Apple TV’s New Psychological Thriller Needs To Embrace A Rival Streamer’s Strategy

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Apple TV’s latest psychological thriller isn’t off to a strong start, and it could benefit from taking a page from another streaming service’s playbook. Apple TV has built a reputation for prioritizing high-quality shows over simply releasing a large number of them.

The streaming service recently tried its hand at thrillers, a genre it doesn’t usually produce, and the results haven’t been good. Its new show, Imperfect Women, based on a popular novel, premiered with two episodes, but it’s a major disappointment.

Matthew Rudoy from ScreenRant gave the new Apple TV series Imperfect Women a six out of ten rating, which seems a bit high based on the first few episodes. To really succeed, the show needs to learn from how Netflix adapts Harlan Coben’s novels.

Netflix’s Harlan Coben Adaptations Set The Standard For Entertaining, Low-Quality Thrillers

Harlan Coben’s TV adaptations are incredibly popular because they do things other mystery shows avoid. They aren’t afraid to use surprising, even unbelievable plot twists, and they lean into the over-the-top elements that make the genre fun. Unlike shows that carefully set up reveals, Coben’s adaptations embrace unexpected turns.

Despite obvious and annoying plot problems, these shows are incredibly addictive. They grab your attention right away and then race forward, making them impossible to turn off.

The characters consistently make nonsensical choices and don’t behave realistically. The dialogue sounds unnatural and is almost comically awkward, and when characters die, it’s excessively dramatic and melodramatic.

Harlan Coben’s TV adaptations don’t aim for high art, and that’s exactly why people enjoy them. They’re delightfully cheesy – the kind of shows you love to watch even though you know they’re not great. They’re pure, guilty-pleasure entertainment and really set the bar for thrilling mysteries that succeed because of their flaws, not in spite of them.

Apple TV’s Imperfect Women Needs To Embrace Netflix’s Harlan Coben Strategy

Credit: Apple TV

Apple TV+’s Imperfect Women seems to be striving for the quality of high-end, critically acclaimed shows, but it doesn’t quite reach that level. It lacks the polished feel and strong narrative you typically find on the platform, and what could be an intelligent story ends up feeling like a melodramatic soap opera.

The actors in Imperfect Women are usually strong performers, but the characters they play don’t feel believable. Kerry Washington’s character, Eleanor, is a prime example – her decisions are so bizarre they seem completely out of touch with reality. It’s not that she’s flawed; it’s that her actions are simply illogical.

This show shares similarities with Netflix’s other Harlan Coben adaptations, but feels hesitant to fully commit. While the story hints at nuanced characters and moral ambiguity, Imperfect Women avoids typical murder mystery tropes despite starting with a very familiar plot. The series lacks a lighthearted or playful touch.

Elisabeth Moss told ScreenRant’s Tatiana Hullender she initially bought the book because it seemed like a light, easy “beach read.” But she feels the show adaptation doesn’t have that same fun, relaxed vibe, and comes across as overly serious.

The TV show is currently struggling because it lacks a clear direction. Ratings for Imperfect Women are low, and viewers are heavily criticizing it online. Its best chance of success now is to follow the popular formula used by Harlan Coben’s shows.

Imperfect Women would benefit from embracing complete silliness and taking bigger risks. The plot should become unpredictable and dramatic, leaning into a more melodramatic style. Instead of stumbling into over-the-top moments, the show should intentionally aim for them. Right now, the story feels slow, and it needs a faster pace.

Look, I’ve seen a lot of thrillers adapted from books, and “Imperfect Women” feels like it’s playing it safe. Unless the show really leans into the fast-paced, twisty style that Netflix has perfected with Harlan Coben’s work, I’m worried this is going to be one of those series that starts with some buzz, but then quickly fades into obscurity. It needs to commit to being a gripping ride, or it’ll be forgotten almost as soon as you finish watching it.

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2026-03-21 22:39