Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers ended its second season with the episode “Never Change,” on Wednesday, revealing the secret connection the guests’ have at alternative therapy pioneer Masha’s (Nicole Kidman) psychedelic Alpine wellness retreat. The finale delivers a pointed anti-capitalist message by casting billionaire David Sharpe (Mark Strong) as the ultimate villain.
David is the story’s heartless capitalist blamed for all wrongs through his company, Signal Ops, whose smart bomb is depicted more as a crime than as a technological achievement.
David’s success is his scarlet letter, and the finale leans hard into this, making him the scapegoat for every guest’s trauma at the retreat. First, there’s Brian (Murray Bartlett), the “canceled” TV star who’s on-air, expletive-filled rant during his children’s show was repeatedly broadcast on David’s news channel.
Then we have Wolfie (Maisie Richardson-Sellers) who is lost after funding for the program that helps underprivileged musicians succeed was cut off by Signal Ops’ charity division:
Masha: Each of you has a connection to David Sharpe. Some of you are already aware, such as Brian, who had the unique experience of being covered by David's news programs.
News Anchor: Children's TV host slash certified lunatic, Brian Tumkin, showing the world his true colors.
Brian: No one films on my set but me, motherf*cker!
Masha: Just one of the many souls whose worst moment was covered and dissected endlessly on his broadcast.
David: Hold on, hold on. You think I personally have time to oversee my news team's coverage? Tumkin? What kind of f*cking name is that? He's meant to be a children's f*cking entertainer. He's meant to look after the kids. You can't just scream at them.
Brian: Must be nice to delegate such trivial things.
David: But that’s part of the gig. Is there anything wrong with that?
Masha: Not necessarily. You like to keep your hands clean. That's why you use your charities to launder your name with the public. Like the scholarship program. The one for young musicians that would never have been able to study were it not for your generous support.
David: I'm not sure which one you're referring to.
Masha: The program is gone because a change in state tax law meant that Signal Op could no longer write it off. Twenty young talented musicians, just gone. But I'm sure Wolfie could tell you how that felt.
Wolfie: Everyone in the whole program had to drop out. And we weren't given any kind of an explanation.
David: What, you think I've got anything to do with the scholarship plans that my company funds? I'm sure we would have shifted the money into some other worthy cause. I don't decide what's tax deductible. I don't make the laws.
Masha: No, of course not. It can't be you, I mean, it's the system, isn't it, David?
David: Yeah. It's the...it's the system.
Masha: But no one plays the system better than David Sharpe.
So, Brian isn’t supposed to take personal accountability and can instead blame it on “the system,” but David can’t? Only billionaires are to blame for everything, apparently.
We’re also supposed to believe Wolfie is entitled to endless handouts, ignoring the strain it could put on the company and its other charities- all to promote a socialist utopian dream that could never be achievable in the real world.
Next there’s Agnes (Dolly De Leon), the ex-nun who misgendered God and Matteo (Aras Aydin) who lost his entire family to Signal Ops’ “smart bomb.”
Masha: Agnes, you saw the results of that. Mother Irene, she ran war-zone hospitals. But her adherence to strict dogma caused preventable deaths. They were preventable. It wasn't just you, Agnes. David Sharpe's company funded her humanitarian work. His satellite technology was used to bomb the victims, and he funded the hospitals that claimed to heal their wounds.
David: We did the exposé on her. We were the ones that put her away.
Masha: That was only after you learned the other media outlet was preparing an exposé. You had to beat them. You had to win. How long before that did you know about these atrocities?
Agnes: Everyone involved knew. You had to know.
David: What, so I'm on trial for protecting myself? Are you serious? Every one of you would have done exactly the same thing if you'd been in my situation.
Masha: Oh, no. I don't think so. Now, Matteo. But Matteo here lost more than any of us can imagine. His parents and his three siblings lost their lives to a "smart bomb." The "smart" refers to a satellite guidance technology that was created by Signal Op.
What kind of villain funds hospitals for victims of his own bombs? Sounds pretty altruistic to us.
No one wants war—it’s tragic and ugly. Yet, lasting peace requires strength and a strong defense. Thankfully most of us understand the importance of the “good guys” having a strong military that has advanced technological capabilities and that more lives (not to mention freedom and democracy) are saved when a country is able to protect itself from its enemies.
