Sirens – Netflix Review: Julianne Moore Seduces, Manipulates, and Divides in This Prestige Thriller

Netflix just dropped its latest limited series Sirens, and it’s already making waves for all the right—and wrong—reasons. A five-episode psychological thriller set in the luxurious world of Martha’s Vineyard, Sirens fuses dark comedy, class commentary, and toxic sisterhood into one binge-worthy cocktail. From its A-list cast to its polarizing finale, this isn’t just another glossy streaming series—it’s the one everyone will be talking about.

Elite Coastlines, Dark Secrets

Sirens follows bartender Devon (Meghann Fahy) as she reconnects with her estranged sister Simone (Milly Alcock), who now serves as the personal assistant to Martha’s Vineyard power-player Michaela Kell (Julianne Moore). At first glance, it feels like your classic outsider-enters-a-world-of-privilege tale. But creator Molly Smith Metzler (Maid) flips that formula on its head. The series isn’t about aspiration—it’s about survival in a house of mirrors where status, loyalty, and love are transactional.

Michaela’s palatial estate is more prison than paradise. The halls may be lined with fine art, but the emotional stakes are brutal. As Devon begins to untangle Michaela’s web of influence, she finds herself caught in a dangerous game of truth and manipulation—one that pits sister against sister.

Julianne Moore Leads with Chilling Precision

Moore’s Michaela is part mentor, part menace. Imagine Miranda Priestly if she traded designer bags for mythology textbooks and emotional blackmail. She commands every room with calm, calculated force. Her presence lingers even when she's off-screen, a testament to Moore's ability to play both godmother and gaslighter.

A Tale of Two Sisters

The heart of Sirens lies with Devon and Simone. Their relationship starts fragile, shaped by years of silence and unresolved pain. Fahy brings grit and edge to Devon, a character with one foot out the door and one eye always watching. Alcock’s Simone, on the other hand, seems delicate—until she isn’t. As each episode peels back their shared history, we see the shifting power dynamics and trauma that bind them.

What starts as a reunion morphs into a rivalry, laced with jealousy, dependence, and blurred lines of morality. Are they victims of Michaela’s manipulation—or of each other?

A Feminist Thriller—or a Glorified Catfight?

Here’s where the conversation heats up. Some critics hail Sirens as a subversive feminist triumph that dares to explore female rage, ambition, and survival in a male-dominated world. Others argue it falls into the trap of glamorizing emotional warfare among women. The debate hits a boiling point in the finale, where a shocking twist has viewers questioning everything they thought they knew about Devon and Simone.

Was Simone ever who she claimed to be? Did Devon inherit more of Michaela’s ruthlessness than she realized? The ambiguity is intentional—but not everyone is enjoying the open-endedness.

Modern Mythology Meets Instagram Realness

Metzler smartly threads mythology into the narrative, borrowing heavily from the sirens of Greek lore—creatures who lure sailors to their doom with beauty and song. But in this world, the siren song is Michaela’s lifestyle, her validation, her approval. It’s the beachside brunches and curated wardrobes masking manipulation.

The show skewers influencer culture, class privilege, and the performative nature of modern relationships. Social media becomes both a mask and a mirror, with each character performing their role in Michaela’s court while hiding their true selves underneath the filters.

Critical Buzz: Divisive but Addictive

Early reviews are polarizing. Sirens currently holds a 73% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and a strong 82% audience rating. IndieWire praised it as "rich in mood, if not in answers,” while Vulture called it "a glossy, mean-girl fever dream with brains." Reddit threads are ablaze with interpretations of the final shot, which some say hints at a deeper conspiracy—and others think was just aesthetic misdirection.

Even more controversial? The claim that Sirens uses trauma for shock value rather than substance. Several think pieces argue that the show doesn’t give its characters the growth they deserve. Yet, the performances are so compelling—especially Moore and Alcock—that many viewers forgive the messiness.

What Makes Sirens Stand Out

In the crowded landscape of streaming thrillers, Sirens doesn’t just stand out—it stabs you in the back and then smiles while doing it. It’s both a mood piece and a melodrama, cinematic in look but theatrical in tone. The direction is stylish, the soundtrack laced with haunting indie ballads, and the pacing brisk.

It’s one of those rare shows where even if you don’t like it, you’ll be talking about it.

Final Thoughts: The Show Everyone’s Going to Argue About

Sirens isn’t perfect—but that’s exactly what makes it ripe for debate. It provokes, confuses, and seduces. It’s equal parts psychological thriller and mythological allegory, dripping with glamour and danger. Is it feminist empowerment or luxury soap opera? Maybe both.

What’s clear is that Sirens knows exactly what it’s doing: turning pain into prestige and spectacle into subtext. In a time where everything is curated, Michaela’s world dares to expose the ugly truths behind the perfect image.

This is one Netflix drop you don’t want to sleep on. Just don’t expect clean resolutions—or clean consciences.

➡️ If you’re into slow-burn thrillers layered with manipulation, mythology, and emotional mind games, Sirens is your next obsession.
➡️ Keep an eye on Milly Alcock — her turn as Simone might just make her a defining face of Gen Z psychological drama.
➡️ And don’t be surprised if Netflix brings us another twisted chapter in this universe. The siren song might not be over yet.

Now streaming on Netflix. For more bold takes and breakdowns, visit The Tipsy Critic—real stories, no fluff.