Washington [US], July 3: Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers wrapped up its second season with a dramatic finale, bringing closure to the complex journeys of its ensemble cast — especially Nicole Kidman’s Masha Dmitrichenko and Mark Strong’s David Sharpe.
Set at Masha’s healing retreat in the Austrian Alps, the final episode explored unresolved traumas through Masha’s unconventional psychedelic therapies. Several characters underwent pivotal transformations:
- Wolfie (Maisie Richardson-Sellers) and Tina (King Princess) split, but Tina reignited her passion for the piano.
- Former children’s TV host Brian (Murray Bartlett) let go of his puppet and formed a bond with ex-nun Agnes (Dolly de Leon).
- Victoria (Christine Baranski) and daughter Imogen (Annie Murphy) reconciled, with Imogen eyeing a future alongside businessman Peter (Henry Golding).
The finale’s emotional core was the explosive dynamic between Masha and David. Masha confessed that her late daughter Tatiana was also David’s child from a past affair, pushing David to confront his past. Masha revealed David’s presence at the retreat was orchestrated so he would face those he wronged.
“It’s a fascinating premise… all of them, as you find out, have been affected by this guy,” Strong told Variety.
David’s promise to leave the weapons industry proved hollow. In a satisfying twist, Masha exposed him by releasing an AI-generated video of his fake public confession — staged dramatically inside a McDonald’s restaurant.
The finale’s much-discussed McDonald’s scene was shot in a real location outside Berlin.
“We were actually there,” Kidman confirmed. Strong recalled, “Come lunchtime, everybody just tucked into the McDonald’s.”
Filming in the Austrian Alps posed both beauty and challenges. Strong described the breathtaking landscapes and the reality of walking barefoot through snow. Kidman revealed they filmed a partial ice plunge on location but shot the immersion scenes on a stage for safety.
“Masha is moving through trauma,” Kidman reflected on her character’s arc. “Her heart is in the right place… she wants people to expand their emotional horizons.”
Strong added David’s journey shifted from arrogance to introspection, as he reckoned with his past and strained family ties.
Kidman and Strong’s strong on-screen chemistry — built during their prior collaboration on Before I Go to Sleep (2014) — enhanced their intense scenes.
“We already had that history… it was easy,” Kidman noted.
As for a potential third season, both actors expressed interest but recognized the challenges.
“I only have the bandwidth to think of here and now,” Kidman said. Strong suggested an exciting new location: “Maybe Costa Rica or the jungle would be next.”
The season finale’s mix of shocking revelations, emotional payoffs, and stunning visuals in the Alps cemented Nine Perfect Strangers as a bold exploration of healing and human complexity.