‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Broke This Record Among Hulu’s Original Series
Nine Perfect Strangers arrived on Hulu in August with a top-tier cast and compelling perspective on grief, two things that garnered attention from the platform’s subscribers. That’s evident in the show’s strong beginnings, which reportedly set records among the streamer’s original series. With stars like Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy headlining the show, it’s probably no surprise Nine Perfect Strangers has taken off. What is shocking is that it surpassed well-loved series like The Handmaid’s Tale.
What is ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ about?
Based on Liane Moriarty’s best-selling novel of the same name, Nine Perfect Strangers follows a group of individuals attending a 10-day wellness retreat at a resort called Tranquillum House. The establishment is run by Masha (Nicole Kidman), a businesswoman who turned to spirituality and natural healing following her own near-death experience.
Masha promises to give her guests the same peace she’s found, though her methods for getting them there are questionable. As the show continues, it seems to ask how far the nine titular strangers are willing to go to escape their pain. Masha’s retreat embraces “suffering” in order to heal, and the characters seem on board with that. Whether they’ll walk away from their stay at Tranquillum better off is the big question.
‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ was the most-watched Hulu original on premiere day
Following its series premiere, which saw Hulu releasing the first three episodes of the show simultaneously, Nine Perfect Strangers became the most-watched original series on the platform during its premiere day. It held that title for the five days after as well.
Deadline reported the news, with the caveat that the streamer doesn’t release numbers for any of its content. Still, Hulu did reveal that Nine Perfect Strangers broke this record based on its tracking methods. In this case, the streamer counted individual viewers who watched either one episode or all three. Evidently, plenty of subscribers tuned in to see what the show was all about.
That bodes well for the series’ overall success, which could push the platform to invest in sequels or spinoffs down the line. Although the book boasts a concrete ending, it wouldn’t be the first time an adaptation expanded due to its popularity. (Just look at HBO’s Big Little Lies.)
Which Hulu series previously held that title?
Prior to Nine Perfect Strangers breaking records, The Handmaid’s Tale held the title for the most-watched Hulu original. Specifically, The Handmaid’s Tale Season 4 finale reined in the most viewers on its release day — at least until Nine Perfect Strangers came along. That won’t come as a surprise given the show’s ongoing popularity. Fans are already eagerly awaiting The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5, which will probably arrive in 2022.
In the meantime, they can enjoy Nine Perfect Strangers, which is shaping up to become one of the streamer’s big hits. The first four episodes of the show are currently streaming on Hulu. The rest will drop weekly throughout August and September.
