White Lotus, Big Little Lies, Succession, The Affair, The Undoing: it's undeniable that audiences are suckers for the ‘attractive people doing deadly things in attractive places’ formula, and here at House & Garden it's the ‘attractive places’ we're really interested in. Netflix's new glossy hit ‘The Perfect Couple’ delivered on all fronts, with a stellar cast including Nicole Kidman as Greer Garrison Winbury, Dakota Fanning as Abby Winbury and Megan Ketch as a particularly significant maid-of-honour. No stranger to dramatic, beautifully shot murder-mystery TV series, you might also recognise Eve Hewson (who is actually Bono's daughter) from the hit Apple+ series from 2023, Bad Sisters. Despite the star-studded line-up, it was often the backdrops we had our eye on, so we've taken a deep dive into where they filmed the stunning beach-side scenes and that slightly eccentric opening credits dance routine.
Chatham, Cape Cod
Though the idyllic family home at the centre of all the drama was in Nantucket, Chatham in Cape Code stood in for Nantucket during filming. Known for its picturesque settings, Chatham is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, on the southeastern tip of Cape Cod. As well as the undeniably beautiful scenery of Chatham, it was no doubt appealing to the producers as it is considerably easier to access than Nantucket, which is a two hour and 15-minute ferry ride from the mainland (not idea for a large and very famous cast and big crew).
And so the main filming location - the Winburys’ huge clapboard mansion (appropriately and perhaps ironically named 'Summerland house') - was filmed in Chatham. Though it's unconfirmed, the Cape Cod Chronicle suggests that The Perfect Couple was filmed at a 'waterfront estate in Chatham's Eastward Point neighbourhood.' The expansive grounds and sandy coastal spots (as well as the location for the murder scene) were scouted out around Chatham prior to filming. “Because the majority of The Perfect Couple was filmed on location in Chatham, the production had an authentic Cape and island feel,” Hilderbrand told Boston.com.
Chatham Beach and Tennis Club
As well as the main house, the crew used Chatham Beach and Tennis Club, located at Lighthouse Beach, as another major location.
Elwood’s Raw Bars
A large part of the show takes place in the Nantucket Police Department, which was shot in a totally transformed Northport Plaza (which is now Elwood’s Raw Bars).
Nantucket
Both the limited series and the book by Elin Hilderbrand (on which the show was based) are set in Nantucket, a stunning island just off Cape Cod, Massachusetts – a state in New England, on the Northeastern side of the United States. Aerial shots of the island were filmed (by the Hollywood stunt pilot Fred North took overhead footage in his helicopter) to root the series on the island, as well as scenes shot at 'Bartlett's Farm'. Several other key locations were also filmed on Nantucket, like Main Street, Mitchell's Book Corner and the Brotherhood of Thieves restaurant.
