REVIEW: 'His & Hers' Offers a Killer Premise with a Dead End
- Kevin Verma
- 18 hours ago
- 3 min read
January has traditionally been the month where streamers and networks try to kick off the new year with a bang, often dropping some of their stronger projects to set the tone for the months ahead. Unfortunately, Netflix’s new limited series His and Hers, created by William Oldroyd and Dee Johnson, feels like a surprisingly weak start to 2026 for the streamer. While it manages to stay in the realm of "really good popcorn TV" for a significant chunk of its runtime, it ultimately stumbles under the weight of its own ambition, delivering a viewing experience that is as frustrating as it is addictive.
On paper, the series has everything you’d want in a mid-winter binge. It’s based on a popular novel and features a very juicy plot with a dark, twisty murder mystery as the central focus. The setup is exciting with a small-town setting, a violent murder, and a whole lot of secrets. For the first half of the season, the formula actually works. The pacing is exceptional, utilizing six tight, 45-minute episodes that respect your time. The dialogue is decent and sharp enough to keep you engaged, and the regular end-of-episode twists do exactly what they’re supposed to do: keep you on the edge of your seat and hitting "Next Episode" before the credits even finish rolling.
However, once you look past the hooks, the cracks begin to show. The most glaring issue is the cast. It’s a great cast on paper, but the talent feels largely wasted. Tessa Thompson, usually a powerhouse, feels horribly miscast here; she never quite finds the right rhythm for the character’s internal turmoil. Opposite her, Jon Bernthal is a mixed bag. He’s great at times, bringing that signature charm and intensity, but he feels very average for the rest of the series, almost as if he’s operating on autopilot. Even more disappointing is the supporting cast, who barely have anything to do. Their characters are left entirely unexplored, serving as little more than human props to move the plot from point A to point B.
Visually, the show is a bit of a letdown, too. Given William Oldroyd’s involvement, I expected something more striking, but the direction is underwhelming, and the cinematography feels flat and uninspired. The show also tries to market itself as a "steamy" thriller, yet even the sex scenes feel oddly tame and clinical. On the positive side, the costumes are great, and there are some editing choices — specifically during reveals — that work really well to maintain the tension.
Then, there is the finale. Despite having a seasoned writer like Bill Dubuque (the mind behind Ozark) penning the final hour, the show completely falls apart. It has ridiculously wild twists that feel unearned and a lazy finale that prioritizes shock value over narrative logic. There are plot holes galore and while I’m pretty sure fans will be genuinely shocked to learn who the real killer is, the reveal feels more like a "gotcha" moment than a satisfying conclusion to the mystery.
His and Hers is highly watchable and makes for decent popcorn TV for the most part, and its unpredictable nature will likely make it a trending hit for Netflix. But in a month that has a lot better TV shows to offer across other platforms, and especially with this cast, His and Hers feels like a missed opportunity. It has the ingredients of a prestige thriller but settles for being a forgettable, middle-of-the-road mystery.
About His and Hers
Premiere Date: January 8, 2026
Episode Count: 6
Showrunner: William Odlroyd
Executive producers: Tessa Thompson, William Oldroyd, Kristen Campo, Jessica Chastain, Kelly Carmichael, Kishori Rajan, Dee Johnson, Bill Dubuque.
Distribution: Netflix
Cast: Jon Bernthal, Tessa Thompson, Marin Ireland, Pablo Schreiber, Chris Bauer, Crystal Fox, Sunita Mani, Rebecca Rittenhouse.
