You know that feeling when you look at your sibling and wonder how you both came from the same house? That’s basically the fuel for The Better Sister Jessica Biel. It’s messy. Honestly, it’s a bit of a wreck, but in that "I can’t look away from the screen" kind of way.
When Prime Video dropped all eight episodes on May 29, 2025, people went nuts. It wasn't just another murder mystery. It was a face-off. We’re talking about Jessica Biel as Chloe and Elizabeth Banks as Nicky. Two powerhouse actors playing sisters who, frankly, have every reason to hate each other.
The premise is a total gut-punch. Chloe is this polished, high-profile magazine editor living a "perfect" Manhattan life. Nicky is her estranged, struggling sister. The kicker? Chloe is married to Adam (Corey Stoll), who just happens to be Nicky’s ex-husband. Oh, and Chloe is raising Nicky’s biological son, Ethan.
Talk about an awkward Thanksgiving dinner.
The Better Sister Jessica Biel: What Most People Get Wrong
People keep asking: "Who is actually the better sister?"
If you’ve watched the show—or read the Alafair Burke book it’s based on—you know that title is a massive trap. On the surface, Chloe is the "better" one. She has the career, the Hamptons house, and the stable home. Nicky is the "mess." She’s dealt with addiction and trauma that Chloe seemingly escaped.
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But as the show unfolds, that dynamic flips.
Biel plays Chloe with this stiff, almost robotic control. She’s the kind of person who whispers affirmations to herself while her life is literally bleeding out on the floor. After Adam is murdered in their Hamptons home, that control doesn't just slip; it evaporates.
The series is essentially a study in unreliable narration. You think you’re watching a show about a woman trying to find her husband's killer. In reality, you’re watching two women reckon with the fact that the man they both loved was a manipulative jerk who pitted them against each other for years.
Why the Ending Changed Everything (Spoilers Ahead)
Let’s be real: the book and the show are two different animals.
In the novel, the mystery of Adam’s death is front and center. The show? It’s all about the sisters. The series creators, including Olivia Milch, leaned hard into the psychological warfare.
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One of the biggest shifts was the character of Detective Nancy Guidry, played by Kim Dickens. In the book, the detective is a bit of a background player. In the show, she’s a force. She’s the one who eventually figures out the truth: Nicky killed Adam.
But here’s the twist that has everyone talking at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards (where Biel just showed up in that insane sheer Lanvin gown, by the way). Chloe knows. She knows Nicky did it, and she helps cover it up.
It’s not about justice. It’s about survival.
The "better sister" isn't the one who followed the rules. It’s the one who finally broke them to protect what was left of her family. By the finale, Chloe and Nicky aren't enemies anymore. They are co-conspirators.
Breaking Down the Cast Dynamics
The chemistry here is what makes the show work. If the acting were bad, this would just be a soapy Lifetime movie.
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- Jessica Biel (Chloe): She’s perfected the "contained woman on the edge" vibe. It’s a natural progression from her work in The Sinner and Candy.
- Elizabeth Banks (Nicky): She brings a raw, vibrating energy. You can see the years of trauma in how she moves.
- Maxwell Acee Donovan (Ethan): The breakout. Playing a teen suspect who is also caught between two mothers is a lot, and he nails the "guarded but vulnerable" thing.
- Corey Stoll (Adam): He’s great at playing men you want to like but eventually realize are toxic.
The 7th Heaven Factor
It’s funny to see Biel back in a "sister" role, given the news that broke today, January 13, 2026. Word is she’s producing a 7th Heaven reboot through her company, Iron Ocean Productions.
She’s come a long way from Mary Camden.
Producing The Better Sister clearly gave her a taste for darker, more complex family stories. If the 7th Heaven reboot is even half as gritty as this series, we’re in for a very different version of the Camdens.
What You Should Do Next
If you haven't binged it yet, go to Prime Video. Watch it for the performances, stay for the Hamptons scenery, and pay attention to the small details—like the knife Chloe picks up.
Actionable Steps for Fans:
- Read the Alafair Burke book. It’s a different experience. The book focuses way more on the FBI investigation into Adam’s law firm (the Gentry Group) which the show brushes over.
- Watch for the "Bunny" metaphor. There are some early hints about Chloe's capacity for violence that pay off in the finale.
- Check out "Candy" on Hulu. If you liked Biel’s performance here, her portrayal of Candy Montgomery is the perfect companion piece.
The show proves that "better" is just a label people use to keep us in our places. Sometimes, being the "worse" sister is the only way to actually get free.
Get started by comparing the show's finale with the book's ending to see which version of Chloe you prefer.