Critic Reviews

“The Girlfriend” is exactly the kind of psychological and soapy binge to kick off the fall TV season, easily devoured in one indulgent sitting with a cheeky drink and lots of yelling at the screen. The twists vary in actual shock value, but the tension provides enough of a hook to follow this warped love story to its conclusion.

Despite the thrilling conclusion, The Girlfriend is at its strongest when it forces us to admit that while we might side with one woman at one moment, we will never have the full picture until we get a look through the other character's eyes, and that can only be accomplished with Cherry and Laura facing off against each other.

On the one hand, the more time spent focusing on the two leads, the better. On the other, there comes a point where he doesn’t quite seem worth all the fighting, in the emotional or physical sense. But Wright and Cooke both understand the assignment, and the payoff to the rivalry feels worth the build-up. Not a deep story, but a fun one.

Into this affluent family with its … interesting dynamic comes Cherry (Olivia Cooke, whose delicately ambiguous performance makes the whole thing sing).

The Girlfriend has a lot going for it. Sanderson and Cooke have a sizzling chemistry and work brilliantly as a screen couple. Wright adds a touch of class to a fundamentally silly tale, as does Waleed Zuaiter as her urbane husband.

Ava Max’s “Sweet But Psycho” blasting over the final episode’s credits made me audibly groan. But The Girlfriend is otherwise sexy and slick. It’s a perfectly easy watch that’s sure to get people talking – and taking sides.

It’s breathless stuff, with a hyper-realistic feel that makes it more compelling than sinister. And while there’s a smattering of class commentary and occasional attempts at deeper meaning, this is a drama that should be enjoyed for what is: a rollercoaster of fun and games.

This refusal to take itself too seriously helps to insulate some of The Girlfriend‘s craziest turns. You don’t have to pretend there’s anything “realistic” or “relatable” about the ways these people are behaving, or that there’s some greater lesson to be found here. You just have to be in the mood for something a little bit silly, and a little bit nasty.

The series is a wild, thrilling ride from its opening scene until its unsettling conclusion.

“The Girlfriend” is, at the end, escapist trash. But it’s glossy and richly satisfying trash, right up until the perfectly devilish epilogue.