A new series starring Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis on Amazon Prime Video has gotten off to a strong start in terms of critical reception. A majority of reviews praise what is offered. As a result, it has received a commendable score on Rotten Tomatoes. Notably, a second season of the show, whose inaugural installment consists of eight episodes, has been confirmed.
What critics are saying about Scarpetta in reviews
Most critics have lauded Scarpetta‘s storytelling and cast performances. However, some have found it lacking due to glaring flaws.
ScreenRant‘s Graeme Guttmann labeled the show “delightfully deranged” while also noting that it catered to different audiences. He wrote in his review, “It feels fitting then that, while streaming television itself finds itself in the midst of its own identity crisis, a show like Scarpetta exists, tackling grounded, real-world issues like workplace misogyny, violence against women, and the insidiousness of Artificial Intelligence, while also enveloping its characters in a crime conspiracy that, quite literally, reaches out of the atmosphere.”
Meanwhile, Collider‘s Aidan Kelley said that it had all the ingredients to become Prime Video’s “next great detective series.” He acknowledged the occasional tendency to venture into “some unbelievably silly territory.” However, he noted that the “incredibly strong performances” from the cast compensated for it.
Alex Maidy of JoBlo wrote in his review that it “is a perfect example of an adaptation done right by keeping the core of what makes the books so popular, but remixing it in a way that keeps everyone on their toes for what could come next. Whenever a mystery is solved, and I didn’t see it coming, that is a good sign that the series is worth checking out.”
However, Matt Roush of TVInsider didn’t view the show fondly. He argued in his review that it suffered from pacing issues and too many misdirections in the overarching mystery. Roush wrote that by the time Scarpetta got close to the killer, viewers “experienced too many red herrings the size of Moby Dick, making the denouements feel almost as random as they are bloody.” He also suggested the series “simplify” its story if it came back for Season 2.
Scarpetta gets a solid score on Rotten Tomatoes
Scarpetta’s reviews have resulted in a “certified fresh” critical score of 78% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Created by Liz Sarnoff, who also serves as showrunner, the series is based on Patricia Cornwell’s novels. In addition to starring in the show, Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis serve as executive producers. Apart from them, the cast features Bobby Cannavale, Simon Baker, Ariana DeBose, Tiya Sircar, and Sosie Bacon, among others.
