‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2: Nicole Kidman Is the Only Allure in This Empty Retreat of Wounded Elites

Alci Rengifo

Even if the source material of a hit series runs out, you must still have a sequel. Such are the rules in streaming and so we are getting a second season of Hulu’s “Nine Perfect Strangers.” The first season premiered in 2021 and was an adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s 2018 novel. The book was a self-contained affair that fit into a limited series written by David E. Kelley, who only pens one script here (though Kelley is still listed as creator). Its plot is a familiar one of these days where an ensemble of privileged characters comes together in some flashy getaway only to face their darker selves. Season two repeats the formula only less inspired.

The show’s greatest achievement is bringing back Nicole Kidman as Masha Dmitrichenko, who last season drugged the smoothies of the elite guests in her northern California resort. Now she is a celebrity after having written a book, “Nine Perfect Strangers.” Multiple federal investigations have only heightened her fame. While doing the expected round of public appearances, Masha is approached by Helena (Lena Olin), her former mentor, with an offer. Helena wants Masha to run a new retreat at Zauberwald, a resort in the Bavarian Alps. It’s a great way to escape the law. She arrives at the mountainous spot to greet the new guests. They are Brian (Murray Bartlett), a former host of a children’s show, Tina (King Princess), a depressed pianist and her girlfriend, Wolfie (Maisie Richardson-Sellers), Peter (Henry Golding) and his billionaire dad David (Mark Strong), Agnes (Dolly de Leon), a guilt-ridden former nun, Victoria (Christine Baranski) and younger lover Matteo (Aras Aydin), and finally, Victoria’s daughter, Imogen (Annie Murphy). Masha will use them to test out her new “psychedelic delivery system.”

In the wake of the success of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” there has been a rush to find any IP or concept that brings together rich people grappling with their demons. Ironically, the first season of “Nine Perfect Strangers” wasn’t an imitator but premiered just as the first outing of Mike White’s “White Lotus” was ending. Now that the formula has been played out, this season feels like something slapped together for its own sake. It tries to go darker because that’s what you’re supposed to do, right? Here darker can also mean slower. The show begins to slog by arranging all of its predictable pieces. Characters’ backstories do have some effort, like Agnes’ nun having wartime memories or Brian’s career falling apart after exploding on television and ruining his Mr. Rogers image. Other angles that could be intriguing, like Tina’s subtly toxic relationship with Wolfie, fall a bit flat because they feel as if they build towards nothing.

Other story elements feel recycled from other similar shows. There’s Martin (Lucas Englander), the bitter underling working for Masha, who at times gets more screen time than Kidman. There’s going to be sexual tension inevitably between two other guests and a soul-searching friendship between Brian and Agnes. We’re not surprised to learn billionaire David has a secret connection to Masha. In an attempt at refreshing the premise, Masha is also given a new device that she claims helps patients reconnect with potent but scarring memories. This could have led to some fun akin to “Black Mirror” yet feels anti-climactic. Maybe the rich can get boring after a while in the land of TV ensembles, if you write them without bolder brushstrokes. 

All the charisma in the season belongs to Nicole Kidman, who has mastered playing intelligent ice queens. She can remain alluring while the rest of the season languishes. Maybe what this concept needed was a prequel or origin story solely about Masha. If season two proves successful, we might just get it. Frank Lamm’s cinematography can be evocative with its snow-capped landscapes and shadowy corridors, creating an eerie ambiance. Good production values still need strong narratives and “Nine Perfect Strangers” gathers its party of efficient actors for a getaway that fades away all too easily before truly striking any nerves.

“Nine Perfect Strangers” season two begins streaming May 21 on Hulu.