“The Better Sister” – When Family Secrets Become the Most Terrifying Truth

In a world where perfection is often a mask for dysfunction, The Better Sister ignites a haunting question: How well do we really know the people we love?

Adapted from Alafair Burke’s bestselling novel, The Better Sister is far more than a suspenseful murder mystery. This eight-episode limited series from Amazon Prime Video is a deep, psychological excavation of sisterhood—where love and resentment bleed into each other, and the past is never truly buried.

Plot: One Murder, Two Sisters, Countless Lies

Chloe Taylor (Jessica Biel) is the picture of modern success: a powerful communications executive living in Manhattan with her high-profile husband, Adam (Corey Stoll), and her teenage son, Ethan. But when Adam is found brutally murdered, Chloe’s carefully curated world begins to unravel.

The tragedy forces her into a reluctant reunion with her estranged sister, Nicky (Elizabeth Banks)—Ethan’s biological mother and Adam’s ex-wife. Years ago, Nicky spiraled into addiction and chaos, leaving Ethan in Chloe’s care. Now, she’s back, and neither sister is prepared for what the investigation will dredge up: old wounds, buried truths, and a growing suspicion that someone in the family knows more than they’re saying.

A Performance Duet of Rare Intensity

Jessica Biel delivers a restrained yet powerful portrayal of Chloe, a woman whose outward composure hides deep cracks. Her performance doesn’t scream—it simmers. Through controlled expressions and flickers of vulnerability, Biel draws us into the anxiety of someone trying desperately to maintain control as her life collapses.

Elizabeth Banks, meanwhile, is raw, unpredictable, and achingly human as Nicky. She brings a bruised energy to the screen—a woman broken but not beaten, desperate for redemption and recognition. The chemistry between the two leads is electric: a magnetic push and pull of past grievances and unspoken love.

Together, they create a portrait of sibling rivalry so vivid it’s hard to look away—and even harder not to relate.

Craig Gillespie Paints with Shadows

Director Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya, Cruella) brings his signature touch to the series, crafting a psychological thriller that moves at a deliberate, pressure-cooker pace. There are no jump scares here, no flashy interrogations—just the quiet, creeping dread of emotional truth being unearthed.

His lens lingers where others would cut away—on silence, on glances, on the weight of things unsaid. In his hands, the family home becomes a crime scene not just of murder, but of memory.

Crime Is the Hook, Family Is the Horror

The Better Sister isn’t merely about solving a murder. It’s about the invisible wounds we carry from childhood, about the cost of being “the good one” or “the failure.” It’s a story that challenges societal expectations of women, of mothers, of sisters—and how those roles can trap us as much as they define us.

There is no purely “better” sister here. Chloe and Nicky are both products of an emotional environment riddled with silence, favoritism, and unhealed pain. As viewers, we’re forced to reckon with a bitter truth: sometimes the most damaging relationships are the ones we never dared question.

Verdict: A Psychological Punch That Lingers

With sharp writing, standout performances, and a haunting thematic core, The Better Sister stands tall as one of the most gripping and emotionally intelligent dramas of 2025. It’s a must-watch not just for fans of crime thrillers, but for anyone who’s ever been a sibling—or held onto resentment for too long.

Rating: ★★★★½ — Unmissable.

“We don’t get to choose our family—but we can choose whether or not we forgive them.” – The Better Sister