Dakota Fanning’s 6-Part Netflix Thriller Is A Perfect Miniseries

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Dakota Fanning is quickly becoming known for her work in thriller miniseries, and her performance in Netflix’s The Perfect Couple is arguably her best yet. She first rose to fame as a remarkably talented child actor in the 2000s, starring in films like I Am Sam, Uptown Girls, and The Cat in the Hat. While some wondered if she could successfully mature into a dramatic actress, she’s made the change with ease.

Elle Fanning received her first Emmy nomination in 2024 for her work in the Netflix thriller Ripley, the same year The Perfect Couple came out. She continued to appear in thrillers in 2025, starring alongside Sarah Snook in Peacock’s All Her Fault. Fanning will next be seen in the Apple TV miniseries Margo’s Got Money Troubles in April 2026, but in the meantime, you can enjoy her excellent performance in The Perfect Couple.

What Is The Perfect Couple About?

Image via Netflix

The Netflix series The Perfect Couple is based on Elin Hilderbrand’s 2018 novel. It stars Eve Hewson as Amelia Sacks, a woman marrying into the wealthy and influential Winbury family of Nantucket. While Amelia loves her fiancé, Benji (Billy Howle), she struggles to fit in with his family’s sophisticated lifestyle, a fact that hasn’t escaped the notice of Benji’s critical mother, Greer (Nicole Kidman).

Okay, so Amelia’s lucky to have her best friend, Merritt – a really outspoken and fun maid of honor, played brilliantly by Meghann Fahy. The story kicks off when they head to the Winbury’s gorgeous Nantucket home for the wedding. But things take a dark turn – shockingly, Merritt is murdered during the rehearsal dinner! Suddenly, everyone at this seemingly perfect wedding is a suspect, and that’s where the real mystery begins. It’s a total whodunnit!

“The Perfect Couple” is a thrilling and entertaining series with a sharp, satirical sense of humor. The entire cast delivers excellent performances – Nicole Kidman perfectly embodies a cold and distant character, and Liev Schreiber is convincingly sleazy as Greer’s husband, Tag. But Dakota Fanning truly shines as Abby, the calculating pregnant wife of Thomas Winbury (Jack Reynor), standing out among a group of incredibly talented actors.

Dakota Fanning Gives A Note-Perfect Performance As A Money-Hungry Mom-To-Be

Image via Netflix

Dakota Fanning plays Abby, a character who seems deliberately annoying on the surface – she’s portrayed as spoiled, rude, and superficial, and clearly craves acceptance from Greer. But Fanning’s performance is so playfully quirky and energetic that Abby actually becomes the most entertaining character to watch.

I think Victoria Fanning really gets it in “The Perfect Couple.” The Winburys are over-the-top and silly, but she plays them with such sincerity, like they genuinely believe in their crazy world. They’re dramatic, for sure, but she makes them feel surprisingly real and relatable. It’s a fantastic performance!

Fanning portrays a deliberately annoying sister-in-law, but she’s surprisingly likable and someone you’d still want on your side. Luckily, as the show reaches its chaotic conclusion with The Perfect Couple, Abby becomes increasingly central to the plot.

The Perfect Couple Is One Of Netflix’s Best Miniseries

When The Perfect Couple premiered on Netflix in the summer of 2024, it quickly became a popular topic of conversation. While many people watched it, critics had a divided reaction, finding the show a bit too over-the-top and not as strong as other similar series like The White Lotus and Big Little Lies.

Those critics have it completely wrong. The Perfect Couple is actually good because it’s so over-the-top and intentionally silly. It knows exactly what it’s trying to do, and pulls it off with confidence. The fact that people are really enjoying it just adds to its appeal.

Both Big Little Lies and The White Lotus are excellent shows with insightful social critiques, but they often deal with difficult and unsettling themes. This isn’t necessarily a flaw, but viewers hoping for lighthearted entertainment might find them too intense. The Perfect Couple, while perhaps not as profound, offers a more purely escapist experience.

What makes The Perfect Couple so good is that it’s consistently entertaining across all six episodes. It really draws you in, making you feel like you’re right there with the characters at their lavish Nantucket getaway. It’s a uniquely enjoyable experience – unlike any other limited series on Netflix.

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2026-02-21 22:11