So much of The Perfect Couple‘s atmosphere hinges on its Nantucket setting, prompting viewers to wonder where, exactly, the Netflix series was filmed. An island off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the moneyed island of Nantucket is a so-called summer colony — a storied destination for upper-class families. Nicole Kidman, who leads The Perfect Couple‘s cast of characters, plays matriarch Greer Garrison Winbury, a famous novelist who married into her husband Tag’s (Liev Schreiber) wealthy family. As Nantucket police officer Dan Carter (Michael Beach) points out, the Winbury family wields a lot of power on the island.

Although coastal New England retreats like Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod, and Nantucket each have a distinct feel, the seaport communities all share architectural and historical similarities, making it possible for The Perfect Couple to film across different Massachusetts locations. Notably, Nicole Kidman’s Big Little Lies replacement mystery series was picketed by striking SAG-AFTRA union members. The incident confirmed that The Perfect Couple crew captured B-roll for the limited series, sans the cast, on Nantucket and in Chatham, Cape Cod (via Deadline). However, that does not indicate where the majority of the book-turned-mystery-series was primarily shot.

The Winbury’s Summerland Estate Was Filmed In Chatham, Cape Cod

Chatham’s Eastward Point Neighborhood Served As The Winbury’s Nantucket Home In The Perfect Couple

The bulk of The Perfect Couple was shot in Chatham, a historical fishing town located at the southeastern tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Just as author Elin Hilderbrand assured fans it would, the Netflix series leveraged its on-location sites to channel an “authentic Cape and island feel” (via Boston.com). Although eagle-eyed viewers might notice that The Perfect Couple‘s filming locations are Nantucket stand-ins, the team did a great job of transforming Chatham into a believable Nantucket neighborhood. For example, the Winbury family’s Summerland home was filmed at a truly lavish estate in Chatham’s Eastward Point neighborhood.

…the Cape Cod town also supplied a few other filming locations, including the historic Chatham Beach and Tennis Club on Lighthouse Beach.

Since the Summerland property’s blue hydrangeas are a point of pride for Greer, The Perfect Couple‘s crew planted more around the property to hammer home the Winbury matriarch’s classy sensibilities. With its ocean-weathered homes and private beaches on Pleasant Bay, Chatham served as a suitable Nantucket replacement for most of the coastal moments. However, the Cape Cod town also supplied a few other filming locations, including the historic Chatham Beach and Tennis Club on Lighthouse Beach. Aside from shooting in Chatham, which is where The Perfect Couple‘s ending unfolded, the show filmed in Cape Cod’s nearby town of Harwich.

Northport Plaza Served As The Backdrop For The Perfect Couple’s Police Station

The Area Was Transformed Into A Small-Town Station By The Netflix Series’ Crew

While most of The Perfect Couple‘s mystery and antics unfold at the Winbury family’s Summerland estate, a few other sets were needed to bring the show to life. In Chatham, the crew transformed Northport Plaza into a convincing stand-in for the Nantucket Police Department’s island station. Transforming the shopping and dining plaza was no small feat, even though the police station’s exterior is only shown briefly. The action mainly unfolds inside the building’s interrogation room and jail cell — both of which were built in the basement of what is now Elwood’s Raw Bars.

All six episodes of The Perfect Couple are streaming on Netflix.

Plus, the raw bar-turned-police station tidbit is delightfully ironic considering Detective Nikki Henry’s (Donna Lynne Champlin) aversion to, and general confusion about shucking, oysters. Although the owners of Elwood’s wanted to keep the sets in place for themed dining experiences, the Netflix team gutted the site once shooting wrapped, taking everything from the jail cell bars to the Nantucket police cars, which caused confusion among Chatham locals (via The Cape Cod Chronicle). Although Nicole Kidman’s Netflix mystery series divided viewers, it’s impossible to deny just how perfectly the show captures the unmistakable atmosphere of New England.

The Perfect Couple Did Some Filming On (& Over) Nantucket

The Series Captures An Authentic New England Feel

Although The Perfect Couple‘s cast weren’t really boots-on-the-ground on Nantucket, the show did film plenty of aerial shots of the island to include more convincing establishing shots. Reportedly, a crew shot B-roll of Nantucket proper in September 2023 (via Nantucket Current). These scene-setting shots included iconic Nantucket locations such as Mitchell’s Book Corner, which is the site of Greer’s book launch party; the Brotherhood of Thieves restaurant, which is close to where the ferries dock; and the island’s Main Street, which was appropriately decked out for The Perfect Couple‘s Fourth of July timeframe.

Even though the Netflix miniseries didn’t spend a ton of time on Nantucket, the production’s dedication to shooting on the East Coast and, specifically, on Cape Cod, go a long way in terms of creating an authentic atmosphere. Without the cottages, dunes, and Atlantic Ocean vistas of the Massachusetts coastline, The Perfect Couple would have lost the novel’s unique flair.