Imperfect Women Review: Apple TV Delivers a Gripping, Near-Flawless Mystery Thriller

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Apple TV+’s series explores three common lies – that everything is fine, that sacrifice is essential for happiness, and that ignorance is bliss. These lies are embodied by the show’s three main characters: Mary (Elisabeth Moss), Eleanor (Kerry Washington), and Nancy (Kate Mara). Their deceptions create a seemingly endless cycle of tragedy, which the series follows as they try to escape it.

After Nancy is unexpectedly murdered, Eleanor and Mary are forced to re-examine their friendship of many years. They discover they didn’t truly know Nancy, and uncovering her secrets – and confronting their own – becomes crucial to solving the crime. The story is full of surprising twists and turns, skillfully avoiding any predictable outcomes. Though presented as a thrilling murder mystery with Eleanor and Mary investigating, it’s also a powerful exploration of the complexities of female friendship – its joys and its struggles.

Imperfect Women Perfectly Captures the Truth About Adult Friendships

The show’s title perfectly captures its dramatic nature. While based on Araminta Hall’s novel, the series seems to tone down the harshness between characters. Hall’s writing, as seen in lines like ‘You’re no better than the ugly sisters trying to squeeze their feet into the glass slipper, trying to take what isn’t yours,’ is intensely cutting. Though that level of intensity might be powerful in the book, the show’s decision to make the characters a bit more sympathetic feels like a good one.

I’ve been watching this show, and honestly, Mary, Eleanor, and Nancy are flawed women – definitely not perfect! But what really gets me is how much they genuinely care for each other. The show constantly reminds you of that deep connection. They’re each other’s lifeline, always there to support one another through tough talks or when things get heated with their husbands and kids. It’s almost like they need to be together – you rarely see just two of them interacting, it’s always a trio. When life throws them curveballs, they don’t run to anyone else, they lean on each other. It’s really beautiful to watch.

After Nancy’s death, Mary and Eleanor feel the emptiness of their loss, realizing how much they miss her presence. The novel, Imperfect Women, explores their grief through each of their perspectives, divided into three parts. The story begins with Eleanor, immediately following the tragedy. It’s ironic, because she stands to benefit the most from Nancy’s death, though she doesn’t rejoice in it. Eleanor has always desired Nancy’s husband, Robert (Joel Kinnaman), but knew he was unattainable. As someone who typically handles crises – she’s single, childless, and a natural problem-solver – she expects to step up. Instead, she finds herself overwhelmed and unable to cope.

Chapter two focuses on Nancy, revealing her difficult past through flashbacks and the events before her death. While these shifts away from the present could slow things down, they’re expertly crafted and build suspense effectively. Creator Annie Weisman skillfully connects each flashback to something significant, and the payoff is especially rewarding in the following chapter about Mary.

Mary is a fascinating character. Initially, she seems quiet and unassuming, but she gradually reveals herself as a powerful presence. What sets her apart is her down-to-earth lifestyle, a stark contrast to the lavish lives of Nancy and Eleanor. She appears to have a stable, happy family with her husband, Howard, and their three children, making her the most relatable of the three women. Ironically, it’s when we discover she might be struggling the most that she truly connects with the audience, consistently standing out in Imperfect Women through both subtle moments and intense scenes.

Imperfect Women Only Misses the Mark in a Few Spots

The show gets off to a slow start, largely because Nancy disappears so early on. It’s unclear if the series intentionally leads viewers to believe Mara will be as important as Washington and Moss. Even with the flashbacks added later, Nancy still feels like a supporting character, not a central one. The story primarily focuses on Mary and Eleanor. The character of Henry appears sporadically, only when the plot needs to show Eleanor or Nancy at their lowest points, either currently or in the past. Unfortunately, the build-up to revealing his own story arc is underwhelming.

One disappointing part of the series is how much focus is placed on Eleanor’s race. The story highlights that her being Black and having a crush on a white man causes her internal conflict. Her brother, Donovan, repeatedly suggests she should date Black men, which frustrates her. It’s not that she dislikes Black men, but rather that she doesn’t see race as important when it comes to attraction.

The story only briefly touches on Eleanor’s race, mostly when Donovan is present. While her race shouldn’t be the central focus, the theme appears and then quickly disappears, even subtly. The focus seems to be more on Eleanor’s love life than her friendships, and the decision to largely exclude Robert from the story – a risky move – doesn’t quite pay off.

Imperfect Women Is a Bold Thriller That Never Loses Its Edge

Despite a few puzzling aspects, Imperfect Women is truly captivating. Throughout the story, each woman makes deeply flawed decisions driven by either what they want or what they fear—often both. These are the kinds of moments where we should dislike them, but the writing is so skillful at building empathy that we mostly just find ourselves disagreeing with their choices. They can definitely be frustrating, but that frustration comes from the conflicting feeling of knowing they messed up, yet still not being able to condemn them.

Mary’s story illustrates this perfectly. She’s a sensitive woman who spent her life as a homemaker, but now feels frustrated with that role. She’s actually a gifted writer, but things like relying on Adderall and becoming pregnant early prevented her from pursuing that dream. To make matters worse, her husband treats her like a possession, ignoring her feelings, and her oldest child has a troubling history with the law.

It’s understandable why Mary struggles – the grief over Nancy’s death deeply affects both her and Eleanor, leading to hurtful exchanges. These arguments, though painful, reveal long-held feelings and release years of built-up resentment. It highlights the complex history these women share; they’ve experienced so much together, and disagreements are inevitable. What’s particularly relatable is how they try to protect their loving bond despite these conflicts, a dynamic many people experience in close relationships.

Though centered around a death, Imperfect Women is truly a story about the grief felt by those left behind. It’s a moving exploration of female friendship, challenging the outdated idea that women are inherently envious and incapable of genuine affection. Instead, the story portrays women with honesty and vulnerability, embracing their imperfections – and that’s what makes both the characters and the narrative so compelling.

Imperfect Women premieres March 18 on Apple TV.

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2026-03-12 16:15