, creator = David E. Kelley , based_on = {{Based on, ''

Nine Perfect Strangers ''Nine Perfect Strangers'' is a 2018 novel by Australian author Liane Moriarty. It was published on September 18, 2018 by Macmillan Australia. It is a ''New York Times'' Bestseller. Synopsis Nine people from different walks of life attend a ...

'',

Liane Moriarty Liane Moriarty (born 15 November 1966) is an Australian author. She has written ten novels, including the ''New York Times'' best sellers '' Big Little Lies'', '' Nine Perfect Strangers'', and '' Apples Never Fall'' which were adapted into telev ...

, developer = David E. Kelley
&

John-Henry Butterworth John-Henry Butterworth is a British screenwriter who has co-written several screenplays with his brother Jez Butterworth. The brothers won the Writers Guild of America's 2011 Paul Selvin Award for their screenplay for the film '' Fair Game'' ...

, showrunner = {{Plainlist, * David E. Kelley * John-Henry Butterworth , director = {{Plainlist, *

Jonathan Levine Jonathan A. Levine ( ; born June 18, 1976) is an American film director and screenwriter. Early life and education Levine was born and raised in New York City to a Jewish family. He attended St. Bernard's School, in Manhattan, and Phillips A ...

* Anthony Byrne , starring = {{Plainlist, *

Nicole Kidman Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an Australian and American actress and producer. Known for Nicole Kidman on screen and stage, her work in film and television productions across many genres, she has consistently ranked among the world ...

Melissa McCarthy Melissa Ann McCarthy (born August 26, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. She is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Melissa McCarthy, numerous accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Award ...

Michael Shannon Michael Corbett Shannon (born August 7, 1974) is an American actor. Shannon received two Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nominations, for '' Revolutionary Road'' (2008), and '' Nocturnal Animals'' (2016). He received Screen Actors Guil ...

Luke Evans Luke George Evans (born 15 April 1979) is a Welsh actor and singer. He began his career on the stage, and performed in London's West End productions of '' Rent'', ''Miss Saigon'', and '' Piaf'' before making his film breakthrough in the 2010 ...

Asher Keddie Asher Keddie (born 31 July 1974) is an Australian actress. Beginning her career in the television series ''Five Mile Creek'' in the mid 1980s, Keddie received wide recognition for her role in the television series ''Offspring''. Her significant ...

Samara Weaving Samara Weaving (born 23 February 1992) is an Australian actress and model. She gained attention for her work in Australian television, appearing on the series '' Out of the Blue'' (2008) and receiving an AACTA Award nomination for playing Ind ...

Melvin Gregg Melvin Gregg is an American actor known for his roles as DeMarcus Tillman in Netflix's mockumentary series '' American Vandal'', Erick Scott in Steven Soderbergh's sports drama film '' High Flying Bird'', Drew 'Manboy' Miller on FX's crime drama ...

Tiffany Boone Tiffany Boone is an American actress, best known for her roles as Roxy Jones in '' Hunters'', Mandy Lang in the second season of the FOX TV series ''The Following'' and for her supporting roles as Savannah Snow and Mimi in the fantasy film '' B ...

Manny Jacinto Manuel Luis Jacinto ( ; born August 19, 1987) is a Filipino-Canadian actor. After several small roles on television, his breakout role came as Jason Mendoza on the NBC sitcom '' The Good Place'' (2016–2020). Jacinto had minor roles in '' Bad ...

Grace Van Patten Grace Van Patten (born November 21, 1996) is an American actress. She has appeared in two films distributed by Netflix, ''Tramps (2016 film), Tramps'' (2016) and ''The Meyerowitz Stories'' (2017), and in the Hulu original series ''Nine Perfect St ...

Zoe Terakes Zoe Terakes () is an Australian actor. They are known for playing Reb Keane in the series '' Wentworth'' (2020–2021) and Hayley in the horror film '' Talk to Me'' (2022). Early life and education Terakes attended SCEGGS Darlinghurst for h ...

Regina Hall Regina Lee Hall (born December 12, 1970) is an American actress. She rose to prominence for her role as Brenda Meeks in the comedy horror ''Scary Movie'' film series (2000–2006). Hall received critical acclaim for her role in the film '' Sup ...

Bobby Cannavale Bobby Cannavale (; born May 3, 1970) is an American actor. His breakthrough came with the leading role as FDNY Paramedic Roberto "Bobby" Caffey in the NBC series ''Third Watch'', which he played from 1999 to 2001. Cannavale received the Pri ...

* Aras Aydın *

Christine Baranski Christine Jane Baranski (born May 2, 1952) is an American actress. She received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Maryann Thorpe in the sitcom ''Cybill'' (1995–1998). Baranski is als ...

Murray Bartlett Murray Bartlett (born 20 March 1971) is an Australian actor. He became known for starring as a luxury resort manager in the first season of the HBO dark comedy series ''The White Lotus'' (2021), for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outsta ...

Dolly de Leon Dolly Earnshaw de Leon (born April 12, 1969) is a Filipino actress. Known primarily for her work in independent films and theater, she has received numerous accolades, including a FAMAS Award, a Guldbagge Award, and a Los Angeles Film Critics ...

