9 Clues to Merritt’s Killer You May Have Missed

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9 Clues to Merritt’s Killer You May Have Missed

Warning: This article contains major spoilers for The Perfect Couple.

Netflix The perfect couple Weaves small clues that are easily missed into the mystery, hinting at Merritt’s killer’s identity from early on. With murder at the center of the plot of the limited series, showrunner Jenna Lamia needed to create a web of possible suspects while hinting at the real killer’s identity throughout.

critics and audiences of The perfect couple are divided on how successful the script is in executing the purpose. Despite all the criticism, it is not fair to say that Lamia did not provide enough clues about the identity of the killer. The series includes many hints that Abby is Merritt’s true killer. On their own, they may not be noticeable, but they help create a bigger picture of what happened the night before Amelia and Benji’s wedding.

9

Abby packed up Merritt’s clothes

Abby doesn’t want people to dwell on Merritt’s death


Abby is by the pool in The Perfect Couple Episode 1

Soon after the police begin to investigate the death, Abby begins to tell everyone to forget about Merritt. A prime example of this is that she packed the victim’s clothes despite the fact that the police did not want anyone to see the possible crime scene. She tells Amelia that the police can arrest her if they have a problem with him. Since there is nothing incriminating in Merritt’s stuff, The only explanation for this fight is that she is eager for everyone to move on.

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Considering Abby killed Merritt, her desperation for everyone to move on makes perfect sense. If people look closer at the crime, they may discover what Abby did. (Although, admittedly, there was little concrete evidence for the police to find by the end of The perfect couple.) Theoretically, the sooner they focus on other things, the sooner Abby can stop worrying.

8

Abby jokes that she’ll never get arrested because she’s a pregnant white lady

Abby’s overconfidence begs the question of what else she thinks she can get away with


Abby Winbury (Dakota Fanning) looks forward to the perfect match
Image via Netflix

In addition to the suspiciousness of Abby packing Merritt’s clothes, she says one quote during the scene that raises immediate red flags. After saying that the police can arrest her if they don’t like what she’s doing, she jokes that they’ll never arrest her because she’s a pregnant white lady. Abby’s overconfidence can only be seen as a rare moment of self-awareness about the amount of privilege she holds. However, she never shows that kind of reflection in any other part of The perfect couple.

on the other hand, Abby can say this because she truly believes the police would never arrest her. If she thinks she can get away with contaminating a crime scene, what else does she think she can get away with? It is not a far stretch to conclude that she committed other crimes. Frankly, the fact that Amelia doesn’t react like Abby’s joke is weird is baffling.

7

Abby tries to leave the island in The Perfect Couple Episode 2

Abby rushes to leave Nantucket for a hair appointment


Thomas and Abby are at the dinner table in The Perfect Couple Episode 3

One of Abby’s most suspicious behaviors early on The perfect couple Is the fact that she tries to leave the island in episode 2, despite the police telling the whole family that they have to stay in the area. When Thomas reminds her of this, she says she got approval to go.

Based on Detective Nicky Henry’s interactions with the Winbury family, There is no reason to believe that she would give Abby and Thomas permission to leave the island. Maybe the police would make an exception if it was a medical emergency, but they give you permission to go for a hair appointment is downloaded.

Ultimately, the true reason for Abby’s urgency to get out of the area is hidden because of her privilege and neuroticism. Everything up to this point indicates that she is someone who would try to get around the rules for something like a hair appointment.

6

Tallow is listed in the Toxicology Report

Abby’s Pregnancy Balm contains tallow


Dakota Fanning as Abby in the perfect couple lounging by the pool while talking to Amelia

The biggest hint that Abby killed Merritt before the ending occurs in The perfect couple Episode 4, when Officer Carter learns that traces of tallow appeared in Merritt’s toxicology report. The ingredient name should sound familiar to viewers because, in an earlier episode, Abby told Amelia that the balm she uses for her belly contains tallow. She explains that the ingredient is illegal for cosmetics in the US. it. And that it helps with stretch marks.

Considering the ingredient is not easy to get, The likelihood of both Abby and someone else in the family having access to a product containing tallow seems low. In addition to hinting at her involvement, the dent in the balm is essentially the only physical evidence that could link Abby to the crime in the end. There is circumstantial evidence, like the conflicting stories about where Thomas was, but the only other concrete evidence was likely washed away when Abby cleaned the glass.

5

Abby washes a glass early in The perfect couple

Abby didn’t leave the cup for Gosia to clean


Abby crushes pills to put in orange juice in the perfect pairing

When Detective Henry first meets Abby, she is washing a lonely glass with leftover orange juice, a very strange action based on the character’s personality. Abby expects Goisha to do everything for her, including getting her yogurt from the fridge, an extremely easy task that doesn’t involve her hands getting dirty. Her willingly washing a glass because the caterers missed it is completely out of character unless she has another motive.

