Apple TV's Twisty Crime Thriller Is Officially Switching Main Characters in Season 2

Image via Apple TV Published Oct 15, 2026, 9:36 PM EDT Erin Konrad's love for everything entertainment dates back to elementary school when she became obsessed with classic Hollywood musicals. When she's not catching up on all her favorite television shows, she's advising her friends and family on what they should binge watch next. She has her Bachelor's degree in Journalism and a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. Creating content for Collider gives her the opportunity to combine her writing skills with her passion for television and movies. She spends her free time trying to beat her personal record of reading 137 books in a year and cuddling with her dog, Gracie. Sign in to your Collider account The massive success of HBO's Big Little Lies has resulted in a new trend in which shows originally billed as limited series are renewed for a second season. While returning to the Big Little Lies world might have seemed like a good idea, reviews of Season 2 were less than positive, perhaps an indicator that HBO should have just moved on instead of capitalizing on prior popularity. This trend has only continued with shows like Netflix's The Perfect Couple as well as The Beast in Me, which was recently confirmed to be returning for a second season. Continuing stories that were originally planned as a one-and-done risks inorganic, scattered storytelling, so the news that one Apple TV limited series will return after all is more worrisome than you'd think — especially since only one of the show's original characters will be coming back. What Is 'Imperfect Women' About? Imperfect Women, based on Araminta Hall's novel of the same name, premiered on Apple TV in March 2026. The eight-episode psychological thriller follows three best friends who are keeping a lot of secrets from each other. Eleanor (Kerry Washington) is a high-powered, do-gooder who runs a charity organization; Mary (Elisabeth Moss) is a harried wife and mother who likes to live vicariously through her friends; and Nancy (Kate Mara) struggles to keep up her picture-perfect image. Their friendship is put to the test early in the show when Nancy is killed; as Eleanor and Mary try to solve her murder, their road is paved with betrayal, lies, and a complicated web of deceit. Each of the show's lead actresses completely nails her performance, along with impressive support from Corey Stoll, Joel Kinnaman, Leslie Odom Jr., and Keith Carradine. The series' mystery wraps up in a satisfying way by the finale, which aired at the end of April and seemed to properly conclude Imperfect Women's story — that is, until it was revealed last week that the limited series had been renewed for a second season. 'Imperfect Women' Is Entering Brand-New Territory With Season 2 Imperfect Women's successful formula centered on these three women, but the show's renewal brings confirmation that only Washington will reprise her role. While Moss will return as executive producer, she isn't listed as a member of Season 2's cast, and her layered portrayal of Mary was one of the most compelling aspects of the first season. Of course, Mara can't return, but her absence only further impacts the foundation that Season 1 established. In a statement about Imperfect Women's renewal, Apple TV's head of programming, Matt Cherniss, notes that Eleanor was a "fan favorite," but there's not a lot of evidence that viewers were actually that passionate about her. There's also the issue that the show has run out of source material to adapt. Since Season 1 depicted the events of the novel, future episodes will be a wholly original creation. Season 2 is also making a shift in location, moving the story from Los Angeles to Martha's Vineyard, which should provide at least a bit of a fresh start for the series. However, it's unclear how Imperfect Women will be able to craft another story as intriguing and twisty as the first season, especially without the main friendship at the core of the narrative. Imperfect Women's first season was inherently entertaining because of its structure — a suspenseful murder mystery centered around three fascinating characters. With that case closed, were any viewers really pining for Season 2? It's possible the writers will come up with a captivating storyline to continue the story, but right now it's hard to see why Imperfect Women couldn't have remained a one-and-done limited series.