* Lucas Englander *

Henry Golding Henry Ewan Golding (born 5 February 1987) is a British actor of Malaysian origin. He has starred in the romantic comedies '' Crazy Rich Asians'' (2018) and ''Last Christmas'' (2019), the thriller '' A Simple Favor'' (2018), the action comedy '' ...

Annie Murphy Anne Frances Murphy (born December 19, 1986) is a Canadian actress. She rose to recognition for her starring role as Alexis Rose in the sitcom ''Schitt's Creek'' (2015–2020), for which she garnered acclaim and won a Primetime Emmy Award and a ...

Lena Olin Lena Maria Jonna Olin (; born 22 March 1955) is a Swedish actress. She has received nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Mentored by filmmaker Ingmar Bergman, she made her screen d ...

King Princess Mikaela Mullaney Straus (born December 19, 1998), known by her stage name King Princess, is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Brooklyn, New York. She is signed to Mark Ronson's label Zelig Records, an imprint of Colu ...

Maisie Richardson-Sellers Maisie Richardson-Sellers is a British actress and director. She first gained recognition for her role as Rebekah Mikaelson / Eva Sinclair on The CW series '' The Originals''. She has since gained wider recognition for her starring roles as Kat ...

Mark Strong Mark Strong (born Marco Giuseppe Salussolia; 5 August 1963) is a British actor best known for his film roles such as Prince Septimus in '' Stardust'' (2007), Archibald in '' RocknRolla'' (2008), Lord Henry Blackwood in ''Sherlock Holmes'' (200 ...

, music =

Marco Beltrami Marco Beltrami (born October 7, 1966) is an American composer of film and television scores. He has worked in a number of genres, including horror ('' Scream'', ''Mimic, The Faculty, Resident Evil, The Woman in Black, Carrie, A Quiet Place'' ...

and Miles Hankins , country = United States , language = English , num_seasons = 2 , num_episodes = 14 , list_episodes = , executive_producer = {{Plainlist, *

Samantha Strauss Samantha Strauss is an Australian screenwriter known for the shows ''Dance Academy'' and ''Nine Perfect Strangers (TV series), Nine Perfect Strangers''. Early life and family Strauss grew up in Gold Coast, Queensland, and was educated at St Hil ...

* John-Henry Butterworth * Molly Allen * Melissa McCarthy * Liane Moriarty * Jonathan Levine * Jodi Matterson * Steve Hutensky *

Bruna Papandrea Bruna Papandrea (born 1971) is an Australian film and television producer and the founder of production company Made Up Stories. Prior to Made Up Stories, Papandrea co-founded the production company Pacific Standard with Reese Witherspoon. ...

* Nicole Kidman * Per Saari * David E. Kelley * Rachel Shukert * Matthew Tinker * Anthony Byrne , producer = {{Plainlist, * Gillian Bohrer * Barbara Gibbs , location = {{Plainlist, *

Byron Bay Byron Bay ( Minjungbal: ''Cavvanbah'') is a beachside town located in the far-northeastern corner of New South Wales, Australia (in Bundjalung Country). It is located north of Sydney and south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a headland adjac ...

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

Swiss Alps The Alps, Alpine region of Switzerland, conventionally referred to as the Swiss Alps, represents a major natural feature of the country and is, along with the Swiss Plateau and the Swiss portion of the Jura Mountains, one of its three main Physica ...

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

* Austria , cinematography = {{Plainlist, * Yves Bélanger * Frank Lamm , editor = {{Plainlist, * Ben Lester * David Berman * Janet Weinberg * Tyler L. Cook * Joseph Ettinger , camera = , runtime = 36–55 minutes , company = {{Plainlist, * David E. Kelley Productions *

Blossom Films Blossom Films is a production company founded by American-born Australian actress Nicole Kidman in 2010. The first production by the company was the film '' Rabbit Hole'', based on the play of the same name by David Lindsay-Abaire. Their logo fea ...

* Made Up Stories * Fifth Season , network =

Hulu Hulu (, ) is an American Subscription business model, subscription streaming media service owned by Disney Streaming, a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment segment of the Walt Disney Company. It was launched on October 29, 2007, initially as ...

, first_aired = {{Start date, 2021, 8, 18 , last_aired = present ''Nine Perfect Strangers'' is an American

drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

television series based on the 2018 novel of the same name by

. Created by David E. Kelley who also developed the series alongside

, starring

and an

ensemble cast In a dramatic production, an ensemble cast is one that comprises many principal actors and performers who are typically assigned roughly equal amounts of screen time.Random House: ensemble acting Linked 2013-07-17 Structure In contrast to the po ...

, the series premiered on August 18, 2021, on

. In June 2023, it was announced that the initial

miniseries In the United States, a miniseries or mini-series is a television show or series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. Many miniseries can also be referred to, and shown, as a television film. " Limited series" is ...

had been renewed for a second season as an

anthology series An anthology series is a written series, radio, television, film, or video game series that presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a different ca ...

, which premiered on May 21, 2025.

Premise

Nine strangers from the city gather for a ten-day retreat at Tranquillum House, a health and wellness resort in the fictional town of Cabrillo, California, which promises to transform and heal the guests who stay there. The resort is not what it seems to be, and the guests are about to discover many secrets about each other and the resort's host. One of the controversies arising between the guests and resort director Masha starts when she tells them during a meal conducted at a large table that they are all given a

psychoactive drug A psychoactive drug, psychopharmaceutical, mind-altering drug, consciousness-altering drug, psychoactive substance, or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that alters psychological functioning by modulating central nervous system acti ...

