By Mae Abdulbaki | TV | January 7, 2020 |
By Mae Abdulbaki | TV | January 7, 2020 |
Melissa McCarthy will be joining Nicole Kidman in Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers. The limited series is based on the book by Liane Moriarty, the same author that actually brought us Big Little Lies. Naturally, it involves rich women and an upscale location. The series follows nine strangers, as the title suggests, who converge in a spiffy health and wellness resort.
Per Deadline, McCarthy will play Francis, a romance novelist whose last manuscript was rejected by her publisher. The role is reminiscent of McCarthy’s turn as Lee Israel in Can You Ever Forgive Me?, except for the fact that Francis is actually fairly wealthy if she can afford an expensive health resort. Her previous romance novels must have sold really well.
In addition, Nine Perfect Strangers is being helmed by co-showrunners David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies fans will remember him) and John-Henry Butterworth. McCarthy will also executive produce the limited series. Meanwhile, Nicole Kidman is playing Masha, the resort’s director. Suffice it to say that none of the strangers in the resort know what’s really going on when they get there and they’re in for a surprise.
The series sounds right up my alley, but I can’t help but wonder why (yes, you can read that in Carrie Bradshaw’s voice) Hulu didn’t hire any women to serve as showrunners. While Big Little Lies proved incredibly successful, Season 2 veered off completely and, not only was the show lacking in the writing arena, but no one should forget what was done to director Andrea Arnold. So to bring on David E. Kelley is… too safe a choice and this kind of show needs a woman’s voice behind the scenes, but only time will tell how it all plays out.
Nine Perfect Strangers is set to premiere at some point in 2021 on Hulu.