The Perfect Family – The episode opens one year earlier, with a party in full swing at the Winbury’s Nantucket estate. Tag Winbury (Liev Schreiber) is sitting alone when Merritt Monaco (Meghann Fahy) deep conversation with someone on the phone walks away to get seclusion. She refuses to continue what they are doing and agrees to pay for something before ending the call. Seeing Tag, she apologizes and claims it was her stepdad on the phone. After they are introduced, he holds a joint out to her. She takes it and sits down beside him. Amelia Sacks (Eve Hewson) watches them from a short distance away. Within minutes, Merritt makes her way back to the party. In the present, Nantucket Police Chief Dan Carter (Michael Beach) questions Amelia about Merritt’s pregnancy. She insists Tag is the father of Merritt’s unborn baby. He reminds her that she just found out about Merritt and Tag’s affair. She says Merritt didn’t make it a habit to sleep around and suggests she loved Tag. A short time later, Amelia is on her way back to the Winbury’s. Tag looks up from searching his desk to see her looking at him. Benji Winbury (Billy Howle) asks her where she has been. She says out for a walk. Tag shuts his office door and continues to search his desk.

Amelia leaves Benji in bed and goes to Tag’s study. She tries a drawer but it is locked. Upon leaving she encounters Greer Garrison Winbury (Nicole Kidman). After securing her robe, Amelia tells her that she was thirsty. Greer says isn’t there a carafe in her room. Amelia claims to have forgotten it. Greer asks if she was looking for something because she doesn’t like her sneaking around. She expresses her desire for Amelia to feel comfortable there but insists she never enters Tag’s office again. Amelia says it was a mistake. Greer thanks her.

Gosia (Irina Dubova) delivers green juice to Tag’s study. He asks about her follow-up care. She says it is almost complete. He recommends cannabis. She politely laughs at him. Greer and Roger Pelton (Tim Bagley) are discussing her impending book launch when Amelia approaches. Greer greets her with a friendly good morning. Benji offers her something to eat but she refuses. Greer sarcastically offers her juice if she is thirsty. Amelia thanks her. Roger asks Greer if she would consider delaying her book launch. She says yes but they have guests coming from London and New York. She reminds Tag of her People Magazine interview scheduled for later today and the family photo. Greer asks if anyone has seen Shooter Dival (Ishaan Khattar). Benji suggests he is still in bed. She asks if he would wake him. At the police station, Shooter is isolated in a room. Raising his voice, he asks for his attorney.

Seeing Dan’s cruiser in the driveway, an anxious Will Winbury (Sam Nivola) continues down the road. Chloe Carter (Mia Isaac) has her headphones on while sorting through her clothes. Will parks a short distance away and sneaks into the house through Chloe’s open bedroom window. She is shocked to see him. He asks if she said anything to Dan. She says no. He warns that it could turn serious. Hearing voices from Chloe’s room, Dan barges in and demands to know why Will is there. In a flashback, Chloe is working the rehearsal dinner at the Nantucket estate. Will invites her to go to his secret hideout. Later, they are at the hideout when they spot Merritt on her phone a short distance away. He gets up to leave while she enjoys her drink. Back in the present, Dan threatens to arrest Will if he finds him in Chloe’s room again. Dan asks about his injured hand. In a flashback, Chloe wakes up to find Will nursing his injured hand. She places her shirttail over the laceration. Back in the present, Will plays off his injury. Dan orders him to leave his house.

Abby Winbury (Dakota Fanning) describes Will as a “weirdo” who isolates himself in his room. At the Nantucket estate, Abby warns Amelia against prying into Merritt’s death because if something bad happened, he wouldn’t want to upset Greer. Amelia asks if Greer ever gave her a non-disclosure agreement to sign. Abby claims to have signed an NDA five years ago when Will’s tutor, Mae Pratt, suddenly disappeared. She says Mae and Benji were close before suggesting she went to Deerfield. She apologizes for what happened to Merritt. Amelia thanks her. Upon returning to her room, Amelia asks Benji why he never mentioned Mae Pratt. He tells her that Mae’s sudden departure was weird because she never said goodbye. She says Greer apparently asked everyone to sign NDAs. He urges her to let it go because NDAs are part of how they run things around there. He reminds her of Greer’s People Magazine interview before leaving.