, namely

psilocybin Psilocybin, also known as 4-phosphoryloxy-''N'',''N''-dimethyltryptamine (4-PO-DMT), is a natural product, naturally occurring tryptamine alkaloid and Investigational New Drug, investigational drug found in more than List of psilocybin mushroom ...

, in minimal but relevant doses in their food without their consent or even knowledge, about which the guests are upset and assume it to be a crime.

Cast and characters

Main

as Masha Dmitrichenko,{{cite press release, url=https://press.hulu.com/shows/nine-perfect-strangers/bios/, title=''Nine Perfect Strangers'' Bios, publisher=

, access-date=June 2, 2021, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602002158/https://press.hulu.com/shows/nine-perfect-strangers/bios/, archive-date=June 2, 2021, url-status=live the Russian founder of the wellness resort, Tranquillum House

Season 1

as Frances Welty, a novelist struggling with her professional and personal life *

as Napoleon Marconi, Heather's husband and Zoe's father, a high school teacher grieving the death of his son *

as Lars Lee, a man who comes to the resort with a hidden agenda *

as Jessica Chandler, a social media influencer and Ben's wife *

as Heather Marconi, Napoleon's wife and Zoe's mother, mourning the death of her son *

as Ben Chandler, Jessica's wealthy lottery winner husband *

as Delilah, a devoted employee at Tranquillum House *

as Yao, Masha's right-hand man at Tranquillum House *

as Zoe Marconi, Napoleon and Heather's daughter, grieving the death of her twin brother *

as Glory, another employee at Tranquillum House *

as Carmel Schneider, a single mother of four children whose husband left her for a younger woman *

as Tony Hogburn, a former American football

tight end The tight end (TE) is an offense (sports), offensive position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football. It is a hybrid that combines the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a receiver (football), receiv ...

struggling with his drug addiction

Season 2

* Aras Aydın as Matteo *

as Victoria *

as Brian *

as Agnes * Lucas Englander as Martin *

as Peter *

as Imogen *

as Helena *

as Tina *

as Wolfie *

as David

Special guest star

Ben Falcone Benjamin Scott Falcone (born August 25, 1973) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. He is married to actress Melissa McCarthy, with whom he frequently collaborates. Falcone made his directorial debut in 2014 with ''Tammy (film), Tammy'', ...

as Paul Drabble (season 1), a man who catfished Frances and left her heartbroken

Recurring

Hal Cumpston Hal Cumpston is an Australian actor, producer and writer. Early life Cumpston grew up in Sydney and attended Waverley College where he was heavily involved in drama. Both of his parents work in the film Industry. His father Jeremy Cumpston, ...

as Zach Marconi (season 1), Napoleon and Heather's deceased son

Episodes

Series overview

{{Series overview , color1 = #84c899 , link1 = #Season 1 (2021) , episodes1 = 8 , start1 = {{Start date, 2021, 8, 18 , end1 = {{End date, 2021, 9, 22 , color2 = #E1EB55 , link2 = #Season 2 (2025) , link2R = , episodes2 = 8 , start2 = {{Start date, 2025, 5, 21 , end2 = {{End date, 2025, 7, 2

Season 1 (2021)

{{Episode table , background=#84c899 , overall= , season= , title= , director= , writer= , airdate= , episodes= {{Episode list , EpisodeNumber = 1 , EpisodeNumber2 = 1 , Title = Random Acts of Mayhem , DirectedBy =

, WrittenBy = David E. Kelley &

, OriginalAirDate = {{Start date, 2021, 8, 18 , ShortSummary = Nine people arrive at Tranquillum House, an exclusive and award-winning health resort: high school teacher Napoleon Marconi, wife Heather, and their young adult daughter Zoe; Jessica and Ben Chandler, an attractive & wealthy young couple; Frances, an author who's in both personal and professional turmoil; Carmel, a verbose mother-of-two; Tony; and Lars. Some guests are at odds with each other from the get-go, namely Frances with Tony and Lars with Carmel. Their phones are confiscated at entry, with staff removing their contraband. Napoleon and Heather argue about their state of being after their teenage son's suicide, while Lars contacts his estranged lover using his smartwatch. Masha welcomes them to the resort, and both her unvarnished approach and her removal of guests' items result in a heated orientation. Masha recounts her workaholic past to the guests, how she was clinically dead after being shot, and how she was saved by Yao, a paramedic, now her right-hand man. , LineColor = 84c899 {{Episode list , EpisodeNumber = 2 , EpisodeNumber2 = 2 , Title = The Critical Path , DirectedBy = Jonathan Levine , WrittenBy = David E. Kelley & John-Henry Butterworth , OriginalAirDate = {{Start date, 2021, 8, 18 , ShortSummary = After the tense orientation, Masha converses with Tony about his addiction after returning his medication, while both Zoe and Jessica confide in Frances about their respective families' troubles. Masha starts receiving threatening text messages. On the first day of treatment, after a curated breakfast, the guests dig a grave plot and lie in it while Masha prompts them to contemplate their deaths. Frances recalls how she fell for an online swindler (Paul) who conned her out of a large sum of money. The agitation and provocations of the guests continue, prompting Delilah to voice her concerns to Masha. After Tony saves Frances from choking on a grape that he threw in the latter's mouth while she was asleep afloat in the pool, they talk about Frances's stagnating career and how she was scammed. While the group is engaging in a trust exercise, Heather walks to the very edge of a cliff, which frightens both the guests and the staff. Frances voices her intent to leave the resort, but Masha persuades her to stay another day. It is shown how the guests are under Masha's constant surveillance, and later Masha decides to initiate a new protocol, though Yao and Delilah are uncertain. , LineColor = 84c899 {{Episode list , EpisodeNumber = 3 , EpisodeNumber2 = 3 , Title = Earth Day , DirectedBy = Jonathan Levine , WrittenBy = {{WritingCredits, t=

