'Nine Perfect Strangers' checks in as 'The White Lotus' checks out

(CNN)With a mini-reunion of cardinal players from "Big Little Lies" astatine its core, "Nine Perfect Strangers" combines a publication by Liane Moriarty with Nicole Kidman and writer-producer David E. Kelley, past surrounds them with an arsenic awesome cast. The bid is different 1 of those riddles wrapped successful a mystery, managing to pique involvement portion remaining stingy astir disgorging large truths, overmuch little small lies.

In a way, the amusement has the misfortune of premiering truthful adjacent to "The White Lotus," different constricted bid built astir the dynamic betwixt vacationers and unit astatine a high-end resort. The differences are important capable to accommodate both, adjacent if the listings connection 1 of those reminders that successful highest TV genuinely original-sounding concepts are less and farther between.

The main hurdle the amusement faces, perhaps, is 1 of expectations, since it doesn't measurement up to the aforementioned series. The elemental conceit involves a radical of guests (nine, arsenic it happens) arriving astatine an exclusive health-and-wellness retreat, which promises them a transformational acquisition successful conscionable 10 days.

Pulling the strings is the facility's enigmatic director, Masha (Kidman), whose motives and tactics are each spot arsenic hard to decipher arsenic the origins of her accent. The strangers could hardly look much different, but successful hushed whispers, it's noted that Masha fundamentally casts each group, suggesting immoderate higher logic astatine enactment -- oregon worse, a bizarre rats-in-a-maze experiment.

Each visitant harbors immoderate benignant of secret, from the writer (Melissa McCarthy) to the writer (Luke Evans), the divorced pistillate with choler issues (Regina Hall) to the erstwhile jock (Bobby Cannavale), the 4 solo attendees. Throw successful a household (Michael Shannon, Asher Keddie, Grace Van Patten) mourning the decease of their son/brother, and a mates (Samara Weaving, Melvin Gregg) whose outward quality masks hidden insecurities.