By Erica Cortes
Hulu’s original series “Nine Perfect Strangers” is a must-watch intense drama.
This new series is about nine people going on a retreat to get help for the mental and traumatic experiences they all suffer from.
As the season progresses they receive more of each characters background is revealed through stories from all the guests.
Some guests like Frances Welty played by Emmy award winner Melissa McCarthy are dealing with losing a book deal and her self esteem due to a catfish scam.
Other guests like Zoe, Napoleon and Heather Marconi, played by Grace Van Patten, Michael Shannon and Asher Keddie, are there to heal themselves from trauma they have experienced.
This trauma comes from a fourth family member Zach, played by Hal Cumpston, committing suicide.
One guest is Tony Hogburn, played by Bobby Cannavale, who deals with drug abuse addiction due to having his football career end after an injury.
There are also married guests, Ben and Jessica Chandler played by Melvin Gregg and Samara Weaving. The couple is having marital issues and is hoping this facility helps them build back their relationship.
The last two guests are Lars Lee played by Luke Evans, who is a gay journalist whom is dealing with the breakup with his partner for choosing not give him a child.
Lastly is Carmel Schnider, played by Regina Hall, who is on the verge of a breakdown due to her husband leaving her for someone younger.
All guests deal with their traumas and insecurities in a health wellness center called “Tranquility House.” The center is run by Masha Dmitrichenko, played by Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman.
The guests have strict rules they need to follow, which include scheduled meals and required outdoor activities to help them build a better version of themselves.
What becomes apparent is that the wellness center is not as honest and open about their protocols to their guests and Kidman’s character has more of a dark past than she presents.
Kidman, gives a fantastic performance as Masha giving her the qualities of boarler line health guru and psychotic Russian.
The rest of the guests also do a fantastic job performing authentic vulnerability and raw emotion, bringing their characters to life.
The setting takes place on a countryside where there is a beautiful field and a forest with a lake in it to give the center a peaceful ambiance.
Although the setting is peaceful, there is an intensity throughout the series. The background of the show often gives viewers a chance to feel inner torment of the characters, whether they were experiencing flashbacks, being on psychedelics, or dealing with their mental pain.
This show is a must-see with caution that curve balls are a part of the story. As the show progresses so does the intensity leaving fans wanting more after every episode. It was a hard show to stop binge watching.
All eight episodes of “Nine Perfect Strangers” can be streamed on Hulu and are rated TV-MA.