Imperfect Women sets the foundation early on as to what to expect from Apple TV's latest murder mystery. The setup does a good job in preparing the audience to get to know Eleanor (Kerry Washington) and Mary (Elizabeth Moss), the two main characters, and how they respond to the murder of their best friend, Nancy (Kate Mara).
In terms of understanding their friendship and the undertones that things may not be as great as they initially appear, Imperfect Women has that covered. No one will be waiting long periods of time to discover that something was, in fact, amiss in this trio. Fairly early on, it is revealed that Nancy had confided in Eleanor and Mary separately. Nancy's confiding in Eleanor about her affair with David helps kickstart the main mystery while giving more insight into Mary's character, or how Nancy views Mary.
Meanwhile, Mary reveals that Nancy allegedly confided in her about viewing Eleanor and Nancy's husband, Robert, as having a strong connection of their own, which also prepares the audience for more cracks in this otherwise seemingly perfectly normal friendship.
Nancy's death, however, kicks off the main story, mostly shown through Eleanor's perspective. The time jump between Eleanor, Mary, and Nancy leaving dinner and the reveal that Nancy had been found dead leaves most of the main characters unaccounted for, which begs the question of who, if any of them, had been responsible for killing Nancy.
By the end of the second episode, Eleanor is viewed as the biggest suspect with the strongest motive, that is, if the viewer believes that Eleanor's desire to be with Robert was stronger than her love for Nancy. If not, it is a bit easier to shift focus onto other suspects, such as Robert, who has a streak of vicious anger. Of course, while Imperfect Women does the work to make sure its lead characters, Eleanor and Mary, are well defined, this show still falls victim to many well-known tropes.
The plot itself is not the most original, which is perfectly fine if originality is not what you are looking for. It is nearly impossible to find a show or movie that does not have a similar, if not identical, plot line anyway, so Imperfect Women not being the most standalone series out there is not its biggest crime. For mystery lovers, it may be easier to view Imperfect Women as a new version of Big Little Lies, as it is another female-centric series where everyone's "perfect" lives are not as perfect as they may seem. Otherwise, audiences could also view Imperfect Women as a more mature iteration of the young adult phenomenon Pretty Little Liars, which also featured a female-led cast of characters trying to unravel the many secrets left behind by their longtime friend.
Imperfect Women falls into many familiar tropes, but it will depend on the rest of the series to determine if this show can make those choices its own or if they fall into the territory of being forgettable. Eleanor having feelings for her best friend's husband makes her an easy target for a red herring motive. The suggestion that Robert may have known that Nancy was having an affair but never said anything prepares him to become the next leading suspect in any viewer's investigation when watching the series. Of course, neither of these is necessarily the most shocking turn of events. Still, it is the character work that helps this show move forward, even if it does not let it stand out.
Murder mysteries are a popular breed, and it is easy to list shows that have revealed a murder victim with a list of suspects with various motives as time unravels what seems to be more and more people with their own reason to kill the deceased. In the case of Imperfect Women, it is Eleanor, Mary, and Nancy's relationship that sets the stage for what will help this series sink or swim. The first two episodes have already told most of the story through Eleanor's eyes, but there is far more to see from Mary and Nancy's perspectives as well. What was really going on in their lives that led to Nancy's death? Who knows something they have not revealed yet?
Imperfect Women may not be the most original series, but it does not have to be. Instead, this series is more interesting viewed from the perspective of wondering what it wants to be and what it can turn into. The premiere episodes barely do anything other than prepare for what is to come, but that is enough when there is so much character work being done.
The first two episodes alone suggest more than enough complicated relationships and hidden secrets to carry the show throughout the remainder of its first season. The bigger question may be whether Imperfect Women can carry the intrigue they have created to the finish line of the season or if the final reveal cannot live up to whatever expectations are set for it as season 1 continues.