Review of The Better Sister, Prime Video's Top 1 series!

The Better Sister is an American suspense series on Prime Video, which premiered on the streaming platform on May 29, 2025. Created by showrunners Olivia Milch and Regina Corrado, and produced by Craig Gillespie, it is based on Alafair Burke's eponymous 2019 novel.

The series has been a Top 1 hit on the streaming platform since its premiere and features a star-studded cast including familiar faces Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks.

Chloe (Jessica Biel) and Nicky (Elizabeth Banks) find their lives drastically separated by traumatic past events. While Chloe is seemingly successful and lives in elite New York circles with her lawyer husband, Adam (Corey Stoll), and their teenage son, Ethan, Nicky struggles with addiction and life's adversities. The plot unfolds following Adam's brutal murder, an event that forces the sisters to reunite and confront long-buried family secrets.

As the investigation progresses, shocking revelations come to light, unraveling a complex web of mysteries, betrayals, and broken family ties, as both seek the truth behind Adam's death and try to rebuild their fractured relationship.

Official Trailer

The Better Sister belongs to the psychological thriller subgenre that explores the complexities of family relationships and high society secrets, a fertile ground that has spawned successful productions like Big Little Lies. Although the series doesn't radically innovate the formula, it manages to capture the viewer's attention through a well-constructed narrative and a pace that encourages binge-watching.

Positive Points: The depth with which the series explores the relationship between sisters Chloe and Nicky is deeply felt and sensitively explored. Unlike the book, which focuses more on Adam's death, the television adaptation dedicates considerable time to developing their childhood and the traumas that shaped their dynamic.

This approach allows for a richer understanding of each character's motivations and internal conflicts, elevating the drama beyond a simple murder mystery. Nicky's journey with substance abuse and her hallucinations of her abusive father are elements that add layers of psychological complexity, making the character more multifaceted and empathetic.

The series also benefits from strong visual production, which effectively captures the atmosphere of New York high society and moments of heightened tension.

Negative Points: Although the suspense is well-crafted, the plot often relies on genre clichés and fails to surprise the more attentive viewer. The main criticism lies in its predictability at certain points.

The resolution of some mysteries may seem rushed or convenient, diminishing the impact of the revelations. Furthermore, the series sometimes extends into subplots that, although contributing to character development, can slow down the main narrative pace. The exploration of the criminal group Gentry, for example, is more detailed in the series than in the book, but it doesn't always organically integrate into the central plot; it often appears as an add-on to justify certain events.

The adaptation of "The Better Sister" for the Prime Video screen brought some significant modifications compared to Alafair Burke's original novel. These changes were, for the most part, successful in deepening the narrative and characters for the television format.

Deepened Relationship between Nicky and Chloe: While the book focuses more on Adam's death, the series dedicates considerable space to exploring the childhood and complex dynamic between the sisters, offering a richer understanding of their personalities and conflicts.

Nicky's Sobriety Journey: The series gives greater prominence to Nicky's struggle with alcoholism and her sobriety process, including her participation in AA meetings and her relationship with her sponsor, Ken. In the book, her sobriety is more of an established fact than a developing narrative arc.

Nicky's Hallucinations of Her Father: An element added to the series is Nicky's hallucinations of her abusive father, Hank. These visions serve to illustrate the character's underlying trauma and internal struggle, something the book only mentions more subtly.

The Gentry Criminal Group: The series expands the Gentry group subplot, detailing their criminal activities, which include vehicular manslaughter, debt servitude, and human trafficking. In the book, references to the group's crimes are vaguer, limited to an international bidding scheme.

Detective Guidry's Police Brutality Case: The series deepens Detective Guidry's arc, revealing a past of police brutality that resulted in her suspension. This addition raises the stakes for the character and integrates her more deeply into the main plot, unlike the book, where her involvement ends after Bill Braddock's arrest.

As a television content analyst, my perception of The Better Sister is that while the series doesn't reinvent the psychological suspense genre, it executes its premise competently and with a notable focus on character development.

The decision to deepen the relationship between the sisters and explore their past traumas is a fundamental success, as this dynamic truly sustains viewer interest more than the central murder mystery itself.

The series successfully creates an atmosphere of tension and distrust that permeates each episode, keeping the audience engaged in the search for answers. However, the predictability of some narrative arcs and the slow pace can be sticking points for those seeking a faster-paced thriller full of unexpected twists. The series greatly benefits from the performances of Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks, who deliver convincing portrayals.

The Better Sister is a series that delivers on its promises: it's a dense family drama with a mystery backdrop, ideal for those who appreciate narratives focused on psychological development and human relationships, even if it doesn't present major innovations in its structure.

The series has received a mixed but predominantly positive reception from both specialized critics and the general public. Many praise the series' ability to create engaging suspense and deepen character relationships, highlighting the performances of Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks as key strengths.

Rotten Tomatoes: 70% critic approval and 80% audience approval.

IMDB: 7.0/10 from 5.2 thousand ratings.

The series performed well on Prime Video, ranking among the most-watched titles. It deeply and complexly explores family ties, past traumas, and the consequences of hidden secrets.

It goes beyond the original material, adding layers and nuances to the characters and plot, which can be an attraction even for those who have already read the book. While not revolutionary, it offers solid and well-executed entertainment for fans of psychological thrillers and family dramas.

Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks deliver impeccable performances and are undoubtedly the standout performers in the series, capturing the essence of their characters and the complexity of their narrative arcs.

It's an excellent choice for those seeking a story with complex characters and a mystery that gradually unfolds, revealing the depths of human relationships. See you next time!