“The Girlfriend” on Prime Video is a tense, stylish six-episode psychological thriller starring Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke, offering viewers a gripping cat-and-mouse game powered by exceptional performances from its two leads. While seemingly rooted in familiar domestic-noir territory: a controlling mother suspects her beloved son’s new girlfriend, the series distinguishes itself through its ambitious structure, glossy production, and willingness to push each character into darker, more ambiguous territory than the book it’s based on.
Plot & Structure
The series centers on Laura Sanderson (Robin Wright), a successful, fiercely possessive London art dealer, and Cherry Laine (Olivia Cooke), the enigmatic new girlfriend of Laura’s son, Daniel. Tensions rapidly escalate as each woman views the other as a threat, with their mutual suspicion spiralling into obsession and manipulation over just six taut episodes. Narrative structure is a standout: each episode divides into alternating perspectives, letting viewers see the same pivotal events through the eyes of both Laura and Cherry. The story revisits key moments, like a vandalized art gallery or a staged death, so that each revelation prompts viewers to reassess everything they thought they knew.
Performances & Direction
Robin Wright delivers one of her most unhinged performances as Laura, perfectly capturing a woman who veers from cool control to nearly psychotic paranoia; she’s both horrifying and strangely sympathetic. Olivia Cooke is every bit her equal, giving Cherry a sly magnetism and an undercurrent of justified resentment, even when the script asks viewers to question her honesty or culpability. Their chemistry builds a believable, toxic rivalry that is both chilling and darkly captivating. The show benefits from high production values, dynamite London visuals, and a moody, incisive soundtrack.
Trashy Thrills & Suspension of Disbelief
The Girlfriend Prime Video relishes its “psychological trash TV” label… amped-up melodrama, lots of gaslighting, and twists that sometimes defy believability (for instance, the implausible return of Laura’s lost phone a year later). Certain moments demand a generous suspension of disbelief, and the revenge scenarios, while gripping, can border on over-the-top. There is a lot that just doesn’t make sense in the realm of logical thinking, but the show is so captivating that you don’t mind too much!
Themes & Ambiguity
One of the Girlfriend Prime Video’s cleverest moves is refusing to let “villain” or “victim” settle on either Laura or Cherry. Laura’s possessiveness and increasingly psychotic breaks are made more intense than in the book, while Cherry’s actions are layered in ambiguity, audiences are left questioning if she’s genuinely dangerous or just the victim of Laura’s paranoia.
Adaptation Changes from the Book
The series swaps the major character death: Laura dies in the show, Cherry in the book. - Laura’s psychological edge is sharpened for TV, making her more overtly menacing and unstable.
- Character ages and timelines are adjusted to heighten emotional stakes in the adaptation.
- The finale in the series is visually dramatic and ambiguous, whereas the book gives a more clear-cut resolution.
The Girlfriend Series Ending and Second Season of the Girlfriend Prime Video Potential
The ending is cryptic, less about tying up loose ends and more about leaving viewers divided over which woman was right, who was worst, and whether a cycle of obsession could ever end. Hints of unresolved threads (and Laura’s phone resurfacing much later) may suggest that creators are open to a second season, though nothing explicit is promised in the finale.
Final Thoughts
With its blend of high camp, razor-sharp acting, and no-holds-barred storytelling, “The Girlfriend” Prime Video is compulsive viewing, a rare piece of glossy, psychological thriller TV that’s easy to binge and hard to shake off. The performances by Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke elevate familiar genre turns into something deeply compelling, and the series’ willingness to subvert the book as well as the audience’s expectations stands out as its boldest twist. The supporting characters are good, although some lack proper writing (looking at you Laura’s supposed paramour/ artist love of her life). The show is a quick and fun way to relax and spend a weekend, while not putting too much thought into a show.
This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’
hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla
in collaboration with Ratna Prabha.
