Nicole Kidman’s “Berserk” 8-Part ‘Reacher’ Successor Bamboozles ‘Young Sherlock’ on Prime Video

Another year, another Nicole Kidman-led streaming series that ticks all the algorithmic boxes. Kidman’s new show, Prime Video’s Scarpetta, has emerged as an instant hit on the streamer, much like her previous pulp blockbusters. Based on a book series by Patricia Cornwell, the show stars Kidman as the titular forensic pathologist who uses her superior intellect to solve seemingly unsolvable crimes. The show also features Jamie Lee Curtis, Bobby Cannavale, Ariana DeBose, and Simon Baker in supporting roles; three episodes of its eight-part debut season were directed by David Gordon Green. While reviews for Scarpetta have been mostly positive, the audience doesn’t seem to be as enthusiastic.

However, this didn’t stop them from tuning in following Scarpetta‘s release on March 11. According to FlixPatrol, the crime-thriller emerged as the number one title across Prime Video immediately after its debut. In doing so, it replaced Guy Ritchie‘s Young Sherlock at the top of the streamer’s viewership charts. Young Sherlock was released a week prior to Scarpetta and had been maintaining the number one position throughout that period. It holds a “Certified Fresh” 84% critics’ score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “Young Sherlock doesn’t aim to recreate Conan Doyle’s work, rather, it takes pride in its liberal adaptation, delivering Guy Ritchie’s signature blend of precise entertainment, sly style, and ingratiating characters.”

In the Mood for More Nicole Kidman TV?

Scarpetta, on the other hand, has a 71% critics’ score and a 50% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. In his review, Collider’s Aidan Kelley wrote that it has “all the makings to be the streamer’s next great detective series” despite venturing into “silly territory” on occasion. The critic for The Times wrote that the show gets quite “berserk” towards the end. Kidman got her first taste of blockbuster long-form success with HBO’s Big Little Lies. She went on to star in Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers, HBO’s The Undoing, the Paramount+ series Lioness, Netflix’s The Perfect Couple, and Prime Video’s Expats. She will soon star alongside Elle Fanning, Nick Offerman, and Michelle Pfeiffer in the upcoming Apple TV series Margo’s Got Money Troubles. You can watch Scarpetta on Prime Video and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.