, OriginalAirDate = {{Start date, 2021, 8, 18 , ShortSummary = Masha is receiving threatening messages. Carmel attacks Lars at breakfast. They meditate and begin to reveal themselves. There's a sack race. Ben realises who Tony is. The women go for a swim, the men go foraging. Jessica isn't happy with Carmel. Tony chases a goat. They return with the dead animal, which upsets Masha. At the banquet, Napoleon talks about his son's suicide and says he killed the goat. , LineColor = 84c899 {{Episode list , EpisodeNumber = 4 , EpisodeNumber2 = 4 , Title = Brave New World , DirectedBy = Jonathan Levine , WrittenBy = David E. Kelley & John-Henry Butterworth , OriginalAirDate = {{Start date, 2021, 8, 25 , ShortSummary = Masha confirms that the guest's smoothies are drugged, which she describes as micro-dosing. Several are shocked and want to leave. Lars admits to being a journalist. Carmel eventually reveals the abuse she suffered from her husband. Frances and Carmel take out their anger on a samurai mannequin. Tony tells Frances he killed a man in a bar. Napoleon wants to leave, but Heather persuades him to stay. There's a party on the eve of Zoe's 21st. , LineColor = 84c899 {{Episode list , EpisodeNumber = 5 , EpisodeNumber2 = 5 , Title = Sweet Surrender , DirectedBy = Jonathan Levine , WrittenBy = David E. Kelley , OriginalAirDate = {{Start date, 2021, 9, 1 , ShortSummary = Zoe "sees" her dead brother. He asks her to say they got on. Lars said he had a dream that he had a baby. The father was Tony, which annoys him. Frances "sees" Paul, the man who scammed her. He says her books are rubbish. She faints. Delilah is angry with Masha and asks her to stop sleeping with Yao. Tony is clean but is worried about his future. Jessica and Ben have sex in the hot tub. Carmel sees them. Lars reassures her and says she should move on. The group holds a 21st birthday party for Zoe (and Zach). , LineColor = 84c899 {{Episode list , EpisodeNumber = 6 , EpisodeNumber2 = 6 , Title = Motherlode , DirectedBy = Jonathan Levine , WrittenBy = {{WritingCredits, t=

Jessica Sharzer Jessica Sharzer (born October 26, 1972) is an American screenwriter, director, producer, and editor. She is known for her work on the Showtime drama series ''The L Word'' and the FX horror series ''American Horror Story''. She wrote the screen ...

& Jonathan Levine , OriginalAirDate = {{Start date, 2021, 9, 8 , ShortSummary = Lars dreams about being bullied at school. Frances sees a "miniature Paul" and flushes him down the toilet. Carmel wants a one-on-one, as she knows Masha had an affair with her husband, but Masha regrets it. Everyone is paired with "buddies". Zoe sees Zach. Napoleon then sees Heather, too, but she has an "episode". Masha tells them she can use psychotics so they can interact safely with Zach. Frances tells Carmel she isn't improving like everyone else. Masha has a flashback to her daughter's death from being hit by a car while riding her bike. , LineColor = 84c899 {{Episode list , EpisodeNumber = 7 , EpisodeNumber2 = 7 , Title = Wheels on the Bus , DirectedBy = Jonathan Levine , WrittenBy = David E. Kelley , OriginalAirDate = {{Start date, 2021, 9, 15 , ShortSummary = Carmel attacks Masha and has to be sedated. Tony tells Frances of his plans to build a life with her, which frightens her. Masha wants to help the Marconis see their dead son, but Zoe is hesitant. Masha says she'll take a trip with the Marconis, but is called away to see Frances. Delilah is unhappy and decides to leave. Lars knows one of the guests died last year. Masha goes to see Carmel and realises she was the person who shot her. , LineColor = 84c899 {{Episode list , EpisodeNumber = 8 , EpisodeNumber2 = 8 , Title = Ever After , DirectedBy = Jonathan Levine , WrittenBy = David E. Kelley , OriginalAirDate = {{Start date, 2021, 9, 22 , ShortSummary = Masha doesn't blame Carmel; she thanks her. Frances tries to explain to Tony why she reacted as she did. Carmel is in a deprivation tank and freaks out. Frances and Tony plan on leaving. Napoleon has a nosebleed. They can all see Zach. Carmel gets out, but she's locked in the room. The others try to free her. Masha locks them all in the room. Masha tells Glory to start the fire. They talk about their futures. The fire was a simulation. Napoleon runs into the woods and sees Zach. He says they need to let go. Delilah alerts the police. It is snowing. Masha follows Zoe and sees her daughter. The police arrive. The guests say nothing happened. Frances and Tony go to a restaurant. She starts writing a book. Lars is with his partner and their baby. Carmel is running classes. The Marconis are happy. Ben and Jessica have taken over Tranquillum. Masha drives off in a yellow Lamborghini, her daughter by her side. , LineColor = 84c899