The other possible explanation is that she does it to cope with the pressure. Even then, it’s still very strange that she would manage her emotions through cleaning. finally, The perfect couple Reveals that she cleaned the glass she gave to Merritt with the broken barbiturate inside. This not only removes traces of the drug but gives you a solid excuse for your fingerprints on the cup if the police decide to investigate.

4

Abby makes Amelia suspicious of Greer

Amelia begins to pay attention to Greer’s suspicious behavior instead of Abby

One of the more subtle hints for Abby killing Merritt is her making Amelia suspicious of Greer after Benji gives his fiancée the NDA. Abby tells Amelia that Greer makes people sign NDAs all the time and gives her the name of a woman who was once involved with the family.

Unlike other hints, this one is easy to miss on the first go-round but very blatant in retrospect. Abby has been shown to enjoy gossip from the start The perfect couple. As such, the pregnant Winbury may have just spread rumors or talked about the past because she thought it would be fun.

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But, looking back on it with the knowledge of Abby’s crimes, It seems that Abby is trying to provide Amelia with another suspect. After all, as Merritt’s best friend, Amelia is the most prominent character in The perfect couple Who seeks to solve the murder outside the police. By pointing her in a different direction, she may be shielding herself from suspicion.

3

Thomas is in debt and cannot pay for the new apartment

Abby needs the money from the Trust Fund


Thomas Winbury (Jack Reynor) with Isabel Nallet (Isabelle Adjani) in the perfect couple
Image via Netflix

Early in The perfect coupleThomas found out he was in debt and didn’t have the money to pay for his and Abby’s New York apartment. She pushes him to ask his father for a loan and gets upset with Thomas when he can’t secure the money. This immediately puts the two on the radar as possible murderers. After all, it is said that murder always happens for one of three reasons – sex, money, or revenge.

The thing that keeps Abby hidden is that most of the Winbury family and their guests fall into one of these categories. That doesn’t mean they’re all equally likely, but it’s at least a possible reason they might want Merritt dead. In addition, the exact way money would come into play is not clear until the end of The perfect coupleWhen it was discovered that the trust only paid when the youngest child of Thug turns 18.

2

Abby talks negatively about Merritt

There is no obvious reason for Abby to speak ill of Merritt


Merritt Monaco (Meghann Fahy) sunbathing on the beach in the perfect pair
Image via Netflix

Early in The perfect coupleAbby is interviewed by the police about Merritt’s personality and character. It seems that any decent person in this situation would bring positive things or at least be tactful when mentioning flaws. Abby had no regard for the sensitivity of the situationTelling the police that Merritt is promiscuous and a gold digger.

As for talking about the NDA, Abby is presented as a gossip, so her statement to the police does not immediately send signals about her guilt. She also says mean things about others, so there’s no reason to believe Merritt will be treated any differently.

However, it’s a nice, subtle clue that has more significance in retrospect. By painting Merritt as someone who gets into relationships for money, she does two things. First, it tarnishes Merritt’s positive image, which could impact how the police investigate the crime. Second, Abby points the finger at the men of the Winbury family, especially Thug.

1

Abby tells Thomas to clean out the pill drawer

Thomas’ pill drawer may link the couple to the murder


Abby Winbury (Dakota Fanning) looks surprised at the presence of the police in the perfect couple
Image via Netflix

When Abby is ready to escape the island, she tells Thomas that he needs to clean out the drawer on his side of the bed because, in different words than she used, it is full of controlled and harmful substances. In itself, this can be seen as a caring comment about a wife who does not want her husband to get in trouble for stealing pills. however, Her instructions become suspicious when Merritt’s toxicology report comes back with her having prescription drugs in her system.

The presence of drugs narrows the suspect pool down to three main people – Thomas, who stole other people’s drugs in the first place; Isabel, who took the drugs Thomas stole; And Abby, who knew about the drugs and had access to them. Of the three people, Abby is the only one who tries to hide the fact that Thomas is stealing pills, making her a crime in The perfect couple More obvious than the obvious.

Figure

Nicole Kidman, Dakota Fanning, Leo Schreiber, Eve Hewson, Meghan Fahy, Michael Beach, Jack Raynor, Billy Howell

character(s)

Greer Garrison Winbury, Abby Winbury, Tug Winbury, Amelia Sachs, Merritt Monaco, Chief of Police, Thomas Winbury, Benji

Release date

September 5, 2024

Seasons

1

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