The most exciting part of any whodunit is guessing who the killer is and being right—or when the mystery is so gripping, it doesn’t matter who the culprit is. But sometimes, a show delivers a lackluster twist that leaves us wondering how it all fits together. Netflix’s The Perfect Couple flirts with that line but still offers a fair share of intrigue, especially with the character Abby, played by Dakota Fanning.
Is Dakota the new go-to actress for Netflix’s mystery shows, much like Vanessa Hudgens is for their romantic comedies? Perhaps! Fanning embodies Abby, the wealthy sister-in-law who seems perfect on the outside but hides a hunger for power and money.
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Who Is Abby, and What Are Her Motivations?
Abby didn’t come from a poor family, but she wasn’t as affluent as the Winburys. In a conversation with Nikki Henry while washing a glass, Abby reveals enough for Henry to suspect her as the killer. This small but pivotal moment captures Abby’s true motivations, rooted in her own background and ambitions.
During her interrogation, Abby discusses Merritt and mentions meeting her at a party, noticing Merritt’s date—a rich, older man only 5’6”. Abby’s observation tells us a lot because it shows she projects her motivations onto others. Abby can’t fathom why Merritt would date this man unless it was for money, highlighting Abby’s own gold-digging tendencies. Unlike Merritt, who isn’t described as particularly money-hungry, Abby seems to have married into the Winbury family solely for their wealth.
It’s clear Abby knew who Thomas was—a sleazy, cheating type—before she married him. But Abby is sharp and strategic, likely marrying him because she could control him. She gets to be the trophy wife, and Thomas gets to do whatever he pleases. It’s a marriage of convenience: Abby has her eye on the prize—control and wealth—and Thomas gets a compliant partner who won’t challenge his indiscretions.
Did Abby Know About Merritt’s Pregnancy?
While the show doesn’t spell out how Abby discovered Merritt’s pregnancy, it’s fair to assume she did. Abby is the type who always knows what’s happening around her. She seems aware of every little detail in the household—like the contents of gift boxes—without even opening them. Abby has a knack for picking up on expensive trends and knows who’s connected to whom.
Alternatively, Abby could have extracted this information directly from Merritt. Abby is good at playing people, making fake friends, and manipulating others. We see how she sweet-talks Amelia at Greer’s book launch, and it’s obvious Merritt liked Abby too. In one scene, Merritt gives Abby a small smile, suggesting a bond between them. So, it’s possible Merritt unknowingly let the news slip during a conversation.
Abby’s main motivation for staying in the Winbury household is the trust fund that opens up when the youngest child turns 18. Whether Thomas is cheating on her with his dad’s old friend or spouting nonsense, Abby doesn’t care as long as she has access to that money. Like Greer, she plans to “manage” everything with her newfound wealth.
Why Did Abby Kill Merritt?
Abby’s character might seem cold-hearted for a pregnant woman with a cheating husband, but her motivations make more sense when we dig deeper. She could have found other ways to deal with Merritt, like convincing her to have an abortion, giving her a miscarriage-inducing pill, or making her realize Tag would never leave his wife for her. Abby knows how to manipulate situations; she has already proven her skills at crushing pills into drinks.
Instead, the show presents Abby as straightforward and brutal, drowning Merritt with a cold expression. This feels like an abrupt characterization shift, leaving viewers to question the logic. Abby is portrayed as a woman desperate to maintain her affluent lifestyle rather than a calculated murderer, which makes the twist feel forced.
The Fallout: Abby’s Downfall
It’s almost too easy to blame Abby, the ambitious woman, rather than the man whose actions set the entire drama in motion. It would have been more entertaining to see Abby frame her husband or another unsuspecting character for the crime, creating an even more twisted ending. Instead, she goes to prison, heavily pregnant, dreaming of the life she almost had.
Abby’s motivations make her one of the most compelling characters in The Perfect Couple. Her sharp wit, ambition, and determination to climb the social ladder make her more than just a typical antagonist. She’s a nuanced, flawed character navigating a world where power and money are everything.
If only Abby’s ending had matched the complexity of her character, viewers might have felt a more satisfying conclusion. As it stands, Abby’s story leaves us questioning the fairness of her fate, but perhaps that’s the point—some characters, like Abby, never get the endings they deserve.