Season 2 (2025)

{{Episode table , background=#E1EB55 , overall= , season= , title= , titleR={{cite press release , url=https://press.hulu.com/shows/nine-perfect-strangers/episodes/, title=''Nine Perfect Strangers'' - Season 2, website=Hulu Press, access-date=May 16, 2025, director= , writer= , writerR= , airdate= , airdateR={{cite web , title=Shows A–Z – ''Nine Perfect Strangers'' on Hulu , url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch/nine-perfect-strangers/listings/ , website=

The Futon Critic ''The Futon Critic'' is a website that provides articles and information regarding prime time programming on broadcast and cable networks in the United States. The site publishes reviews of prime time programming and interviews of people in th ...

, access-date=April 5, 2025 , episodes= {{Episode list , EpisodeNumber = 9 , EpisodeNumber2 = 1 , Title = Zauberwald , DirectedBy =

, WrittenBy = Rachel Shukert , OriginalAirDate = {{Start date, 2025, 5, 21 , ShortSummary = , LineColor = E1EB55 {{Episode list , EpisodeNumber = 10 , EpisodeNumber2 = 2 , Title = The Crabapple Clubhouse , DirectedBy = Jonathan Levine , WrittenBy = Jaclyn Moore , OriginalAirDate = {{Start date, 2025, 5, 21 , ShortSummary = , LineColor = E1EB55 {{Episode list , EpisodeNumber = 11 , EpisodeNumber2 = 3 , Title = The Field Trip , DirectedBy = Jonathan Levine , WrittenBy = Dan Robert & Lisha Brooks , OriginalAirDate = {{Start date, 2025, 5, 28 , ShortSummary = , LineColor = E1EB55 {{Episode list , EpisodeNumber = 12 , EpisodeNumber2 = 4 , Title = The Major Lift , DirectedBy = Anthony Byrne , WrittenBy = Sarah Sutherland , OriginalAirDate = {{Start date, 2025, 6, 4 , ShortSummary = , LineColor = E1EB55 {{Episode list , EpisodeNumber = 13 , EpisodeNumber2 = 5 , Title = Prague , DirectedBy = Jonathan Levine , WrittenBy = {{WritingCredits, order=t, t=Sarah Sutherland, s=Noah Diaz , OriginalAirDate = {{Start date, 2025, 6, 11 , ShortSummary = , LineColor = E1EB55 {{Episode list , EpisodeNumber = 14 , EpisodeNumber2 = 6 , Title = The Other Side , DirectedBy = Anthony Byrne , WrittenBy = {{WritingCredits, order=t, t=Jonathan Levine, s=Sam Potochick , OriginalAirDate = {{Start date, 2025, 6, 18 , ShortSummary = , LineColor = E1EB55 {{Episode list , EpisodeNumber = 15 , EpisodeNumber2 = 7 , Title = Mergers and Acquisitions , DirectedBy = , WrittenBy = Jaclyn Moore , OriginalAirDate = {{Start date, 2025, 6, 25 , ShortSummary = , LineColor = E1EB55 {{Episode list , EpisodeNumber = 16 , EpisodeNumber2 = 8 , Title = Never Change , DirectedBy = , WrittenBy = Rachel Shukert & Jaclyn Moore , OriginalAirDate = {{Start date, 2025, 7, 2 , ShortSummary = , LineColor = 84c899

Production

Development

On May 1, 2019, it was reported that

had given the production a straight-to-series order. The series was created by David E. Kelley, who developed the series with

, both of whom also served as executive producers along with

, Per Saari,

, Steve Hutensky, and Casey Haver. Kelley and Butterworth also served as co-showrunners. Production companies involved with the series are Made Up Stories,

, and Endeavor Content.{{cite web, url=https://deadline.com/2019/05/hulu-orders-nine-perfect-strangers-series-from-nicole-kidman-bruna-papandrea-liane-moriarty-1202605013/, title=Hulu Orders ''Nine Perfect Strangers'' Series from Nicole Kidman, Confirms 'The Dropout' Starring Kate McKinnon, website=

Deadline Hollywood ''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. It is updated several times a day, with en ...

, first=Denise, last=Petski, date=May 1, 2019, access-date=January 11, 2020, archive-date=August 28, 2019, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190828102852/https://deadline.com/2019/05/hulu-orders-nine-perfect-strangers-series-from-nicole-kidman-bruna-papandrea-liane-moriarty-1202605013/, url-status=live On January 7, 2020,

joined the series as an executive producer. On July 29, 2020, it was announced

was set to direct all eight episodes of the series as well as serve as an executive producer, while Gillian Bohrer joined the series as producer.{{cite web, url=https://deadline.com/2020/07/nine-perfect-strangers-jonathan-levine-direct-hulu-limited-series-nicole-kidman-bruna-papandrea-1202997988/, title=''Nine Perfect Strangers'': Jonathan Levine to Direct Hulu Limited Series, website=

