

The series unfolds on two lines: in the present, Eleanor and Mary try to figure out who killed Nancy. In the past, the circumstances of their 25-year friendship gradually come to light.

'Imperfect Women' Aspired to Be 'Big Little Lies', but Its Detective Plot Is Too Weak

Although Nancy's murder formally kicks off the plot, it doesn't drive it. The cliffhanger ending of the first episode doesn't work as intended. If you watch the series as it airs, with one episode per week, there's a high risk of giving up halfway through.

It's not until the third episode that the show begins to reveal itself, along with the characters, who gradually lose their distinctness. Those who once evoked sympathy become disturbing, and secondary figures unexpectedly take center stage.

However, the detective intrigue remains in the background. The more we learn about the characters, the more it seems that this isn't the story of a single crime but rather a saga of war between two wealthy families, Eleanor and Robert, where everyone caught in the crosshairs is targeted.

The demands on Imperfect Women increase in this case, but for now, it seems the show has nothing to add to truisms like "in the world of the rich, there's no place for the poor."

Although 'Imperfect Women' Has Strong Actresses, Its Characters Are Flat

Excellent actresses like Kerry Washington, Elisabeth Moss, and Kate Mara manage to convey even the slightest shifts in mood. However, not all of the actors are equally convincing.

Cora, Nancy's daughter, is the most unconvincing character: actress Audrey Zahn's emotionless reactions make it difficult to believe the depth of the tragedy she is experiencing.

Initially seeming like a collection of social roles – careerist Eleanor, ideal wife Nancy, and housewife Mary – the characters gradually take on a more nuanced form. Biographies revealed through flashbacks and conflicting memories alter initial impressions.

However, this isn't enough to hold the audience's attention. Imperfect Women succeeds in its acting but falls short in a key area: it lacks the intensity and suspense that made Big Little Lies a phenomenon.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Imperfect Women'?

• Imperfect Women has 42% from critics and 29% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the series has a score of 5.4/10.