TV Review: ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2

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Nicole Kidman in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.

‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2 receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.

Released on Hulu on May 21st with the first two episodes followed by one weekly, the second season of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ re-introduces us to enigmatic and experimental wellness “expert” Masha Dmitrichenko (Nicole Kidman), who is still finding ways to have her clients deal with their issues –– usually through the liberal application of pharmaceuticals.

The cast this time also includes Henry Golding, Lena Olin, Annie Murphy, Christine Baranski and Murray Bartlett.

Initial Thoughts

Henry Golding in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.

Given the chaos that enveloped the first season’s batch of clients, who showed up at a Californian retreat to be greeted by the mysterious Masha (Kidman), you might struggle to believe that anyone would want to subject themselves to her ministrations.

Yet without that suspension of disbelief (and honestly in the word of the wealthy and emotionally desperate, there is plenty of that), Season 2 of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ really wouldn’t exist.

It has a dramatic kin in ‘The White Lotus’ –– sharing the idea of privileged types going through experiences and (sometimes) processing trauma –– and like Mike White’s show for HBO, does rather run the risk of repeating itself.

Script and Direction

Dolly De Leon in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.

While Season 1 was mostly based on Liane Moriarty’s source novel, here show bosses David E. Kelley and John-Henry Butterworth branch off on their own storyline, with a similar concept but a brand new setting.

Here, the castle-like mansion of Zauberwald, nestled in breathtaking Alpine scenery is the location for the new retreat that Masha has been curating thanks to her old friend Helena (Olin).

While the frosty locale feels like an even more fitting background for Kidman’s chilly manipulator, the scripts can’t completely get away from the feeling that we’re treading similar ground. True, the issues are slightly different –– while Season 1 had a family mired in grief over the death of a teen, here there two different dysfunctional parent/grown child dynamics, along with a collection of other troubled souls –– but you really know a lot more what to expect this time, and the surprise is not there.

(L to R) King Princess and Maisie Richardson-Sellers in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.

It won’t surprise you to learn (though we won’t specify how) that none of the guests are there by accident, but while the trippy sequences still work to some degree, with the highlights including Murray Bartlett’s disgraced children’s TV host talking with sentient versions of his own puppets and a standout sequence exploring the tortured history of Annie Murphy’s Imogen and mother Victoria, played by Christine Baranski, there’s less of a frisson this time.

Jonathan Levine, who was an executive producer and directed all of Season 1, returns for the lion’s share of the episodes, with Anthony Byrne also handling some. The Alpine setting does provide some visual interest, and the stark, strange castle retreat makes for a fun location. The visual language of the drug trips has also expanded in entertaining ways this season.

Cast and Performances

(Lto R) Maisie Richardson-Sellers and Murray Bartlett in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.

As with the first season, one of the strongest elements of the new run lies in the casting. Once you get over the idea of anyone willingly putting themselves in Masha’s hands, you can revel in several solid acting turns.

Murray Bartlett is prime among them. Having been on the other side of the retreat coin as the nervy, stressed Armond in ‘The White Lotus’ first season, here he’s still giving excellent energy as Brian, who was effectively cancelled after raging at his staff on camera. Bartlett is so good with this type of character, bringing nuance and depth to him.

Christine Baranski is playing a familiar role as the booze-happy Victoria, but once again her sheer ability to bring something extra to what could be a basic role is a marvel to behold. She makes for a great parent/child pairing with Annie Murphy, who channels real frustration and entitlement as Imogen, her daughter.

Mark Strong in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.

In similar fashion, Mark Strong and Henry Golding make for a good pair as billionaire David and troubled son Peter, whose relationship has been fractured by David’s past infidelity to Peter’s mother. They play well off each other, even if their storyline sometimes feels like an off-the-shelf dilemma.

Dolly DeLeon, meanwhile, is another standard as questioning nun Sister Agnes, struggling over past decisions and questioning her faith in not just her Catholic religion.

And, of course, Kidman, who while she’s really just doing a variation on her standard icy power play, still finds sparks of humanity within Masha, especially when the show takes a further dip into her past.

Final Thoughts

(L to R) Annie Murphy and Aras Aydin in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.

The second season of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ cannot entirely escape the feeling of déjà vu despite some fresh twists and turns. Still, the heightened reality works for the most part and the cast bring committed, watchable performances that carry this over the line.

“Retreat from reality.”

TV-MA2 SeasonsAugust 18th, 2021

What’s the plot of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2?

Nicole Kidman returns as the enigmatic healing guru Masha in the second season, based on Liane Moriarty’s bestselling novel.

A new batch of wellness-seekers arrive at a mysterious Alpine resort of looking for transformative paths to betterment and happiness. During their stay, the guests partake in unconventional methods to reach their goals while Masha is forced to confront some past demons… Threatening to destroy both her own personal wellness, and that of her guests.