, first=Denise, last=Petski, date=July 29, 2020, access-date=July 29, 2020, archive-date=October 31, 2020, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031002327/https://deadline.com/2020/07/nine-perfect-strangers-jonathan-levine-direct-hulu-limited-series-nicole-kidman-bruna-papandrea-1202997988/, url-status=live Yves Bélanger served as cinematographer. Despite being conceived as a limited series, it was announced in June 2023 that the series was renewed for a second season.{{cite web, url=https://deadline.com/2023/06/nine-perfect-strangers-season-2-hulu-nicole-kidman-star-ep-liv-ullman-murray-bartlett-dolly-de-leon-maisie-richardson-sellers-aras-aydin-cast-1235421424/, title='Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 A Go At Hulu With Nicole Kidman Back As Star & EP; Liv Ullmann, Murray Bartlett, Dolly De Leon, Maisie Richardson-Sellers & Aras Aydin Cast, website=

, first=Nellie, last=Andreeva, date=June 21, 2023, access-date=June 21, 2023 The second season received €10m from the German Motion Picture Fund (GMPF), which accounted for almost 25% of the €44.8m distributed by the Berlin-based fund in 2023. Furthermore, the production secured the maximum allocation of €7.5 million from Austria's FISA+ program, designed to attract international productions to the country. The second season is being developed as a collaborative effort between the United States, Germany, and Austria, with production led by the US' Fifth Season alongside Germany's Supernix and Austria's Supernix Austria.{{cite web, url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/nine-perfect-strangers-second-season-to-shoot-in-germany-and-austria/5190098.article, title='Nine Perfect Strangers' second season to shoot in Germany and Austria, website=

Screen Daily ''Screen International'' is a British film magazine covering the international film business. It is published by Media Business Insight, a British B2B media company which also owned '' Broadcast''. The magazine is primarily aimed at those involv ...

, first=Martin, last=Blaney, date=February 1, 2024, access-date=March 14, 2024, url-access=limited, archive-date=February 5, 2024, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240205075429/https://www.screendaily.com/news/nine-perfect-strangers-second-season-to-shoot-in-germany-and-austria/5190098.article, url-status=live In the second season, Masha will lead a fresh ensemble of nine strangers, who seek sanctuary from their hectic lives with a 10-day stay at a resort nestled in the Swiss Alps.

Casting

The initial series announcement reported that

was cast in a lead role. In addition to her executive producing announcement,

had also joined the cast in a starring role.{{cite web, url=https://deadline.com/2020/01/melissa-mccarthy-cast-star-nicole-kidman-hulu-nine-perfect-strangers-limited-series-david-e-kelley-1202822477/, title=Melissa McCarthy Joins Nicole Kidman in ''Nine Perfect Strangers'' Hulu Limited Series from David E. Kelley, website=

, first=Nellie, last=Andreeva, date=January 7, 2020, access-date=January 11, 2020, archive-date=August 13, 2021, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813023529/https://deadline.com/2020/01/melissa-mccarthy-cast-star-nicole-kidman-hulu-nine-perfect-strangers-limited-series-david-e-kelley-1202822477/, url-status=live On May 27, 2020,

joined the main cast. In June 2020,

and

were cast in starring roles. In July 2020,

and

joined the main cast.{{cite web, url=https://deadline.com/2020/07/melvin-gregg-nine-perfect-strangers-hulu-limited-series-1202975173/, title=Melvin Gregg Joins ''Nine Perfect Strangers'' Hulu Limited Series, website=

, first=Denise, last=Petski, date=July 1, 2020, access-date=July 1, 2020, archive-date=May 19, 2021, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519022128/https://deadline.com/2020/07/melvin-gregg-nine-perfect-strangers-hulu-limited-series-1202975173/, url-status=live In August 2020,

and

were cast in starring roles. On October 22, 2020, Hal Cumpston joined the cast in a recurring role. On November 19, 2020,

was cast in a recurring role. Upon the second season renewal announcement, it was reported that Kidman is set to reprise her role with a new ensemble cast. On December 14, 2023,

Liv Ullmann Liv Johanne Ullmann (born 16 December 1938) is a Norwegian actress and filmmaker. Recognised as one of the greatest European actresses of all time, Ullmann is known as the muse and frequent collaborator of filmmaker Ingmar Bergman, whom she date ...

, Aras Aydın, and Lucas Englander were cast as series regulars for the second season.{{Cite magazine, url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/murray-bartlett-christine-baranski-annie-murphy-hulu-nine-perfect-strangers-season-2-1235838836/, title='Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 Adds Annie Murphy, Christine Baranski, Maisie Richardson-Sellers and Five Others, magazine=

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

, first=BreAnna, last=Bell, date=December 14, 2023, access-date=December 14, 2023 On March 21, 2024,

and

were reported to join the cast.{{cite news , url=https://deadline.com/2024/03/nine-perfect-strangers-brings-back-nicole-kidman-casts-henry-golding-mark-strong-lena-olin-season-2-1235864058/, title='Nine Perfect Strangers' Brings Back Nicole Kidman, Adds Henry Golding, Mark Strong & Lena Olin For Season 2 On Hulu, first=Lynette, last=Rice, date=March 21, 2024 , website=

, access-date=March 22, 2024, archive-date=March 21, 2024, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240321193927/https://deadline.com/2024/03/nine-perfect-strangers-brings-back-nicole-kidman-casts-henry-golding-mark-strong-lena-olin-season-2-1235864058/, url-status=live

Filming

On July 8, 2020, Evans revealed that filming would take place in Australia. All actors were required to quarantine for fourteen days in the city of arrival in Australia, due to regulations imposed by the Australian government in response to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. Furthermore, all actors were required to be tested during the quarantine before filming could begin.

