Prime Video’s New 8-Part Crime Thriller Based On Bestsellers Is Dividing Critics & Audiences On Rotten Tomatoes

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I just started watching Scarpetta on Prime Video – it stars Nicole Kidman and came out on March 11th – and it’s really got people talking! Some seem to love it, others aren’t so sure, which makes it even more interesting to me.

The new TV drama has received generally positive reviews from critics, earning a 76% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, viewers aren’t as impressed, giving it a score of only 51% – a significant 25-point difference. This means the show is currently rated as ‘Stale’ on the Popcornmeter, as it hasn’t reached the 60% threshold needed to be considered ‘Hot’.

Okay, so some critics weren’t thrilled with how the story ended or found the history a little hard to follow. But honestly, most of them said it was totally addictive – and that makes sense! It’s based on the Kay Scarpetta books by Patricia Cornwell, and those are always hard to put down.

Critics particularly admired Nicole Kidman’s powerful and realistic portrayal of the lead pathologist, as well as the strong connection she shared on screen with Jamie Lee Curtis.

However, audiences haven’t reacted well to the series, describing it as slow, awkward, and lacking a clear flow. Fans of Patricia Cornwell’s novels were disappointed with how the story was adapted, feeling it strayed too far from the original books. Some negative reviews also made unsubstantiated claims that the show was overly focused on social issues.

Viewers generally loved Scarpetta, especially its well-written story, strong actors, and surprising plot twists.

Patricia Cornwell has authored nearly 30 books featuring Kay Scarpetta, beginning in 1990 and continuing through 2025. She’s also an executive producer for the Prime Video series, working alongside Liz Sarnoff, Jason Blum of Blumhouse, Nicole Kidman, Curtis, Per Saari, David Gordon Green, Chris Dickie, Jeremy Gold, Chris McCumber, and Amy Sayres.

Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis are joined by Bobby Cannavale, Simon Baker, and Ariana DeBose in the new crime series Scarpetta. The show follows Kidman as she investigates crimes and reopens an old case. Curtis plays her sister, Dorothy Scarpetta.

Prime Video has renewed Scarpetta for a second season. This season will be based on the fourth and fifth books in Patricia Cornwell’s series, Cruel and Unusual and The Body Farm. The first season covered the storylines from Postmortem and Autopsy.

Nicole Kidman is well-known for her work in films like Practical Magic, Moulin Rouge!, and The Stepford Wives, but she’s also achieved significant success on television recently, starring in shows such as Big Little Lies, The Undoing, Nine Perfect Strangers, and The Perfect Couple.

Although her new show, Scarpetta, has received a mixed response – critics generally like it, but audiences are more divided – Prime Video seems confident in its success. They’ve already renewed it for two more seasons, having placed the order back in 2024.

Scarpetta season 1 is available to stream on Prime Video.

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2026-03-12 20:08