Liane Moriarty has this specific way of making you feel absolutely terrified of wealthy people in yoga pants. Honestly, it’s a talent. After the massive success of Big Little Lies, everyone was looking for that next hit of prestige drama mixed with high-end architectural porn and deep-seated trauma. Then came the adaptation of her 2018 novel. If you're looking for nine perfect strangers where to watch, you’re likely trying to figure out if you need a specific subscription or if you can just buy the madness outright.
The show is a fever dream. Imagine Nicole Kidman with a Russian accent that sounds like velvet and broken glass, presiding over a group of broken people at a remote wellness retreat called Tranquillum House. It’s beautiful. It’s unsettling. It’s occasionally very weird.
The Streaming Reality: Nine Perfect Strangers Where to Watch Right Now
Finding the show depends entirely on where you’re standing on the globe. In the United States, this is a Hulu Original. That means if you’re in the states, Hulu is your primary home for all eight episodes of the first season. It’s tucked right there next to The Handmaid’s Tale and The Bear.
If you aren't in the US, things get a bit more "international licensing" flavored. For viewers in the UK, Australia, Canada, and most of Europe, Amazon Prime Video holds the keys to the kingdom. It’s one of those weird platform splits that happens with David E. Kelley productions. You’d think it would be uniform, but nope.
- USA: Hulu (Subscription required)
- UK/International: Amazon Prime Video
- Purchase options: You can also grab it on Apple TV, Vudu, or Amazon if you prefer owning it over renting the digital space.
It’s worth noting that if you’re a physical media purist, there is a DVD/Blu-ray release, but who has a player hooked up these days? Well, some people do. And honestly, the cinematography of those green Australian hills (doubling for California) deserves the highest bitrate possible.
Why People Are Still Obsessed With Tranquillum House
It’s the cast. Let’s be real. You don’t get Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon, and Regina Hall in the same room without some serious gravity.
Melissa McCarthy plays Francis, a struggling novelist. She’s the heart of the show. While Kidman's Masha is floating around being ethereal and vaguely threatening, McCarthy brings this grounded, painful humor that keeps the show from drifting off into the clouds. Michael Shannon, playing a father grieving a massive loss, delivers a performance that will actually make you ache.
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The premise is simple: nine strangers go to a 10-day retreat. They want to be "transformed." Masha, the director, promises they will be "born again," which, in the world of TV thrillers, is usually a massive red flag.
The Masha Factor
Masha is a survivor. She was a high-flying corporate executive who literally died and came back to life. Now, she runs Tranquillum with a cult-like devotion to "healing," even if that healing involves micro-dosing her guests with psilocybin without their explicit, ongoing consent in the way most medical boards would prefer. It’s a critique of the wellness industry. It’s also a thriller.
The Controversy of the Adaptation
Hardcore fans of the book often have... feelings.
The show takes liberties. Massive ones. David E. Kelley, the showrunner, knows how to write "mommy-noir" better than anyone, but he shifted the tone from the book's slightly more satirical edge to something more psychedelic and hallucinogenic. Some people hated the shift. Others felt the show gave the characters more breathing room.
In the book, the ending is a bit more grounded. In the series, things go off the rails in a way that involves a literal padded room and a fake fire. It’s divisive. But that’s what makes it good television, right? You want something to talk about at the virtual water cooler.
What About Season 2?
This is where it gets interesting. Nine Perfect Strangers was marketed as a limited series. A one-and-done. But because the ratings were astronomical for Hulu, they did what TV executives always do: they ordered more.
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Season 2 is officially in the works. Nicole Kidman is returning as Masha. The setting is moving from the woods of California (Australia) to the Swiss Alps. Henry Golding and Mark Strong have joined the cast. This turns the show from a book adaptation into an anthology of sorts, centered around Masha’s unconventional—and highly illegal—therapy methods.
Navigating the Themes: Is It Just a Thriller?
Not really. Underneath the "ooh, what's in the smoothies" mystery, it’s a show about grief.
Every person there is running from something.
- The Marconi family is dealing with suicide.
- Francis is dealing with a scammer who broke her heart and her career.
- Tony (Bobby Cannavale) is dealing with drug addiction and a faded sports legacy.
The show asks if you can actually skip the hard work of therapy with a chemical shortcut. The answer is usually "no," but watching them try is fascinating. It’s messy. Life is messy.
How to Get the Best Viewing Experience
If you're settling in to watch, do yourself a favor: don't look at your phone. The show relies on these tiny, flickering facial expressions. Michael Shannon can tell an entire story just by the way his lip quivers.
- Check your brightness: The show has a lot of "dark night" scenes that look like mud on a cheap screen.
- Audio matters: The sound design is very intentional—lots of whispering and nature sounds meant to put you in a trance.
- Binge or slow-burn? It was released weekly, but it honestly plays better as a two-night binge. The tension builds better when you don't have to wait seven days to see if someone actually dies in the sensory deprivation tank.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you've finished the show and are waiting for Season 2, or if you're just starting your journey into Masha’s world, here is how to dive deeper:
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Read the Book First (or Last)
Liane Moriarty’s prose is very different from the show’s vibe. If you want more internal monologue and a clearer understanding of the characters' backstories—especially Ben and Jessica, who get a bit sidelined in the show—the novel is a must-read.
Explore the "Wellness-Noir" Genre
If the "creepy retreat" vibe hit the spot, you should immediately queue up The White Lotus on HBO or The Menu on Max. They share that same DNA of "rich people in beautiful places having a terrible time."
Track Season 2 Updates
Since the production moved to the Swiss Alps, keep an eye on Hulu’s press releases for a firm 2025/2026 release date. The cast list is already ballooning with talent, suggesting it’s going to be even more ambitious than the first.
Check Your Subscriptions
Before you pay for a new service, check if your mobile carrier or credit card offers Hulu or Amazon Prime as a perk. Many "unlimited" data plans include these, so you might be able to find nine perfect strangers where to watch without spending an extra dime.
The series remains a standout piece of streaming history because it doesn't try to be "realistic." It tries to be emotional. It succeeds. Whether you're there for the mystery or just to see Nicole Kidman look regal in a linen robe, it's a journey worth taking.