That’s exactly the case with The Undoing. Released in 2020, the six-episode psychological thriller tapped into a growing appetite for high-stakes, character-driven storytelling, pairing a star-studded cast with a slow-burning mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end. Now streaming on HBO Max, it’s the perfect time to revisit a series that proves atmosphere, performance and emotional tension can be just as gripping as any twist.
What Is HBO’s Thriller Series ‘The Undoing’ About?
Based on the 2014 novel You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz, The Undoing is set against the backdrop of New York City’s elite Upper East Side and follows Grace Fraser (Nicole Kidman), a successful therapist whose seemingly perfect life begins to unravel almost overnight. She’s married to Jonathan Fraser (Hugh Grant), a respected pediatric oncologist, and together they’re raising their son Henry (Noah Jupe) while navigating the pressures of their privileged social circle. Everything changes when a brutal murder shocks their community and Jonathan suddenly disappears.
As the investigation unfolds, Grace becomes the center of a growing media frenzy, forced to confront the possibility that her husband may not be who she thought he was. The series peels back the layers of Jonathan’s life, revealing secrets that call everything into question, while also exploring Grace’s own blind spots and emotional denial. With each episode, the truth becomes more complicated, pulling her deeper into a situation she can no longer control.
Susanne Bier on the Wild Finale of ‘The Undoing’ & Her Approach to Filming Those Steamy Scenes
The award-winning director dishes on her filmmaking style and what it’s like to watch collaborator Mads Mikkelsen become Hollywood’s go-to bad guy.
Directed by Susanne Bier and written by David E. Kelley, the series leans into tension and ambiguity rather than constant twists. As it unfolds, the story becomes less about who committed the murder and more about the layers of deception between Grace and Jonathan. Strong supporting performances from Donald Sutherland, Noma Dumezweni, and Edgar Ramírez add weight to the story, but it’s Kidman at the center who remains the magnetic force drawing you in.
Nicole Kidman Anchors HBO’s ‘The Undoing’ With a 10/10 Emotional Performance
Ever since Nicole Kidman first teamed up with David E. Kelley on Big Little Lies, she’s proven that her film-level gravitas translates seamlessly to television. That’s evident throughout her TV work, but her performance in The Undoing is especially powerful. Grace is a character defined by what she refuses to see, and Kidman plays that internal conflict with remarkable subtlety. While she’s become known for portraying poised, elegant women trying to hold it together — something she revisits in her reunion with Susanne Bier on The Perfect Couple — The Undoing adds another layer to that persona.
What makes the performance so compelling is how it evolves. As Grace is forced to confront the truth, the carefully constructed version of her life begins to fracture, and Kidman lets those cracks emerge in small but impactful ways. Her chemistry with every character is just as striking, whether it’s opposite Hugh Grant as her husband, Edgar Ramírez as the detective on the case, or in quieter moments with her on-screen father and son. She plays off each of them with precision, and it’s what ultimately anchors the series emotionally.
Kidman also serves as an executive producer, and her work earned her a Golden Globe nomination, while Hugh Grant received an Emmy nomination for his performance. Grant plays against type in a way that feels both familiar and unsettling, using his natural charm before revealing the darker edges of his character. A few years removed from its release, The Undoing stands as a reminder of how effective a tightly constructed limited series can be, and why HBO’s The Undoing deserves to remain part of the conversation as one of the genre’s stronger entries.