Netflix’s His & Hers Is Too Grim to Be Fun, Too Silly to Take Seriously

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With so many suspenseful shows vying for our attention, what truly makes a series stand out isn’t big names or fast pacing—it’s the overall feeling it creates. Many shows have famous actors and are even based on popular books, but these elements aren’t enough. What really matters is a script and direction that carefully establishes a unique mood and guides us through every change in that mood. As streaming services try to produce more content with limited resources, it’s becoming increasingly common to see shows that lack this crucial atmospheric control.

I really wanted to like His & Hers on Netflix. It had a great setup – Tessa Thompson and Jon Bernthal as a divorced couple who both think the other might be a murderer! Plus, the director, William Oldroyd, did Lady Macbeth and Eileen, which were fantastic films, so I went in with high hopes. They even moved the story from the UK to Georgia, which is becoming a big spot for filming. It definitely reminded me of Mr. & Mrs. Smith – that fun, tense vibe. The show has all the ingredients: sex, violence, ambition, and a ton of mistrust, playing out over six episodes. But here’s the problem: the director couldn’t seem to decide if he wanted to make a dark comedy or a serious thriller. It tries to be both, but ends up feeling unsure of itself. It doesn’t quite land as a clever, self-aware show, and it doesn’t really dig deep into the really tough stuff it brings up either. It’s a shame, because the potential was definitely there.

The first episode is full of twists and turns, with reveals that are a bit much – consider this a spoiler warning! We first meet Anna Andrews (Thompson) as a stressed-out woman in messy clothes, drinking wine in a very untidy apartment. She quickly gets herself together and goes to the local TV station, only to find her old job has been given to another woman, Lexy Jones (Rebecca Rittenhouse). Meanwhile, an hour outside the city in Dahlonega, police detective Jack Harper (Bernthal) is called to a forest where a body has been discovered, alerted by his partner (Sunita Mani). The show immediately establishes Jack as a likable character – we first see him playing with a cute little girl (Ellie Rose Sawyer) while her mother, Zoe (Marin Ireland), recovers from a hangover. Anna’s push to cover the murder Jack is investigating is what ultimately connects their stories.

The characters aren’t exactly starting from scratch, but the show, His & Hers, takes a while to clearly explain their connections. We learn Anna and Jack spent months searching for her after she unexpectedly left him, and that Jack has a sister, Zoe. The show presents the death of their baby, which led to their marital problems, as a big surprise, even though this is a common storyline in dramas like this. These reveals actually create confusion and illogical scenes rather than building tension. What works better is the show’s careful development of Jack and Anna’s history with the murder victim, Rachel Hopkins.

The show frequently leans into over-the-top drama and surprising plot twists. It immediately establishes this tone with a shocking opening scene: a beautiful woman, Rachel, covered in blood and lying on the hood of a car. The finale mirrors this intensity. The competition between Anna and Lexy is delightfully catty, reminiscent of shows like The Morning Show. Anna quickly pursues Lexy’s husband, Richard, a frustrating character played by Pablo Schreiber, and immediately begins an affair with him. Sex is portrayed as a way to gain control, and even minor characters’ preferences are used for comedic effect. However, these elements don’t quite reach the level of excitement found in shows like The Hunting Wives, and I wasn’t genuinely surprised or thrilled by any of the plot developments, unlike my experience watching Sirens.

While Thompson delivers a compelling performance, reminiscent of her powerful work in last year’s Hedda but with a lighter touch, any enjoyment it provides is overshadowed by the show’s surprisingly bleak undertones. The character Anna’s mother, Alice (played by Crystal Fox), suffers from dementia and has been neglected during her daughter’s absence. Furthermore, the show relies on the harmful trope of using sexual assault to develop characters, and its use of this feels particularly insensitive given the current conversation around the issue. These elements ultimately undermine the intended playful, shocking twists, making them feel cruel and exploitative instead of entertaining.

While shows like BEEF brilliantly balance humor and emotional depth, many thrillers fail to even attempt that delicate mix. Recent examples like All Her Fault, Murdaugh, many series by Ryan Murphy, and the last season of You feel tonally disjointed. This often stems from financial pressures in the television industry, leading to shortcuts in the creative process. His & Hers is a prime example, sometimes delivering lines like “The killer could be with us in this very room” completely straight-faced, or having a reporter dramatically announce “You heard it here first.” A little more attention to script editing, character development, and creating a compelling mood could significantly improve these shows.

As a film and TV lover, I’ve been thinking about what makes shows work. Something like His & Hers, while perfectly watchable, just didn’t quite connect with me, and I think it boils down to a lack of empathy. When a show like BEEF or, more recently, Wayward, really lands a joke, it’s because we’re laughing with the characters, understanding where they’re coming from. It’s not about making fun of their struggles, or feeling detached from their emotions. The humor isn’t at their expense, and it certainly shouldn’t make us feel bad for caring about what happens to them.

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2026-01-08 11:06