Another guest, Victoria (Christine Baranski), pulls Masha aside so her daughter Imogen (Annie Murphy) cannot hear. She tells Masha, “Imogen is a smart girl. Once she realizes who created the satellite technology that guided those bombs, it won't take her long to realize the real reason her father killed himself. David Sharpe exploited my husband's brilliance. The poor man couldn't live with it.”
So, more passing the blame onto David and no personal accountability whatsoever for all involved. Masha even hypocritically accuses David of projecting when he tries to defend himself. In Hollywood, rich man bad. Always
Even David’s son despises him and verbally berates him, followed by a punch in the face from Imogen when she realizes David’s connection to her dead father:
David: Masha's given you a comprehensive rundown of all the terrible things I'm supposed to have done. But please, don't forget, I'm just a person. Isn't that what this is all about? Aren't we all just people, flawed people, doing our best? I mean, I've had trauma! I've had trauma just like you. What about all the good things I've done? Nobody talks about those. How I overcame a terrible childhood. F*cking hell. And became an amazing father to my son.
Peter: You know what? I'm not gonna just sit here and listen to this bullshit.
David: Peter?
Peter: Oh, cut the f*cking waterworks, okay? No one believes you. And you. Why would you think that putting some sort of narcissist at the center of a morality play would be a punishment? Okay, he wants to be the main character. He revels in it. You've made him the star. You think those are real tears that he's crying?
David: What are you talking about?
Peter: Come on, Dad. You learned how to cry on demand for some 60 Minutes fluff piece. I remember watching at the dinner table with your performance coach, practicing.
David: Do you really hate me that much? You have to believe I care, Peter. I love you with all my heart.
Peter: I don't believe a word you say anymore. It's all bullshit.
David: Oh, okay, well, maybe you don't believe that then. Fine. Well, just f*cking kill me then. I can't do this anymore. Just do it already. I mean, you've got the firing squad right here. There must be a gun somewhere in this godforsaken castle. It's clearly what she wants, so why don't you f*cking do it?
Imogen: I'd like a word.
David: You? Why? What have I ever done to you?
Imogen: I think you knew my father.
Victoria: Immy, don't.
Imogen: Jonathan Auclair.
David: Uh...I can't remember. I can't picture him, to be honest.
Imogen: You know what, David? Sometimes neither can I.
Everyone decides the best remedy for David’s is for him to tell his company not to make bombs anymore, which, in his state of delirium, he eagerly agrees to:
David: No, don't cry. Please, please, don't cry. I'm so sorry for the things I've done. Swear to God, I had no idea. What can I do to stop you crying?
Peter: Why don't you stop building bombs?
David: Stop building bombs?
Peter: I've come to terms with you being a shitty father, but there's still time for you not to be a shitty human.
David: Stop building bombs?
Peter: Well, it's just a small part of the business, Dad.
David: It is. It is only a small part of the business. Are you telling me that's all it would take to wash my hands of all this death? Right. Starting immediately, Signal Op is getting out of the business of weapons production, completely out. We will not spend another penny on hurting anybody. In fact, we'll move all of the money and the staff from weapons production into charity. In fact, we'll move everything into charity. Then, we can build better hospitals. We can make better music programs.
Imogen: How do we know you won't change your mind tomorrow?
David: You will know because I'm gonna do it right now. I'm gonna call everyone right now. Uh, where's my phone? My sat phone is in my cabin. In fact, it's morning in LA.
Masha: David!
Peter: You can't go outside.
Masha: He can't. No, no.
Peter: It's a blizzard out there.
Masha: David. David?
How can a company fund charities if it stops making money? David later regrets agreeing to stop bomb production, but Masha leaks a video of his drugged promises, tanking his business and costing him billions.
Months later, David threatens to release incriminating videos of Masha unless she hands over Zauberwald, turning his takeover into another supposed act of villainy—even though Masha did the same to him.
The whole episode feels like a middle finger to ambition. It’s the kind of simplistic, class-warfare drivel that passes for depth in Hollywood’s echo chamber. Skip this preachy mess for something that doesn’t insult your intelligence.
