This article contains spoilers for The Five Star Weekend.
Television has become increasingly formulaic, favouring bestselling novel adaptations, reboots, and familiar premises over original ideas. Peacock’s latest release, The Five Star Weekend, feels like another safe bet for the streamer, which recently cancelled acclaimed originals such as The Copenhagen Test and Ponies, despite favourable reviews and audience reception.
Based on Elin Hilderbrand’s novel, The Five Star Weekend follows food blogger Hollis Shaw (Jennifer Garner), whose seemingly perfectly curated life shatters after her husband Matthew (Josh Hamilton) dies unexpectedly. Six months later, still consumed by grief and struggling to reconnect with those closest to her, Hollis heads to her Nantucket home for an unconventional girls’ weekend. She invites one friend from each stage of her life, alongside a new friend she met through her Hungry by Hollis brand, hoping the gathering will help her move forward. Naturally, the planned weekend – complete with an itinerary sent before anyone arrives – descends into conflict as uncomfortable truths and fractured friendships come to the surface.
Although the premise recalls The White Lotus – a picturesque setting, an ensemble cast, and plenty of drama – The Five Star Weekend is ultimately far warmer and more heartfelt. Rather than satirising privilege (though the show briefly touches on the Me Too movement), it focuses on grief, forgiveness, and the ways we grow through honesty and friendship. If anything, it’s closer to The Four Seasons, and much like the Netflix series, it leans into familiar melodrama that occasionally lacks meaningful development.
Garner delivers one of her strongest performances in years, capturing the messy, often unjustifiable contradictions of grief with nuance. She portrays Hollis as someone desperately trying to maintain the polished image she has built online, even as she falls apart behind closed doors. This results in Hollis making increasingly frustrating choices, prioritising her own comfort over the feelings of those around her, particularly those of her daughter, Caroline (Harlow Jane).
Much of the emotional drama centres on their relationship as both women process Matthew’s death in entirely different ways. Their inability to understand one another leads to some of the show’s most heartbreaking scenes, as Garner and Jane convincingly capture the resentment, guilt, and love that exist simultaneously between a grieving mother and daughter.
The real gift, though, is the supporting cast, who elevate the material considerably. Regina Hall steals almost every scene as Hollis’ college friend Dru-Ann, a successful sports agent facing backlash after a viral video shows her refusing to let one of her Angel City players skip a game. Dru-Ann notably does not get on with Tatum (Chloe Sevigny), Hollis’ childhood friend. Sevigny is a quiet but warm presence, whose own health concerns cast a shadow over her weekend.
D’Arcy Carden is a delight as Brooke, Hollis’ mom friend. Brooke initially appears anxious, awkward, and desperate for approval, constantly seeking reassurance from those around her, but emerges as the heart of the show. Her journey of self-discovery is among the season’s most rewarding storylines, particularly if you are a fan of the short-lived A League of Their Own series. Gemma Chan completes the group as Gigi, a follower of Hollis’ with less than pure intentions.
One of the show’s greatest strengths lies in the chemistry between its ensemble. Whether the women are shopping in downtown Nantucket, playing drinking games, relaxing at a spa, or sitting around a dinner table, it is a delight to watch Garner, Hall, Carden, Sevigny, and Chan bounce off one another. There is no weak link among them, but Chan feels intentionally set apart from the group, given the mystery surrounding her and the subsequent fallout of her presence. As the series reaches its final episodes, however, the direction the series takes feels earned, even if one point of its star is missing.
Not every storyline lands quite as successfully. Judy Greer’s gossipy antagonist, Electra, is underused, never becoming quite the troublemaker the show initially promises when she accosts Brooke on the ferry over to the island. Likewise, Caroline’s behaviour throughout much of the season tests your patience. While grief explains many of her actions, it does not always excuse how cruelly she treats those around her, including Tatum’s daughter, Aubrey (West Duchovny), making her redemption feel less satisfying than intended.
Ultimately, The Five Star Weekend succeeds because of its ensemble. While several storylines could have benefited from greater depth, the chemistry between its cast makes it an enjoyable watch. In an era where female-led dramas are increasingly whodunits, it’s refreshing to spend time with women whose biggest problems are affairs, resentment, and grief. Peacock’s habit of cancelling promising originals may make viewers hesitant to become too invested, but if this weekend does prove to be a one-off, it’s one well worth taking.
