'The Perfect Couple' Ending Explained: Who killed Merritt Monaco, and why

Nikki Henry finally finds Merritt Monaco's killer in 'The Perfect Couple' Episode 6 and they're the one you least expected
UPDATED SEP 5, 2024
'The Perfect Couple' on Netflix revolves around Merritt Monaco's murder mystery (Netflix/@hilarybronwyngayle)
'The Perfect Couple' on Netflix revolves around Merritt Monaco's murder mystery (Netflix/@hilarybronwyngayle)

Contains spoilers for 'The Perfect Couple'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Netflix's latest release 'The Perfect Couple' revolves around the murder mystery of Merritt Monaco (Meghann Fahy), who was killed a day before her best friend's wedding. Throughout the six episodes, Detective Nikki Henry (Donna Lynne Champlin) tries to solve the case, interrogating rich and elite suspects.

Merritt's body washed up dead on a beach near the Winbury family estate. As the interrogation began, the revelations narrowed down the list of suspects who had strong motives to kill her. However, the series ends with a major twist, putting the spotlight on a character you least expected.

Merritt Monaco's killer gets caught in 'The Perfect Couple' Episode 6

Dakota Fanning as Abby Winbury in 'The Perfect Couple' (@netflix)
Dakota Fanning as Abby Winbury in 'The Perfect Couple' (@netflix)

Merritt's killer in 'The Perfect Couple' is Abby Winbury, played by Dakota Fanning. She is the pregnant wife of Benji’s brother, Thomas (Jack Reynor).

Apparently, Thomas, who had a habit of stealing other people’s pills, stole the barbiturate pill from Amelia's mom, who had kept it for euthanasia in case her cancer progressed to a point where she couldn't take it anymore.

Thomas’s wife, Abby stole it, mixed it in a cold press, and gave it to Merritt when she was having a breakdown by the beach, following an argument with Tag Winbury (Liev Schreiber) regarding her pregnancy. Abby then took her to the swim. As Merritt began to lose control due to the drug, Abby held her head underwater until she died.

Why was Merritt Monaco killed in 'The Perfect Couple'?

Meghann Fahy as Merritt Monaco in 'The Perfect Couple' (@netflix)
Meghann Fahy as Merritt Monaco in 'The Perfect Couple' (@netflix)

Abby's motive for murder was money. Wondering how? Well, there was a trust fund that Thomas could access only after his youngest sibling, Will (Sam Nivola) turned 18.

Thomas owed about $2.5 million to Isabel Nallet (Isabelle Adjani). Abby, having lost faith in her husband, planned to tackle this problem on her own. When she found out that Merritt was pregnant with Tag's child, she realized that the trust fund would be locked for the next 18 years. In order to have the money soon, she killed Merritt and her unborn child.

Do Amelia Sacks and Benji Winbury get married in 'The Perfect Couple'?

Eve Hewson and Billy Howle in 'The Perfect Couple' (@netflix)
Eve Hewson and Billy Howle in 'The Perfect Couple' (@netflix)

In the final scenes of 'The Perfect Couple', we see Amelia Sacks (Eve Hewson) working with the animals at a zoo in London. As Greer Garrison Winbury (Nicole Kidman) says that she is hard to find, we can assume that Amelia and Benji Winbury (Billy Howle) parted ways.

It was good for her as she was rushing into the marriage due to her mother's cancer diagnosis. Moreover, she was in love with Shooter Dival (Ishaan Khatter). Though for now, she has chosen to focus on herself, she might end up with Shooter, who isn't just a better match for her, but also has immense wealth.

What does Greer's meeting with Amelia in the last scene mean?

Nicole Kidman plays a crime novelist in 'The Perfect Couple' (@netflix)
Nicole Kidman in 'The Perfect Couple' (@netflix)

Greer found Amelia in London and handed over her new literary work. She revealed that her new novel, titled 'Your Move', is based on Amelia and that she wanted her to read it before it got published. Her new book must have been about Merritt's murder, the dirty secrets of her own family, and what role Amelia played in Greer's life.

The series doesn't fully explore why Greer met her. But it could be her way to mend things after realizing how Amelia had inspired her to be true to herself.

'The Perfect Couple' is now streaming on Netflix

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