Schmaltz and melodrama are atop the itinerary for Peacock's The Five Star Weekend

Never underestimate the paradigm-shifting power of a girls’ trip. That’s the gist of Peacock’s saccharine, infrequently potent The Five Star Weekend, adapted from the novel of the same name by Elin Hilderbrand. Like most of the author’s beach reads, this one takes place on sandy Nantucket, an idyllic backdrop for the journey of self-discovery undertaken by recently widowed Boston food blogger/influencer Hollis Shaw (an aptly cast Jennifer Garner). Hollis, who grew up on the island, invites four friends to her childhood home for a perfectly curated getaway—or “a sleepaway camp for grown-ups,” as one of her pals puts it, considering the itinerary includes a pizza and pajama party, spa time, and color-coordinated outfits. What could go wrong? Everything, as it turns out. And that’s without a dead body washing ashore (à la Hilderbrand’s The Perfect Couple). 

The Five Star Weekend is instead more in line with The Four Seasons in its understanding that low-stakes, everyday life is traumatic enough all on its own. Series creator Bekah Brunstetter presents the (wealthy, well-dressed) women’s midlife crises in a cozy setting to make their circumstances more digestible. The writing—cloying as it gets—manages to imbue each woman with a multi-faceted personality; it’s to the show’s detriment that we don’t get to see much of what’s beneath those facets, though. Still, when stories get clunky or far-fetched, the ensemble’s camaraderie and earnest performances elevate the material to make The Five Star Weekend an appetizing enough binge. 

The show quickly immerses us in Hollis’ beautiful world, one that set designer Barbara Cassel plucks straight out of the films of Nancy Meyers. Of course, Hollis owns a beach bungalow with sparkling countertops, airy rooms, and a backyard gazebo overlooking the ocean. Who wouldn’t seek reprieve in this version of Nantucket? The pleasant surroundings help Hollis forget that she and Matthew (Josh Hamilton) had marital issues long before his fatal car crash. In his absence, her picture-perfect life and career continue to shatter. As does the relationship with her daughter, Caroline (Harlow Jane), who is flunking out of med school and shows up on the island only to accidentally intrude on her mother’s seaside retreat. 

Hollis, seeking a fresh start and wanting to reconnect with parts of herself that were long since buried, brings together friends she made during different phases of her life: high school bestie Tatum (Chloë Sevigny); former college roommate Dru-Ann (Regina Hall); fellow mom Brooke (Darcy C’Arden); and Instagram follower-turned-confidant Gigi (Gemma Chan). It’s a fun, if not bold, idea, because the other women don’t really know each other—or even get along well at first. The only common thread is their concern for a grieving Hollis, who insists on putting up a cheery façade of “I’m fine!” Still, it’s a great way for all of them to realize how much they’ve evolved, for better and worse.