If you're still not over the end of The Handmaid’s Tale and Elisabeth Moss’s departure from our screens, we’ve got some good news for you... Elisabeth has officially returned to our screens! The star has a brand-new psychological drama, Imperfect Women, that's just arrived on Apple TV+ - and with a friendship-testing crime at the heart of it, it’s just the sort of twisted drama you need to fill the Handmaid’s Tale-shaped gap in your life.

The story goes like this: three middle-aged British women, played by Elisabeth, Kerry Washington and Kate Mara, have been friends for as long as they can remember – until a crime that involves one of them in particular shatters everything. No spoilers, but the series is based on Araminta Hall’s brilliant 2020 novel of the same name - and we’re in for quite the gripping ride.

With the series now available to stream, here’s everything you need to know about Imperfect Women, including the cast, plot and how to watch it.


What is Imperfect Women about?

group celebrating with drinks at a social gathering
Nicole Weingart

The psychological drama will introduce us to three friends played by Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington and Kate Mara whose decades-long friendship is shattered by a harrowing crime. As we mentioned, the series is based on 2020 Araminta Hall’s novel of the same name, with Moss and Washington also serving as executive producers.

According to the official synopsis, the drama "is a mystery complicated by perspective that explores guilt and retribution, love and betrayal, and the compromises we make that alter our lives irrevocably. As the investigation unravels, so does the truth about how even the closest relationships can change over time."

pasadena, california january 14: kerry washington of onyx collective's 'unprisoned' poses for a portrait during the 2023 winter television critics association press tour at the langham huntington, pasadena on january 14, 2023 in pasadena, california. (photo by jsquared photography/contour by getty images)
JSquared Photography

Star and executive producer Elisabeth Moss has shared a taste of what’s in store. "From the moment I received Araminta’s novel, I couldn’t put it down. It was such an electrifying read; I fell in love with it immediately," she said.

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"I’ve admired Kerry and her work as an actor and producer for many years, and have been looking for something to work with her on and was so thrilled that she responded to the material when we sent it to her and Pilar at Simpson Street. They were the first and only people we thought of. We are so happy that Apple and 20th Television agreed to partner with us on this, as well. It’s all an absolute match made in heaven."

mandatory credit: photo by chelsea lauren/shutterstock (15185324po) kate mara shutterstock portrait studio day 2, 39th sxsw conference and festivals, austin, usa 08 mar 2025
Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock

Her co-star and co-executive producer, Kerry Washington, added: “I could not have been more thrilled to get this call from Elisabeth. I have been an immense fan of hers — both as a brilliant actor and groundbreaking producer — for years.”

Annie Weisman (Physical), who has written and executive produced the series has shared that she feels "honoured that Apple is once again trusting me to help bring complex, layered female characters to the screen. Elisabeth, Kerry and Araminta are the perfect collaborators to bring these ‘Imperfect Women’ to life."

Is Araminta Hall’s novel, Imperfect Women, any good?

Yes – it’s a thought-provoking, gripping and somewhat haunting story that paints a refreshingly honest picture of flawed women. The book has received high praise from critics and fellow authors across the board. Marian Keyes has called it "rare and complex", while Sarah Vaughn (Anatomy of a Scandal) has described it as "immersive and unsettling".

Who's starring in Imperfect Women?

the handmaids tale “exile” june tries to settle in a new community. serena seeks a sanctuary. luke and moira take a big risk. (disney/steve wilkie) elisabeth moss
Steve Wilkie//Channel 4

The cast of Imperfect Women includes:

  • Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale, pictured above)
  • Kerry Washington (Scandal, Little Fires Everywhere)
  • Kate Mara (House of Cards)
  • Joel Kinnaman (The Killing)
  • Corey Stoll (Billions)
  • Wilson Bethel (Daredevil: Born Again, Untamed)
  • Keith Carradine ((Madame Secretary, Dexter)
  • Jackson Kelly (The Pitt, Chucky)
  • Rome Flynn (How to Get Away with Murder)
  • Ana Ortiz (Ugly Betty)
  • Sherri Saum (The Fosters, Sunset Beach)

Is there a trailer for Imperfect Women?

Yes, Apple TV+ has released a trailer for the new series, which you can watch below.

How can I watch Imperfect Women?

Imperfect Women is available to watch on Apple TV+ now.