Luxury with uncomfortable conditions
Devon wants to understand why her sister Simone is so closely attached to the wealthy Michaela Kell. What outwardly resembles an attractive assistant’s job becomes oppressive in the characters’ interactions. The question of who controls whom keeps this five-part miniseries moving.
Sirens is interested in the dependencies beneath material security. Its luxurious surroundings promise freedom while feeling restrictive. That contrast makes its satire of power and class uncomfortably plausible.
Three performers hold the balance
Julianne Moore gives Michaela a flattering, manipulative presence that is difficult to read. Meghann Fahy combines cynicism with vulnerability as Devon, while Milly Alcock makes Simone’s shifting loyalties understandable. For me, that dynamic is the series’ heart.
I like that the characters cannot be neatly separated into heroines and villains. Trauma, sisterhood and self-interest become entangled. Bright, opulent coastal surroundings heighten the contrast with the psychological tensions. Some abrupt shifts between dark comedy, thriller and family drama are less successful.
Verdict
Sirens is biting, compelling entertainment for me, with a longer afterlife than an ordinary relationship drama. Not every tonal transition works, and the series leaves unease rather than comforting certainty. Its strong trio and intelligent power games nevertheless carry it. Viewers who enjoy complex characters and uncomfortable social questions should watch it.