When Kerry Washington and Elisabeth Moss join forces, expectations inevitably soar. But with their new Apple TV+ limited series, Imperfect Women, the duo isn’t just sharing the screen—they’re steering the ship as executive producers, diving deep into the murky waters of friendship, betrayal, and the secrets that bind (and sometimes break) us. Premiering March 18, 2026, with its first two episodes, the series is already drawing comparisons to HBO Max’s Big Little Lies, thanks to its powerhouse ensemble cast and the tangled web of relationships at its core.
Based on Araminta Hall’s bestselling novel and adapted for television by Annie Weisman, Imperfect Women is set in Los Angeles and its sun-dappled environs. The story kicks off with a jolt: Eleanor, played by Washington, is summoned by police to identify the body of her best friend, Nancy (Kate Mara). Detective Bethany Ganz (Ana Ortiz) presses Eleanor for details about Nancy’s final hours, unraveling a narrative that flashes back to a birthday dinner just eleven hours prior—a celebration that should have been joyful but is instead riddled with tension. Nancy’s phone is buzzing incessantly, a sign of a secret affair gone awry. Eleanor urges her to end it, while Mary (Moss), the third member of the trio, remains blissfully in the dark.
Through eight tightly constructed episodes, the series explores not only the mystery of Nancy’s murder but also the shifting, sometimes uncomfortable, dynamics of a decades-long friendship. As Weisman, the series creator, explained to PauseRewind, “The exciting thing about the book was that it was these three complex, interesting female characters, and the book is told from their three distinct points of view. So we get to shift from who we think is the authority to we realize they're not at all the authority.” That narrative device—shifting perspectives—lets viewers see the same events through different emotional lenses, making the truth feel slippery and elusive.
For Elisabeth Moss, the journey to Imperfect Women began with a simple airport book purchase. “I bought the book in 2019… just fell in love with it,” Moss told theGrio. She was drawn not just to the story’s twists, but to the creative challenge of playing Mary, a role she described as “really different than what I was doing at the time.” Moss also wanted to assemble a cast she’d been dreaming about for years. “It wasn’t a matter of, is [Kerry] right — it was, ‘oh my God, is she available? Do you think she would say yes?’” she recalled. The feeling was mutual for Washington, who said, “I got this outreach from Lizzy Moss, which was a dream come true. I thought ‘I just hope the material is as good as I want it to be…because if she and I are gonna do something together, it has to be top notch.’” After reading the novel and seeing the creative vision, Washington signed on as both star and executive producer.
The dynamic between Washington and Moss behind the scenes mirrored the collaboration of their characters on screen. “We have very different processes as actors, but we are very similar producers,” Washington explained. “All hands on deck, really in the trenches… wanting to elevate the piece, wanting to make the most of every moment, every choice.” That commitment is evident in the show’s emotional complexity and refusal to offer easy answers. The series doesn’t just ask whodunit—it asks why, and whether love and loyalty can survive the collision of long-buried secrets. As Washington put it, “One thing they’ll argue about is what does the very end mean. Is it okay or isn’t it okay what she did?” Moss adds, “Which is the biggest betrayal? What is the biggest secret? The biggest lie?” Expect group chats everywhere to light up with debate.
The series also stars Joel Kinnaman as Nancy’s wealthy husband, Robert Hennessy; Corey Stoll as Mary’s underemployed professor husband, Howard; Leslie Odom Jr.; Audrey Zahn; Jill Wagner; Rome Flynn; Sheryl Lee Ralph; Violette Linnz; Indiana Elle; Jackson Kelly; Keith Carradine; Ana Ortiz; Wilson Bethel; and Sherri Saum. Director Lesli Linka Glatter, who orchestrates this ensemble, was effusive in her praise: “They all bring such strength and compassion and intelligence and thoughtfulness, and they are amazing to work with. I felt like I was in director heaven to work with this group of actors,” Glatter told PauseRewind.
Though the plot revolves around a murder, the heart of Imperfect Women is its exploration of the messy, often contradictory nature of female friendship. “You can't turn away, because there are all these family secrets and romantic secrets and friendship secrets, and everybody's trying to do their best, but making a lot of mistakes along the way,” Washington told PauseRewind’s Courtney Tezeno. Odom Jr. agreed, saying, “Well, I think the secrets are probably the most dangerous.” The show leans into the idea that everyone is hiding something, and the danger lies in what happens when those secrets surface.
In one of the show’s pivotal scenes, simmering tensions finally boil over, allowing the actors to dig into the emotional meat of the material. “To be able to dive into something really meaty… we could actually let go a little bit,” Moss said. The actresses admit they were just as entertained watching each other work as audiences will be. “As an actor, you’re all in it,” Washington said, laughing, “but as a producer, you’re like —this is so good.”
Set against the backdrop of Los Angeles, the series also examines the ways women are taught to hide their mistakes and pain, often to their own detriment. As Variety notes, “From girlhood, many women are taught to remain silent, to hide or deflect when they behave or have experiences outside the ‘norm.’ Worse, when harm is done to them, safe spaces are scarce, which allows shame to fester.” Imperfect Women suggests that liberation comes through radical honesty, especially among women who love and trust each other. The show’s shifting perspectives reveal that the humiliations and secrets the characters are desperate to hide aren’t unique—they’re part of a shared, often unspoken, experience.
With its blend of addictive mystery, emotional depth, and a formidable cast, Imperfect Women is poised to become the next binge-worthy obsession. The first two episodes are available now on Apple TV+, with new episodes dropping weekly on Wednesdays. For viewers, the question isn’t just who killed Nancy, but whether any friendship can survive the truth.