People Magazine journalist, Bronwen Canals (Blair Baker) asks Greer and Tag if unconditional love is the secret behind their 29-year marriage. Greer says when one of them makes a mistake, the other is there to protect them. Tag expresses the importance of sex in their marriage. She recalls being obsessed with Agatha Christie. Rain forces the interview inside. While changing clothes, Greer asks Tag about his romantic drivel during the interview. He suggests there is nothing he could say would please her. She scolds him for comparing her to a horse. He claims she is all he ever wanted which he describes as an incurable sickness. He asks if she ever just wants to walk away from it and go somewhere beautiful the two of them. She says guilt isn’t transferrable and slaps him across the face. He roughly pulls her toward him and kisses her. When the kiss ends, he professes to love her. Upon leaving, Greer sees Amelia isn’t dressed for the family photo. Amelia admits to having no interest in the family photo. Greer insists she does it for Benji who deserves to be loved. Amelia agrees with her. Greer says she doesn’t act like someone in love. Amelia says her view of love is different than how Tag loves her. Greer politely asks her to change into something more presentable for the family photo.

While going through Merritt’s phone records, Dan discovers several weeks of incoming missed calls. Detective Nikki Henry (Donna Lynne Champlin) says Shooter Dival’s attorney wants Shooter released because there is no evidence to hold him. They listen to a voicemail from Benji expressing concern about Amelia finding out and pleads with her to not say anything until after tomorrow. At the Nantucket estate, Amelia discovers several photos of Amelia in Benji’s sketchbook. Benji calls her name. She puts the sketchbook and photos back in the drawer and joins the others for the family photo. Greer suggests Karen Sacks (Dendrie Taylor), Bruce Sacks (Michael McGrady), and Isabel Nallet (Isabelle Adjani) join the photo. At the police station, Abby tells Nikki and Nantucket Deputy Carl (Nick Searcy) that Shooter and Greer are close. Gosia claims Shooter was like a son to Greer but viewed their relationship as inappropriate. Nikki orders Shooter to stay on the island until they give him permission to leave. Dan believes Shooter is not telling them something.

Dan is cooking when Nikki arrives. She says Isabel claims the Winbury money is tied up in a trust and the Winburys are living on the proceeds from Greer’s novels. Greer doesn’t want her sons to turn out like Tag but Thomas Winbury (Jack Reynor) is just like him. Will and Tag don’t get along. When Chloe arrives home, Dan introduces her to Nikki. Chloe greets her before going to her room. Nikki likes her. At the Nantucket estate, Shooter informs the others of his visit to the police station. Whispering, he assures Greer that he never mentioned the money. Over dinner, they talk randomly. Amelia asks Greer why people were asked to sign NDAs when Mae disappeared. Greer tells Benji to ask Amelia to stop talking. Thomas accuses Tag of having an affair with Mae. Tag calls him an insecure prick. Greer assures Will that it is a lie. Thomas claims Mae tried to take her own life when Tag called off their affair and Greer and Tag settled out of court. Irate, Will curses them and leaves. Benji grabs the Chablis to keep Thomas from getting it. Greer orders Tag to go check on Will. Thomas drinks from a flask. Greer eventually leaves the table. Benji denies knowing about Tag and Mae’s affair.

Dan and Nikki watch the rehearsal dinner. Will and Merritt can be seen in a heated discussion. She says according to Will’s social media activity, he thinks Merritt is hot. Merritt’s pregnancy is confirmed, Will’s prints were detected on the oyster shucking knife, and the blood found in the sand belongs to Will and Merritt. Dan enters Chloe’s bedroom to find it empty and the window open. At the Nantucket estate, Will is missing. Tag assures her that he is okay. She vows to never forgive him if something happens to Will. Chloe finds Will preparing to launch Tag’s sailboat as a storm brews in the distance. Irate, he tells her about Tag and Mae’s affair. He assumed she left because he gave her a paper heart. When Will insists on taking the boat out, Chloe goes with him. Amelia is watching Merritt’s video when Benji enters and tells her that Will is missing. While looking for Will, Amelia discovers Will’s hideout and Merritt’s bracelet inside. She turns the bracelet into Nikki and claims Will was hiding it. The episode ends.

 

The Perfect Couple Review

Another episode with little story progression. The series is one big web of deceit that continues to expand. The writers string the audience along, offering nothing that they already didn’t know. With the finale just around the corner, a worthy revelation is the only thing that could possibly save the series. It’s doubtful there will be a payoff in the end. The episode deserves a 4.8 out of 10.

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