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...

began on August 10, 2020, in

. On December 21, 2020, Kidman announced that filming had wrapped. Kidman met most of the other nine actors right when filming their first scene together, and stayed in character as Masha during production. Production on the second season took place over six months, from January to June 2024, following the conclusion of the

2023 WGA strike From May 2 to September 27, 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA)—representing 11,500 screenwriters—went on strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Lasting 148 days, the strike is ...

and

2023 SAG-AFTRA strike From July 14 to November 9, 2023, the American actors' union SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) went on strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Pro ...

. Kidman's availability was delayed until after January, as she was committed to a different work during that time. The second season was filmed in various locations, including the

, and Austria. On July 20, 2024, Golding confirmed that the second season filming had wrapped. He also said that Kidman occasionally kept the accent even when she was not filming.{{cite magazine, url=https://variety.com/2024/film/columns/henry-golding-simple-favor-2-nine-perfect-strangers-season-2-1236078606/, title=Henry Golding Says 'A Simple Favor 2' Is 'Much More Bananas,' Explains Cutting Off His Hair After 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 Wrap, magazine=

, first=Marc, last=Malkin, date=July 20, 2024, access-date=July 21, 2024, archive-date=July 20, 2024, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240720211950/https://variety.com/2024/film/columns/henry-golding-simple-favor-2-nine-perfect-strangers-season-2-1236078606/, url-status=live

Release

Hulu released a first-look trailer for the show during the

93rd Academy Awards The 93rd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released from January 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021, at Union Station in Los Angeles. The ceremony was held on April 25, 2021 ...

airing on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

on April 25, 2021. The series premiered on Hulu on August 18, 2021, with the first three episodes released at once, and a new episode released weekly thereafter.{{cite web, url=https://tvline.com/2021/05/18/murders-murders-in-the-building-hulu-premiere-date-nine-perfect-strangers/, title=Martin/Short/Gomez Murders Mystery, Nicole Kidman's ''Nine Perfect Strangers'' Get Teasers and Hulu Release Dates, website=

TVLine ''TVLine'' is a website devoted to information, news, and spoilers of television programs. It covers various topics including the latest news on television, reviews, latest releases, and more. History In late 2010, ''Entertainment Weekly''s ...

, last=Mitovich, first=Matt Webb, date=May 18, 2021, access-date=May 18, 2021, archive-date=July 23, 2021, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723095545/https://tvline.com/2021/05/18/murders-murders-in-the-building-hulu-premiere-date-nine-perfect-strangers/, url-status=live The finale was released on September 22, 2021. Outside of the United States and China, the series was released on

Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming television service owned by Amazon. The service primarily distributes films and television series produced or co-produced by ...

.{{cite web, url=https://deadline.com/2021/05/nine-perfect-strangers-amazon-nicole-kidman-melissa-mccarthy-hulu-series-1234758282/, title=''Nine Perfect Strangers'': Amazon Swoops For Global Rights to Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy Series, website=

, first=Jake, last=Kanter, date=May 17, 2021, access-date=May 17, 2021, archive-date=May 19, 2021, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519175302/https://deadline.com/2021/05/nine-perfect-strangers-amazon-nicole-kidman-melissa-mccarthy-hulu-series-1234758282/, url-status=live It was broadcast

free-to-air Free-to-air (FTA) services are television (TV) and radio services broadcast in unencrypted form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen to the content without requiring a subscri ...

in Australia on

SBS TV SBS TV (Seoul Broadcasting System Television) is a South Korean free-to-air television channel operated by Seoul Broadcasting System. The channel was launched on 9 December 1991. Unlike competing network MBC, SBS operates using a federalized ...

in October/November 2022 and in Greece on ERT in February 2024. The second season was released on May 21, 2025, with two new episodes, followed by a new episode on a weekly basis.{{cite web, last=Otterson, first=Joe, url=https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/nine-perfect-strangers-season-2-release-date-first-look-hulu-1236358921/, title='Nine Perfect Strangers' Sets Season 2 Release Date, Drops First-Look at Nicole Kidman's Return as Masha, website=

, date=April 3, 2025, access-date=April 3, 2025, archive-date=April 3, 2025, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250403175302/https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/nine-perfect-strangers-season-2-release-date-first-look-hulu-1236358921/, url-status=live

Reception

Critical response

{{Television critical response , rotten_tomatoes1 = 59% (111 reviews) , metacritic1 = 54 (35 reviews) , rotten_tomatoes2 = 46% (26 reviews) , metacritic2 = 50 (12 reviews) For the first season, the

review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...

website

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...

reports a 59% approval rating with an average rating of 6.1/10, based on 111 critic reviews. The critics consensus reads, "A meandering mystery may muddle its impact, but strong performances across the board from its eclectic ensemble mean ''Nine Perfect Strangers'' is never less than watchable."{{Cite Rotten Tomatoes, id=nine_perfect_strangers, title=Nine Perfect Strangers, type=tv, season=1, access-date=March 11, 2024, publisher_hide=y{{cbignore

Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...

, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 54 out of 100 based on 35 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.{{Cite Metacritic, id=nine-perfect-strangers, title=Nine Perfect Strangers, type=tv, season=1, access-date=March 11, 2024, publisher_hide=y{{cbignore Ben Travers of '' IndieWire'' called out that the series was a "disappointing limited series. There's nothing special here, and whatever juice was stirred into

's bestselling novel of the same name, that's been squeezed out of this languid, lost eight-episode drama". Alison Herman of '' The Ringer'' pointed out one of the biggest mistakes of the show was that it followed the

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...

's big hit ''

The White Lotus ''The White Lotus'' is an American Black comedy, black comedy drama Anthology series, anthology television series created by Mike White (filmmaker), Mike White for HBO that premiered on July 11, 2021. The series follows the exploits of the gues ...

'' "too soon" and was "overstuffed and undercooked". Alexis Nedd of ''

Mashable Mashable is a Online newspaper, news website, digital media platform and entertainment company founded by Pete Cashmore in 2005. History Mashable was founded by Pete Cashmore while living in Aberdeen, Scotland, in July 2004. Early iterations o ...

'' compared the show to "smoothies" and commented that "the individually good pieces are some wonderful performances, an interesting premise, and a visually stunning location. Someone just forgot to hit blend." Making a comparison to the previous hit show '' Big Little Lies'', which combined the same elements as

starred based on a best-selling novel from

and adapted by David E. Kelley, Rachel Cooke of ''

New Statesman ''The New Statesman'' (known from 1931 to 1964 as the ''New Statesman and Nation'') is a British political and cultural news magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first c ...

'' wrote "this time around, however, the glossy algorithm has failed to work. Kevin E G Perry of ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'' called out "the stellar cast's obvious chemistry helps elevate a script that grows increasingly melodramatic as each of their characters' secrets are brought to light."

David Bianculli David Bianculli (born 1953 or 1954)Wilk, Tom ''New Jersey Monthly'', (July 12, 2010) is an American TV critic, columnist, radio personality, non-fiction author and university professor. Bianculli has served as the television critic for NPR's ra ...

of ''

NPR National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...

'' praised the performance of leading lady

as "it's yet another deep and challenging role she's inhabited since opting to focus on TV miniseries as well as movies" even though it "is more of an ensemble than a solo turn." On Rotten Tomatoes, the second season holds an approval rating of 46% based on 26 critic reviews. The critics consensus states, "A less than savory return for the Psychedelics queen and her new posse of socialites places this second season of ''Nine Perfect Strangers'' into a definitive sophomore slump."{{Cite Rotten Tomatoes, id=nine_perfect_strangers, title=Nine Perfect Strangers, type=tv, season=2, access-date=June 12, 2025, publisher_hide=y{{cbignore On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 50 out of 100 based on 12 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.{{Cite Metacritic, id=nine-perfect-strangers, title=Nine Perfect Strangers, type=tv, season=2, access-date=May 23, 2025, publisher_hide=y{{cbignore

Audience viewership

On August 24, 2021, it was reported that the premiere was the most-watched Hulu original at the time.

Awards and nominations

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AACTA International Awards The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards, known as the AACTA Awards, are presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). The awards recognise excellence in the film and television industry, ...

, Best Drama Series , Nine Perfect Strangers , {{nom , align="center" rowspan="2", , - , Best Actress in a Series ,

, {{nom , - ,

Critics' Choice Television Awards The Critics' Choice Television Awards were accolades that were presented annually by the Critics Choice Association (CCA). They were established in 2011, and the first ceremony was held on June 20, 2011, and streamed live on VH1.com. The fou ...

, Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie ,

, {{nom , align="center", , - , rowspan="3",

Satellite Awards The Satellite Awards are annual awards given by the International Press Academy that are commonly noted in entertainment industry journals and blogs. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards. The award ceremonies take place ...

, Best Actress in a Drama / Genre Series ,

, {{nom , align="center" rowspan="3", {{Cite web , last=Blaricom , first=Mirjana Van , title=BELFAST, THE POWER OF THE DOG, Among Nominees for Top Honors at 26th Annual Satellite™ Awards {{! International Press Academy , url=https://www.pressacademy.com/news/belfast-the-power-of-the-dog-among-nominees-for-top-honors-at-26th-annual-satellite-awards/ , access-date=February 26, 2024 , archive-date=July 30, 2024, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730193927/https://www.pressacademy.com/news/belfast-the-power-of-the-dog-among-nominees-for-top-honors-at-26th-annual-satellite-awards/, url-status=live , - , Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television ,

, {{nom , - , Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television ,

, {{nom , - , NAACP Awards , NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a TV Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special ,

, {{win , {{citation needed, date=May 2025

References

{{Reflist

External links

* {{Hulu series * {{IMDb title {{Hulu {{David E. Kelley 2020s American drama television series 2020s American mystery television series 2021 American television series debuts American thriller television series Hulu original programming Television series about vacationing Television series by Made Up Stories Television series created by David E. Kelley Television series impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic Television shows based on Australian novels Television shows filmed in Australia Television shows filmed in Austria Television shows filmed in Germany Television shows filmed in Switzerland Television shows set in California Television shows set in Switzerland