We’re only eight days into 2026, but Netflix has nevertheless managed to serve up a strong contender for one of the most irksome series of the year. Despite being anchored by a couple of knockout actors, His & Hers transforms a promising setting and decent source material (Alice Feeney’s 2020 novel of the same name) into a melodramatic thriller that begs audiences to fling logic out of window as it progresses. Developed by William Oldroyd (Lady Macbeth) and showrun by ER‘s Dee Johnson, this twisty limited series struggles to deliver over six approximately 45-minute episodes. It’s pulled in too many directions in a way that the show, and its protagonists, cannot sustain. By the end, His & Hers is nothing but a massive letdown, especially considering all of the talent involved.
The series tries hard to follow in the footsteps of HBO hits like Sharp Objects and Mare Of Easttown. That is, it’s a slow-burning murder mystery that forces everyone to grapple with their trauma while a dangerous predator threatens the community. The action takes place in a small town, but the show fails to make Dahlonega, Georgia, appear lived-in. The absence of any atmosphere fails to ground these characters, which makes everything come off as generic instead of intentional. It doesn’t help that the more the case drags on, the twists get far-fetched and exasperating. Plus, those in the impressive ensemble (particularly Poppy Liu, Chris Bauer, and Pablo Schrieber) are underused. Feeney’s book drummed up a bit of nuance and style. This adaptation boasts neither. Not even Jon Bernthal and Tessa Thompson can salvage the ridiculous plot holes, of which there are plenty.
A big problem here isthat the two leads don’t function like real people. The way they behave and act is a little too askew considering their circumstances. And it’s not because they’re flawed individuals who make questionable choices. In fact, any interesting, complex parts of their personalities are insufficiently explored, which makes their arcs feel incomplete. The narrative inconsistencies render them flimsy and unserious, which starkly contrasts the show’s dark themes. His & Hers desperately wants to comment on social issues like the lasting impact of bullying, sexual assault, peer pressure, and class differences through the lens of Anna (Thompson), whose teen years in Dahlonega were marred by horrifying social tensions. Now a top news anchor in Atlanta, she’s drawn back to her hometown when a former classmate’s body is found in the woods. Anna uses her familiarity with the victim and the other residents to try to climb up the work ladder. Naturally, she has personal reasons to cover the crime, including the fact that the investigating detective is her estranged husband.
Jack (Bernthal) and Anna aren’t exactly on good terms because they’re still grieving the loss of their young child a year ago. This caused Anna to flee from her loved ones and Jack to throw himself into a few flings. The couple reunites to figure out why multiple women are being grotesquely killed—all of whom have ties to Anna’s upbringing and Jack’s current life in one way or another. Are either of them suspects because of the lies they’re telling? This question plagues them as they team up to find the killer and navigate scrutiny from Anna’s ill mother Alice (Crystal Fox), her professional rival Lexy (Rebecca Rittenhouse), Jack’s sister Zoe (Marin Ireland), and his colleague Priya (Sunita Mani), who is wisely suspicious of his behavior. Don’t expect more from the supporting players, since each one is burdened with only one defining trait.
His & Hers layers its story with juicy details like affairs, secret identities, and a thirst for vengeance. So it’s upsetting that it falls flat despite the histrionics, like Bernthal’s excessive yelling (which worked great on The Walking Dead and The Bear) or significant confrontational moments that feel borderline sensational instead of hard-hitting. Similarly the book, the show treats certain characters quite offensively and bafflingly doesn’t dig into huge parts of the backstory that explain why these crimes occurred in the first place. Unsatisfying and improbable, the series prioritizes shock value over substantial world-building and character development. Thompson brings gravitas to this mess, particularly whenever Anna lets her emotions out. Unfortunately for the Hedda star, her turn is overshadowed by an uneven tale and a truly vexing climax.
Saloni Gajjar is The A.V. Club’s TV critic. His & Hers premieres January 8 on Netflix.
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