The Perfect Couple Finale: Who Is the Killer & What Is Their Motive?
The identity of the killer was quite shocking, but not all viewers were satisfied with such a twist.
Netflix 's detective miniseries The Perfect Couple has become one of the biggest premieres of September, and it's easy to see why. Susanne Bier's project stars Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Isabelle Adjani, Jack Reynor and Dakota Fanning, and the entire plot fits into just six episodes – the perfect cast and length for binge-watching.
The project was developed by Jenna Lamia – The Perfect Couple is her first project as showrunner. The debut was loud not only because of the A-list stars in the leading roles, but also because of the director, who was Oscar winner Susanne Bier.
This is Bier's third series and second in the premium television arena, where Big Little Lies is competing with The Undoing for a place in viewers' hearts. The latter show was directed by Bier, and associations with that detective drama about the lives of New York's wealthy emerge from the first scenes of The Perfect Couple.
What Is The Perfect Couple About?
The plot centers on the wealthy Winbury family, whose members are preparing for a wedding. The family matriarch, Greer Winbury, a famous mystery writer, is looking forward to another successful social event. But a surprise spoils the celebration – the guests find the body of the bridesmaid, Merritt Monaco.
It quickly becomes clear that almost every member of the family, including Greer herself, had a motive to kill Merritt. The woman was sleeping with her husband, and Greer realized this even before the murder.
The Killer Is Someone (Almost) No One Expected
Fans have guessed the true identity of the killer throughout the series, suspecting Greer and her husband, but the writers still managed to shock even the most experienced viewers – Merritt was killed by Abby Winbury, Thomas' wife.
Fanning's character drugged Merritt and then cold-bloodedly drowned her in the bay. And her motive was the most simple one – money.
The thing is, the trust fund with the Winbury clan's money would not get into the hands of the Greer sons (and their wives) until the oldest of the relatives turned 18. Abby found out that Merritt was pregnant by Greer's husband and immediately realized that she would have to wait 18 years for the money instead of a few months.
The writers never explained how Abby found out about Merritt's pregnancy, so fans were extremely disappointed about the true identity of the killer. Abby's motive seemed strange to almost all viewers, so Rotten Tomatoes users rightly gave The Perfect Couple an average score of 68%.