So far, the Winbury family scandals, conspiracies, and cover-ups were the major highlight of the central murder mystery of Netflix’s crime drama, The Perfect Couple. The hapless bride-to-be, Amelia, had found herself cornered as she started suspecting the entire Winbury family of her best friend’s murder—and conveniently enough, possible evidence and motives linked up with them as well. The fourth episode dials down the pacing of the narrative as the focus shifts towards some of the secrets Amelia, the bleeding heart protagonist, has been keeping hidden from everyone. Additionally, the broken family dynamics of the Winburys become more visible than ever, as the pressure of the investigation starts causing rifts among family members.
Spoilers Ahead
Will and Benji are cleared of suspicion
Just like the previous one, the fourth episode begins with Amelia’s conversation with Detective Henry, who is really keen on learning what the signifiers are, aside from the whole affair angle, which made Amelia suspect her fiancé’s family so strongly. Except for the Mae Pratt Incident, which was another affair-related scandal, and the NDA issued by Greer, there is not much for Amelia to base her allegations upon.
Meanwhile, Will, who, in a fit of rage, had decided to leave the island on a boat along with Chloe in the previous episode, is brought back by coastguards and gets a much-deserved scolding from Chloe’s father, Police Chief Carter. Will became a suspect after Amelia revealed that Merritt’s bracelet was discovered in his hiding spot; however, upon questioning, Will reveals that he had found it after Merritt left it on the beach the night she met her end, and he had planned to give it back to her—until everything went awry. As for the video footage where he is seen having a prolonged discussion with Merritt, Will reveals that he had learned about Merritt’s relationship with his father, and knowing that Tag would abandon her, he tried to offer security and consolation to Merritt. The grisly cut on his hand was merely an accident as well. On the other hand, Amelia had started suspecting Benji after finding photos of Merritt in his drawer, and as she decides to confront him about it, Benji reveals that Merritt had wanted him to make sketches of her, and to keep it a surprise, he didn’t reveal it to Amelia either. As for the audio recording about a secret he shared with Merritt, it is revealed that Benji knew about her affair with Tag and wanted her to keep it a secret from Amelia until the wedding.
What Is the Shooter’s Connection With Amelia?
During her conversation with the cops, Amelia gets a bit flustered when the topic shifts to Shooter Dival. Shooter is a suspect as well, because he was trying to flee from the island for reasons unknown. Amelia approaches Shooter to question him about his involvement with Merritt and gets reassured by his confession that his reason for taking off involved a completely unrelated financial issue—something which he was seen discussing with Greer in the previous episode.
The first episode had hinted that Amelia had a certain connection with Shooter, and this episode highlights that aspect through past reflections. When Amelia first came to Nantucket, accepting Benji’s invitation, she got acquainted with Shooter, and ever since meeting each other, they’d gotten pretty close. The duo had actually met a long time ago but were strangers to each other back then, but a shared memory has been etched in their minds since that chance meeting. Shooter hails from Mumbai, lost his mother at a young age, and during his college years, became Benji’s roommate. Ever since then, he has been a fourth son to the Winbury family, as Greer seems to be extremely caring of him. Shooter’s down-to-earth demeanor allows Amelia to assume that he too had a humble beginning like her. Back when they first met, Amelia was already overwhelmed by Benji and his family’s status, and Shooter’s presence among them put her at ease. Understandably, the duo grew fond of each other very quickly. Perhaps it was Shooter’s presence that resulted in Amelia feeling a lack of love for Benji later on. After realizing how reactive she has been recently, she returns to Shooter, and her indirect acknowledgement of having feelings for him results in the duo sharing a kiss. To their surprise, Benji arrives at the scene, and catching them in the act, he shares his utter disappointment.
Why Did Greer Try To Incriminate Tag?
Broderick Grahams continues his effort to reach Greer, to no avail, as she repeatedly ignores his calls. It remains unknown as to what significance the character might have in the central mystery, but he certainly seems someone who is holding some kind of grudge against Greer, and it also seems that they share a past, which Greer doesn’t want to face any longer. Additionally, Tag seems to be familiar with the name as well, and Broderick is revealed to be living in a rental home in Nantucket.
With so much on her plate already, Greer is running out of breath while juggling all her responsibilities, while Tag continues his committed lover act now that Merritt is out of the equation. Greer detests Tag’s lies, his lack of courage in simply confessing the truth, but mostly how well he can pretend about everything being just fine when they are clearly not. The last memory Greer had with Merritt flashes in her mind—fully aware of the relationship she had with Tag, Greer had slyly warned her that whatever Tag might have promised her will never come to pass. At that exact moment, she had also realized that Merritt was pregnant with Tag’s child, and looking back to the interaction, Greer seemingly starts feeling remorseful. As her guilty conscience comes into play, Greer decides to pay a visit to Chief Carter.
Meanwhile, a seemingly zero-stakes situation between Benji and Thomas, involving the wedding cake, nearly turns into a brawl as the rift between the brothers continues to grow. Greer meets Carter in a bar and learns Merritt’s toxicology report had revealed the presence of barbiturates in her system—drugs that numb human senses for quite a while. Greer shows Carter the receipt of Merritt’s bracelet, which she had recovered from Tag’s office—and insinuates her husband to be a possible collaborator. It remains unknown whether her intentions are driven by guilt or from a willingness to take revenge on her husband. As The Perfect Couple episode 4 ends, Henry and Carter knock at the door of Winbury Estate.
